Film Wisconsin tax credits aim to bring movie, TV projects to state

MILWAUKEE - Gov. Tony Evers visited Nō Studios in Milwaukee on Monday, March 9, to celebrate the launch of Wisconsin’s new film office, Film Wisconsin, and the state’s new film tax credit program.

Film tax credit program

What we know:

The state’s new film office and tax credit incentives program were created by the 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed into law by Evers last year.

According to a news release, the new film office and tax credits will work to bring creative endeavors to Wisconsin’s doorstep, bolster the state’s travel and tourism economy, and strengthen the film industry in Wisconsin. 

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A part of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, Film Wisconsin administers $5 million in film tax credits annually to assist the production of feature and short films, scripted and unscripted television shows, documentaries, broadcast advertisements, and production infrastructure in Wisconsin.

Prior to the governor’s creation of the new film office, Wisconsin was just one of a handful of states without a dedicated film office, historically lacking film tax incentives.

What they're saying:

"Over the last several years, we’ve made supporting Wisconsin’s travel and tourism industry a top priority of my administration, creating our Office of Outdoor Recreation, supporting building projects at destinations across the state, bringing national events to our communities, and so much more, and it’s paid off big," Evers said. "Now, our new film office and tax credit program will build on this important work and will bolster creative industries in Wisconsin and create economic opportunities for our local workers and businesses, all while showcasing the natural beauty, one-of-a-kind communities, and all that makes Wisconsin an unforgettable place to live, work, and visit." 

Inside Wisconsin’s film push

Local perspective:

The film "Song Sung Blue" tells the story of a Milwaukee duo who performed as Neil Diamond and Patsy Cline tribute artists. But despite the local storyline, the movie was filmed in New Jersey.

That’s not unusual for Hollywood projects set in Wisconsin.

"‘Bridesmaids,’ that was set in Milwaukee," said FOX6 Hollywood Insider Gino Salomone. "We only saw a few establishing shots of the lakefront or an apartment building, and it wasn’t shot here."

Filmmakers say the reason many Wisconsin-set projects film elsewhere often comes down to incentives.

"If a state does not have film tax incentives, they're not coming here to shoot," said filmmaker Suzanne Jurva, who previously worked on major productions at DreamWorks and helped advocate for incentives through Action! Wisconsin: Wisconsin Film Coalition.

Jurva said productions typically choose states that offer financial incentives for filming.

Actor and producer Paulina Lule Bugembe-Kuwahara said she ran into that problem firsthand after returning to Milwaukee in 2022.

"I was very adamant about not only it being set in Milwaukee, but filmed in Milwaukee. And it sort of became a non-starter with financiers, because there were no tax incentives," said Bugembe-Kuwahara.

State leaders say the new film tax credits are meant to address that problem.

"Keeping talented people here in Wisconsin is really, really important. You get to see people being trained here, maybe get a little start, and then head out to California, Chicago, whatever," Evers said. "And it's good to keep talent in the state."

Jurva says the goal is to bring productions — and their spending — to Wisconsin.

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"Make it possible for big productions, studio productions, and any type of production, to come here to be able to hire our crew, stay in our hotels, order food, all the things you need to do a production," said Jurva.

To be eligible

Dig deeper:

To be eligible for tax credits, productions must spend a minimum of $100,000 for projects 30 minutes or longer and a minimum of $50,000 for projects less than 30 minutes.

News programming, talk shows, sports and current events productions are not eligible.

Projects may receive up to $1 million in tax credits per fiscal year. Eligible production expenses include cast and crew wages, accommodations, costs of set construction and operations, purchase or rental of facilities and equipment, location fees, and other production-related goods and services purchased and consumed within the state.

Film Wisconsin will review tax credit applications monthly.

The tax credits are retroactive to eligible expenditures beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Projects receiving credits will also be required to include the Wisconsin Film Office logo in their film credits.

What you can do:

Learn more about Film Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Film Production Tax Credit at FilmWisconsin.com.

EntertainmentMilwaukeeNewsTony Evers