Graduation Year
2025
Date of Submission
12-2024
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Economics
Second Department
Film Studies
Reader 1
Julio Garin
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2024 Mason V Cotton
Abstract
In this study, I replicate and extend Button's (2019) analysis of state film incentives (SFIs) using state-of-the-art difference-in-differences (DiD) techniques (Roth et al., 2023). I analyze how incentive structure and varying unemployment conditions affect SFIs' impact on film and television production in the United States. I find that SFIs significantly increase television series production by 23.0% and new episode creation by 26.4%, while showing no meaningful effect on movie production. These results align with Button's core findings but now are examined through more robust econometric methods. I extend the analysis by considering both economic conditions and program structure. During periods of high unemployment, SFI effectiveness increases substantially with total effects on television production reaching 34.4%, compared to 18.6% during normal unemployment conditions. I also find that transferable tax credit structures have greater effects than refundable credits, with the variable TV Series increasing by 32.9% compared to 19.7% for refundable structures. My findings conclude that states should focus their incentive programs specifically on television production.
Recommended Citation
Cotton, Mason, "State Film Incentive Effectiveness: Analyzing Television and Film Production Response to Standard Incentives, Economic Conditions, and Program Structure" (2025). CMC Senior Theses. 3737.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/3737
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
