Minnesota working to become a more desirable place to film movies and TV shows

Thanks to the creation of a new state agency and $25 million in tax credits, Minnesota is on the way to becoming a more desirable place to film movies and TV shows.

Minnesota House Representative Liz Lee (DFL - St. Paul) says the tax credit was set up as an incentive to draw in new creators to the state.

"The mission of that is to bring people to Minnesota," says Lee. "And increase tourism to Minnesota, and make sure people know our story, and come here. A lot that can be achieved through moviemaking."

Melodie Bahan is the Deputy Director of Explore Minnesota Film and she says midsize budget productions are already spending money here and are often contributing to small local economies.

"The projects that we've had come through the state in the last couple of years have been in the $1.5 to $3 to $4 million spend in the state," says Bahan. "That is money that is spent on hotels, restaurants, lumber yards, hardware stores."

Minnesota now joins 45 other states that have similar film agency programs. In 2021 the Minnesota Film Production Tax Credit was passed by the Minnesota Legislature as an incentive to bring more film makers to the state it also set up an official state agency dedicated to film.

Deputy Director of that agency Bahan says those moves made deals on upcoming projects like Netflix’s series “Love Is Blind" possible.

"We are primed to get a lot of midbudget feature films, independent films," she said. "And you know, we are always looking for a TV series because that would provide year round employment for people."

Bahan says the states geographic location has also been a selling point for filming in Minnesota as it sits relatively between both coasts making it easy for travel.