American media production is typically associated with places like Hollywood, Atlanta and New York. But Connecticut, with its mix of charming small towns, farms, and cities, has been an attractive place for companies like Hallmark to shoot movies.
It's also home to ESPN, NBC Sports and a growing list of television production sites.
Several state officials and film and TV leaders say that could be at risk if a proposal to lower the state's digital media tax credit becomes law.
Stamford is one such "media hub," home to major production studios for WWE, NBCUniversal and the A+E Network. It's also in the New York City union zone for SAG-AFTRA, making it attractive for producers.
Mayor Caroline Simmons (D) said the cut, proposed earlier this year by Gov. Ned Lamont (D), could mean fewer jobs and less tourism for her city and the state. Students at UConn's Stamford campus also benefit from internships and work opportunities at the businesses — opportunities that their professors say could be at risk if the tax incentive is cut.
Simmons was joined on Wednesday by UConn Digital Media & Design Department head Heather Elliot-Famularo, CT Film and TV Alliance lead Lauren Black and freelance producer Myke Furhman to talk about the proposal.
She said it's a "substantial" portion of the city's economy.
"When NBC Sports was the proud host of producing the Paris Olympics last summer, they brought in over 1,000 people to their headquarters here, who were dining at our restaurants, shopping at our stores, staying at our hotels, bringing in millions of dollars of revenue," Simmons said.
Lamont wants to lower the tax incentive from 30% to 25%. He estimates the cut would result in a revenue increase of $9.2 million in FY 2026 and $17.1 million in FY 2027. Legislation to cut it entirely failed in the last session.
Rob Blanchard, Lamont's Director of Communications, referenced federal funding uncertainty as a reason to reduce the credit.
"From FY 2008 to FY 2024, the state issued more than $1.5 billion in film production tax credits, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1%, far outpacing both inflation and the overall state budget," Blanchard said.
Furhman, who recently directed a movie at Candlewood Lake, said even a small cut could be deadly for the state's growing industry.
"This is really a turning point for our state, for our industry," Furhman said. "They say, 'Oh, well, it might just be a little bit of a haircut.' No, it's a guillotine for all of us, for freelance crew, for major networks. It really has such a drastic impact."
Connecticut's Department of Economic Community Development recently found that every dollar the state spends on film and TV production tax credits generates 5 dollars in economic output.
Neighboring states also offer tax credits for production. New York offers 30%, up from 25% in 2023. New Jersey gives 30-35%, with an extra 2-4% for meeting certain diversity standards.
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