Hollywood Leaders Confront Potential Film Tariffs

Leaders from major Hollywood studios and streaming companies convened on Zoom for a meeting with Motion Picture Association chief Charles Rivkin to discuss the potential impact of President Trump’s proposed film tariffs. Their objective was to inform the White House about the complexities of the film industry and the challenges of applying tariffs to a product that is not a conventional good, as many films are produced in various international locations to optimize costs and leverage subsidies. The executives highlighted that a significant number of films are still filmed in the U.S., particularly in states like Georgia, New Jersey, and New York, which offer substantial production incentives. They aimed to persuade the president that the concern of runaway production primarily affects California, which lacks similar subsidies. The meeting included prominent figures such as Donna Langley (Universal Pictures), Alan Bergman (Disney), Brian Robbins (Paramount), and Ted Sarandos (Netflix). They expressed uncertainty about whether the proposed tariffs would apply only to movies or also to TV and streaming content, with concerns that such tariffs could disrupt film financing and production models, potentially prompting retaliation from other countries. Rivkin initiated the meeting as discussions evolved around Trump’s social media announcement of a potential 100% tariff on films produced abroad, with the MPA spokesperson yet to comment.

Source: VARIETY