The effects of tariffs on American films and TV production: a statement from the Australian Film and Television Regulatory Commission (BECTU)

The CEO of Screen Producers Australia wrote that the news will send shockwaves worldwide. The head of BECTU says the tariffs would be a blow for the country’s film and TV production industry.

Many American films and tv shows are shot outside the U.S. Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning was shot in many places, including on a Norwegian archipelago.

“I want to make sure they’re happy with it, because we’re all about jobs,” the president said, saying that he didn’t want to hurt the industry. Hollywood does not do most of that business. They have a nice sign and everything is good, but they don’t do a lot.

“Production in the United States, and specifically California, is at a massive decline,” he shared. But, he said, it’s too soon to have any clear sense of what a 100% tariff might mean for the industry – or how it would even work.

The Motion Picture Association of Canada: Implications of a possible trade war between the US and other countries for American production of films, television and streaming

The Motion Picture Association, which represents Hollywood’s major film and TV studios, has not responded to NPR’s request for comment about the president’s plan.

On Monday, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the union — which represents film and television actors and performers, along with media workers more broadly — looks forward to learning more.

Efforts to increase movie,television and streaming production in the United States are supported by SAG-AFTRA. We will continue to advocate for policies that will strengthen the country’s position in the global market, accelerate economic growth and provide good middle class jobs for American workers,” she said.

For nearly four months in 2023, actors in the union went on strike, bringing production in Hollywood to a standstill at the same time writers were striking, too. The NPR News staffers are also members of the same union, as they are under a different contract.

The unions for behind-the-scenes craftspeople and technicians in the entertainment industry shared a statement about the threat from international competition.

Matthew D. Loeb said the union still stood firm in their belief that any eventual trade policy must not harm the Canadian members or the industry overall.

According to the New York Times, the production of US movies in other countries reduces American demand for film crews, while the state of California is attempting to increase its tax incentives for shooting in the country. Trump has derided the idea of businesses receiving money to work in the US, comparing it to a Biden era subsidy for chip-makers.

A Conversation with Jayden Mehta on Tech and Policy Issues: Online Platforms, Free Expression, and Free Games (with an Emphasis on Game Theory)

I am a senior tech and policy editor who is interested in online platforms and free expression. In the past 4 years, he has covered video games, biohacking, and more.