PR Veteran Darryl Isherwood to Oversee New Jersey’s Production Tax Incentive Program
New Jersey is accelerating its efforts to bring TV and film productions to the Garden State with the expansion of its tax incentive program. As part of that effort, PR veteran Darryl Isherwood has been appointed senior adviser for economic development communications and the sector lead for film and digital media at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an expansion of the state’s tax credit program this week that expands the program’s support of digital media productions, increasing the cap to $30 million, from $10 million, and it adjusts the terms governing how much of that content has to be produced in New Jersey to qualify for the credit.
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The legislation signed this week also promises to expand the state’s entire production tax incentive program by an additional $100 million, starting in fiscal year 2025. New Jersey established the program under Murphy’s leadership in July 2018, and expanded it again in 2020.
New Jersey Economic Development Authority
“This legislation will ensure that our state remains a top destination for some of our country’s most significant film and TV productions,” said Murphy said when the bill was signed Jan. 12. “The New Jersey Film & Digital Media Tax Credit Program has brought numerous productions to our state, creating jobs for New Jerseyans, and bringing in money that is being spent with local businesses. We look forward to attracting even more productions to our state with the expanded tax credits and improvements that this legislation provides.”
New Jersey’s success in bringing production such as Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” “The Many Saints of Newark” and CBS’ “The Equalizer” has reinforced the need for the state to have an ambassador for the program, hence Isherwood’s appointment.
“Film and television represent a huge growth opportunity for New Jersey’s economy, and Darryl has already been a key part of Gov. Murphy’s strategy to attract new productions and studio development,” said Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Isherwood joined the Economic Development Authority in 2019. Before that, he spent five years as senior VP for politics and policy-focsed PR firm Mercury Public Affairs.
(Pictured top: 2021’s “West Side Story”)
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