Headline rate, caps, minimum spend, payroll fringe, and the official film office for Colorado. Reference data for producers, line producers, and financiers structuring a Colorado shoot.
Illustrative reference. Verify before deal.
Colorado's 22% cash rebate is straightforward and pays relatively quickly, with a low minimum spend of $100,000 for in-state companies and $1 million for out-of-state productions. The $5 million annual cap is small by national standards, so the program tends to favor mid-budget independent features and commercial work over large-scale series. Colorado also offers a separate loan-guarantee program that can supplement the rebate for qualifying projects. Denver and Boulder have established crew communities with strengths in commercial, documentary, and outdoor-adventure production, and the state's diverse geography, from mountain ranges to plains to urban corridors, provides significant location variety within short driving distances. The Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media administers the program and provides location-scouting assistance at no cost.
The questions producers ask first when sizing a Colorado shoot, answered against the state's current program structure and fringe environment.
Headline rate is the start, not the end. Compare Colorado side-by-side with every other U.S. jurisdiction on caps, minimum spend, refundability, and fringe before locking the location.
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