Film Incentives

The High Impact Film Fund Program portal is currently closed and will reopen to accept applications in 2025.

The portal accepted application from April 2, 2024, through September 30, 2024. For any questions, please contact the Film Commissioner at Marco.Giron@miamidade.gov

Miami-Dade County High Impact Film Fund Program

The High Impact Film Fund Program is a performance-based rebate grant for feature-length films, made-for-TV/streaming movies, or TV/streaming series projects with a high return on investment to Miami-Dade County. All productions must register with the Miami-Dade Office of Film and Entertainment (OFE) to begin the application process.  Productions must apply via the website portal which will be open for submissions once every fiscal year. Each project’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis by OFE. After the grant is approved, the rebate will be distributed once the production meets all requirements as determined by OFE internal audit and certified through a professional audit at cost to the production.

PROGRAM PROCESS 

1.   All production projects must apply via website portal with the Miami-Dade Office of Film and Entertainment (OFE) to begin the process.
2.  Require a minimum amount of spending of $5,000,000.00 in Miami-Dade County.
3. Require 90% of the production that occurs within the State of Florida must occur in Miami-Dade County.
4. Require that no less than 70% of hired vendors/contractors be Miami-Dade County registered businesses for days produced in Miami-Dade County.
5. Require that no less than 60% of qualified Miami-Dade County residents be hired as below-the-line crew for the days produced in Miami-Dade County. The remaining percentage may be Florida residents.
6. Require that Miami-Dade County residents are paid, at a minimum, the same rate as provided in Miami-Dade County Code Section 2-8.9, as may be amended from to time, as if the Production were a               covered service contractor.
7. Require that a Production showcase Miami-Dade County to the extent that the Production has a sense of place in Miami-Dade County as determined by OFE.
8. Require that a Production hire two students or recent graduates from local colleges or universities as determined by OFE.
9. Production must use Miami-Dade studios and sound stages and must base production offices in the County.
10.  Additionally, higher consideration shall be given to global co-production and co-production agreements.
11.  After an application has been submitted and all paperwork has been reviewed for criteria and additional vetting, the application will be presented to OFE’s HIFFP committee (Internal County staff) for review.  If the application is approved by the HIFFP committee, then an agreement will be presented to the applicant for signature. The agreement will be then presented to the Mayor for final approval.

The Following Paperwork Is Required To Be Included With Application 
Sent To The Film Commissioner, Marco.Giron@miamidade.gov

• A content document such as a final script (feature films, television series, pilots for television series, documentaries, etc.), storyboards (television commercials), and digital media projects (summary of project).
• Story synopsis.
• An itemized budget detailing estimated Miami-Dade County expenditures.
• A production schedule reflecting pre-production, production, and post-production schedule for entire project, including Miami-Dade County, other Florida counties and other states, U.S. territories or countries.
• Please note: No paperwork that has personal information, including and not limited to Social Security numbers, medical records, etc. will be accepted. All personal information must be redacted.
• Proof of financing.
• All paperwork must accompany application to be deemed complete by the Office of Film & Entertainment prior to the 1st day of principal photography.

Florida requires a minor in entertainment to have a work permit/license.

Miami-Dade County TV, Film and Entertainment Production Incentive Program

The TV, Film and Entertainment Production Incentive is a performance-based grant program that is based on Miami-Dade County-centric criteria. Each project’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis and each project/grant agreement will be required to go before the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for individual approval. This process requires a timeframe of two or more months for approval. After the grant is approved, the rebate will be distributed after the production provides proof of their local spend, hires, etc. through a professional audit.

Tier 1

Local spend of $1,000,000 or more

• Complete application and accompanying paperwork must be submitted prior to the start of the project.

• Minimum spend of $1,000,000 in Miami-Dade County with a maximum grant of $100,000

• Requires no less than 70% Miami-Dade County residents be hired as principal cast and crew members.
  Cast and crew (employees) qualify for the 70%
  minimum local hire but excludes extras/background talent. All 70%
  of the employees must be Miami-Dade County residents.

