Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP) - Animation & Visual Effects Projects

The Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP) - Animation & Visual Effects Projects, is administered by the Texas Film Commission, a state-level entity tasked with promoting economic development through film, television, commercial, and animation production within Texas. The program is designed to attract and retain production activity by offering financial incentives in the form of cash grants tied directly to in-state expenditures. By encouraging production companies to base a significant portion of their work in Texas, the program supports job creation, infrastructure utilization, and broader economic impact across the state. The primary purpose of the program is to incentivize qualifying animation and visual effects projects, along with film, television, and commercial productions, to conduct substantial production activity in Texas. Eligible projects may receive a cash grant of up to 31 percent of qualified Texas spending, with the exact percentage dependent on project type. To qualify, projects must meet minimum spending thresholds, including at least 250000 dollars in Texas expenditures for film and television projects, or 100000 dollars for commercial productions. Additionally, at least 60 percent of production must occur within Texas, reinforcing the program’s focus on in-state economic benefit. Funding may be applied to a wide range of eligible expenditures, including wages and per diems paid to Texas residents, payroll taxes and fringe benefits, payments to Texas-based vendors, transportation on Texas-based airlines, and rentals of Texas-registered vehicles. Certain expenditures are explicitly excluded, such as payments to non-Texas residents, marketing and distribution costs, and expenses not directly tied to physical production. Compensation for individual workers is capped at 1 million dollars per person per project for eligibility purposes. Eligibility requirements also include workforce residency thresholds. For most project types, at least 35 percent of paid cast and crew working in Texas must be Texas residents. Residency must be documented through a formal declaration process, requiring proof of domicile for at least 120 days prior to production. The program excludes certain project types entirely, including news programming, sporting events, student projects, and content deemed inappropriate or negatively portraying Texas. The application process requires prospective applicants to first submit an Incentive Inquiry Form to obtain access to the official application. A complete application package must be submitted no earlier than 180 days and no later than five business days prior to the start of principal photography. Required materials include an online application, an itemized Texas budget, and a content document such as a script or storyboard. Applications submitted after production has begun are not eligible, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances. Following submission, applicants must confirm the production start date within five business days and provide updates if delays occur. During production, the Texas Film Commission may conduct periodic reviews to verify compliance with spending and residency requirements. After completion of Texas expenditures, applicants must submit comprehensive documentation within 60 days, including financial records, payroll data, residency forms, and final project content for verification. Final review and payment occur after compliance verification by both the Texas Film Commission and the Governor’s Office Division of Compliance and Monitoring. Funds are disbursed only after all obligations to the state have been satisfied and documentation is approved. The program operates on a rolling basis, allowing applications throughout the year as long as they meet submission timing requirements relative to production start dates. For additional information or assistance, applicants may contact the incentive team via email or phone.

Emphasize Texas-based spending, job creation, and use of in-state infrastructure; ensure residency documentation is complete and accurate; submit application well before production start date to avoid disqualification