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Applying for Colorado’s film incentive is easy.  Our incentive is a cash rebate of up to 20% of qualified local expenditures.  Checks will be issued no later than 45 days after receipt of CPA audit and other required documentation.  

KEY COLORADO PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES

Film Incentive Program: 20% cash rebate for eligible production costs. The incentive program covers feature films, television pilots, television series (broadcast and cable), television commercials, music videos, industrials, documentaries, and video game design and creation, as well as other forms of content creation.

Education Grants: COFTM offers grants to local film schools and high schools that provide hands on production experience. Through the grant, schools produce an original documentary over one semester that will air on public television.

Media Professionals Career Connections Road Tour: An annual educational panel tour that features film industry professionals at several Colorado colleges and universities, meant to help film students connect with the industry and help them start their careers.

Regional Film Commissions: Regional film commissions are located all over the State and offer resources to filmmakers including information on permits, finding local talent and vendors and strategies for working with local officials and community members.

Film Ready Initiative: COFTM works with rural, Colorado border communities to give exposure to “un-filmed” locations, inviting location scouts working within the surrounding states to visit and discover Colorado’s film ready communities.

Film Festival (RTAP) Initiative: COFTM partners with communities to plan and organize a niche festival in their region. Colorado currently offers over forty film festivals statewide, which serve as creation incubators, education spaces and economic drivers.

Native Initiative: COFTM, Colorado Film School and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe have partnered to create a film workshop for students to learn how to use cameras, drones, how to edit and about the art of storytelling.

“To begin the incentive application process, submit a pre-application or consult with the film office at 303-892-3840. Funding is limited and therefore projects will be selected on the merits set forth in the application and not on a “first come first served” basis.”
— Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media (COFTM)

Total production spend of Colorado Film, Television and Media (COFTM) Programs and incentivized film/TV production: $85,653,529.

INCENTIVE PROCEDURE

Applying for Colorado’s film incentive is easy.  Our incentive is a cash rebate of up to 20% of qualified local expenditures.  Checks will be issued no later than 45 days after receipt of CPA audit and other required documentation.

To be eligible, a Colorado production company must have qualified local expenditures of at least $100,000. An out-of-state production company must have at least $1 million in qualified local expenditures (the exception being television commercials and video game productions, which must have qualified local expenditures of $250,000).

Productions must hire a workforce (cast & crew) comprised of at least 50% Colorado residents.

All productions considering a film incentive rebate must be approved and have a signed contract before beginning
 principal photography.

Please review all procedures and definitions thoroughly.

Please review all procedures and definitions thoroughly.

1.  Applying

  • To begin the application process, submit a pre-application or consult with the film office at 303-892-3840.  Our funding is limited and therefore projects will be selected on the merits set forth in the application and not on a “first come first served” basis

  • Submit the Statement of Intent & Application for Conditional Approval, once reviewed by the COFTM staff, you will be notified and provided with a formal application

  • Approval –  each project make must gain approval from the Colorado Economic Development Commission at a designated monthly meeting. The schedule can be found here.

  • Register or confirm Good Standing with Colorado Secretary of State

  • Contract – A fully executed contract must be completed before incurring expenses eligible for the rebate.

2.  During Production

  • Declaration of Colorado Residency – this form must be used during the course of production activities to maintain proper records of the percentage of Colorado residents employed on the production

  • Set-Up Colorado Withholding – Colorado income tax must be withheld for wages to be considered a qualified local expenditure (issuing 1099’s is not sufficient proof of withholding).  If non-resident cast or crew members are being claimed as an eligible expenditure, Colorado income tax must also be withheld

3.  After Production

  • Audit – The production company must retain a Colorado Certified Public Accountant to review and report in writing, and in accordance with professional standards, the accuracy of the financial documents of expenses incurred during Colorado production and figures reported in the Film Incentive Proof of Performance. The CPA must be certified by the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media and review the COFTM CPA Agreed Upon Procedures. Download a sample audit

  • Submit a Film Incentive Proof of Performance

  • Certification – Sample Certification Letter

  • Download the Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media logo for end credit acknowledgement: Full Color, Reverse, B & W

  • Additional Materials – Please refer to the Film Incentive Proof of Performance Checklist for other materials that must be submitted

4.  Legal

MORE INFO

Filming in Colorado is unforgettable.  That’s why several notable productions have used Colorado’s new 20% rebate program, including The Hateful Eight, Furious 7, Cop Car, Being Evel, & Universal Sports Network. 

INCENTIVE FAQs

PRE-APPLICATION