San Francisco has experienced a significant surge in film and television production, with city-permitted shoots rising 28% over the previous fiscal year and direct local spending nearly doubling to $32.3 million, according to the San Francisco Film Commission’s annual fiscal year impact report released Thursday, September 17.
San Francisco Film Spending Jumps 84.6 Percent
- City-permitted productions reached 309 for the fiscal year, up from 241 previously, spanning 555 total shoot days.
- Direct local spending jumped 84.6% to $32.3 million, driven by the modernized “Scene in San Francisco” cash rebate program.
- The productions generated 5,630 SAG-AFTRA bookings, 4,303 hotel room nights, and over 3,600 local crew hires.
Permits and Spending Figures from the San Francisco Film Commission
The San Francisco Film Commission, also known as Film SF, reported that production activity across 555 shoot days supported thousands of local crew hires, 5,630 SAG-AFTRA bookings, and 4,303 hotel room nights. Executive Director Manijeh Fata stated the increase in production activity has generated more than $32 million in direct local spending, which includes hotel bookings, restaurant visits, and support for local artists, creatives, and crew members.
Mayor Daniel Lurie released a statement on Thursday, September 17, highlighting that many of the productions would not be in the city without the legislation modernizing the “Scene in San Francisco” incentive program. The revised incentive program expanded rebates on local production spending and city fees, though it was signed into law on February 11, less than five months before the end of the fiscal year running from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Consequently, the annual impact report reflects that production activity was already trending upward before the full implementation of the revamped rules.
Feature Films and Industry Projects Filming in the Bay Area
Several major productions utilized San Francisco locations during the fiscal year, including Luca Guadagnino’s feature film Artificial starring Andrew Garfield as OpenAI founder Sam Altman and Yura Borisov as Ilya Sutskever, scheduled for release in December. Additional notable projects encompassed the upcoming feature film Deep Cuts, directed by Sean Durkin and starring Cailee Spaeny and Jennifer Jason Leigh, alongside Leah McKendrick’s Netflix movie Voicemails for Isabelle starring Nick Robinson and Zoey Deutch.
Film SF Executive Director Manijeh Fata also pointed to several recent films shot in the city as potential award contenders, noting titles such as Artificial, The Invite, and Josephine. Beyond box-office and streaming aspirations, Fata noted that residents frequently spotted prominent actors working in local neighborhoods, including Ted Danson, Olivia Wilde, and Seth Rogen.
Economic Return and Funding for Local Arts Organizations
| Metric | Previous Fiscal Year | Current Fiscal Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total Permitted Productions | 241 | 309 |
| Direct Local Spending | $17.5 million | $32.3 million |
| SAG-AFTRA Bookings | Not Reported | 5,630 |
| Hotel Room Nights | Not Reported | 4,303 |
Production spending extended into neighborhood businesses such as catering, equipment rentals, hardware suppliers, and transit operators. Film SF calculated that for every dollar rebated through the city’s incentive program, a production pours $12.50 into the local economy.
Proposition E—the Hotel Tax Allocations for the Arts enacted in 2018—directs hotel tax revenues produced by these media projects straight toward community programs, cultural groups, and local arts initiatives. Film SF President Jack Song emphasized the operational scope of the commission, noting that the agency operates as a lean team handling policy reform, advocacy, daily location permitting, and on-site production coordination.
New Incentive Program Provides Tiered Rebates on Local Spending
The current fiscal year marks the first period to fully reflect the impact of the revamped Scene in San Francisco incentive program. The revised incentive structure delivers a 10% cash-back return for the initial $1 million spent on eligible local expenses—which comprise resident wages alongside San Francisco services and goods—alongside a 20% credit on expenditures surpassing $1 million and a full 100% reimbursement for municipal fees up to $1 million.