• Requires at least 70% of hired vendors and contractors to be Miami-Dade County Registered Businesses

Allows for production companies to apply for and receive a maximum of two grants per year.

Tier 2

Local spend of $500,000 to less than $1,000,000

• Complete application and accompanying paperwork must be submitted prior to the start of the project.

• Minimum spend of $500,000 to less than $1,000,000 in Miami-Dade County with a maximum grant of $50,000

• Requires no less than 70% Miami-Dade County residents be hired as principal cast and crew members. Cast and crew (employees) qualify for the 70% minimum local hire but excludes extras/background talent. All 70% of the employees must be Miami-Dade County residents.

• Requires at least 70% of hired vendors and contractors to be Miami-Dade County Registered Businesses

All Projects have the following requirements

Complete application and accompanying paperwork must be submitted prior to the start of the project.

• Each project is required to produce 70% of the entire production project be produced/filmed in Miami-Dade County. This will be determined by a combination of a final production schedule and the final edited, ready-for-distribution project.

• Each project must pay qualified Miami-Dade County residents hired a minimum of the Living Wage per County Code Section 2-8-9, as may be amended from time to time. Each final project will need to include Miami-Dade County as a sense of place.

• Each project must start principal photography or commence digital development (for digital projects) within 120 days of the Board of County Commissioners approving the grant agreement. Each project is required to include the official specialty “Miami-Dade County” identifier in the end credits on projects that include credits in their project. The identifier will be provided by the Miami-Dade Office of Film & Entertainment (OFE), which will require proof that it has been placed in the credits in the final distributed project.

• Additionally, the production is requested to provide promotional stills and/or marketing materials prior to the release of production project for use by the OFE on their website and other marketing.

• Each project must hire at least (1) one student/recent graduate who:

  • is enrolled in an entertainment production educational program at a Miami-Dade County college or university on the date of the commencing of prep of principal photography of the production; or

  • graduated less than one year prior to the date of the commencement of prep of principal photography from a Miami-Dade County college or university with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in film, video, media or digital media production, motion pictures or similar study, and currently resides in Miami-Dade County.

  • ** Students will need the University/College to submit an email from their Professor’s professional email account to prove a qualifying student and a recent (within one-year graduate) will need to provide proof by submitting copy of diploma and college transcripts.

• The production project spend is on qualifying payroll and qualifying expenses. Qualifying payroll is defined as payment of salary to Miami-Dade County residents for work on a majority of the production. (“Duration of Project”). Additionally, each project can include qualifying ancillary expenditures from businesses that are located within the Miami-Dade County boundaries.

• Each Project’s eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis

• A maximum of two grant agreements are allowed per year per Production or its associated subsidiaries, Distribution Company, or network, except for a multi-year Production, like a television series with multiple seasons which can apply for subsequent seasons when the project has been given a renewal. Such additional agreements must also be presented for Board approval.

• Each grant agreement must indicate that rebate funds are distributed only upon the completion of the Production and subject to an audit to ensure compliance with the guidelines of its respective grant agreement.

• All grant agreements must be executed by the Production prior to Board consideration.

 Additional Requirements and rules listed on application and/or grant agreement

• Qualifying projects
• Qualifying Expenditures
• Tier One: $1,000,000 Miami-Dade County spend for a $100,000 grant
• Tier Two: $500,000 - $999,999 Miami-Dade County spend for a $50,000 grant
• Application Process
• Grant Agreement Approval Process
• Renewal (Television Series)
• Compliance & Public Records
• Download Application Here
• List of Current Available Students at local Colleges and Universities

Incentives: Local municipalities,  State of Florida tax exemption, Business Expansion – Relocation, Grants and Funding Sources

• City of Miami Beach
• Miami Beach Film Incentive Guidelines
• Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority Film Incentive Grant Program
• City of North Miami
• State of FL sales tax exemption
• Business Relocation & Expansion 
• Funding Sources
• Grants (Other)