How to Use Tax Credits and Cash Rebates to Secure Production Financing
A producer’s guide to leveraging state incentives before the checks arrive
If you’re producing a film or television project in a state that offers tax credits or cash rebates, congratulations—you’re sitting on one of the most powerful financing tools in the industry. But here’s the catch: most of those funds don’t arrive until months after production wraps. So how do you use them to solve your now problems?
That’s where FilmMoney and FM Lending LLC come in. Founded by veteran producer David Brown, we specialize in converting your future tax credit or rebate into immediate capital—so you can keep your production on track without waiting on bureaucracy.
🎬 What Are Film Tax Credits and Cash Rebates?
Most U.S. states (and several international territories) offer financial incentives to attract film and TV productions. These come in two primary forms:
Cash Rebates: A percentage of qualified expenses is refunded by the state—typically within 30–90 days after wrap and audit.
Transferable Tax Credits: You receive a credit that can be sold to a third party (often at a discount) or used to offset tax liability.
The problem? You don’t get paid until long after the cameras stop rolling.
🏦 Turn Future Money into Present Capital
At FM Lending LLC, we advance up to 80% of the face value of your earned rebate or tax credit. You don’t have to wait for state processing or a credit sale. You get access to the money during pre-production or while you’re still shooting.
This is known as incentive lending, and it’s one of the smartest ways producers can unlock capital tied up in locked-in incentives.
How It Works with FilmMoney
You submit your state incentive paperwork—application approval, budget, and location spend.
We verify the credit or rebate value and estimate your eligible spend.
You receive a loan against that value, typically within days—not months.
Repayment occurs when the rebate arrives or the credit is sold.
It’s fast, secure, and designed for working producers—not paper pushers.
Why It’s Better Than Waiting
Avoid cash flow gaps in the middle of production
Keep vendors, cast, and crew paid on time
Meet deliverables and stay on schedule
Founder David Brown created FilmMoney after seeing too many productions falter while waiting on rebates. With FM Lending LLC, you don’t just survive the gap—you eliminate it.
✅ Final Takeaway
Tax credits and cash rebates aren’t just backend bonuses—they’re front-end fuel. With the right lending partner, they become immediate, production-ready capital.
Need to unlock your incentive funds? Contact David Brown at FilmMoney and let FM Lending LLC help you turn future rebates into real-time results.