Massachusetts
Info
Locations
Incentives
Film Credits
Contact
Introduction to Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a long history of filming in our state. We pride ourselves on customer service. From the first phone call to the day you wrap, the Massachusetts Film Office is here to help with all your pre-production and production needs.
Filming in Massachusetts brings all types of genres to life with backdrops ranging from historic architecture and cobblestone streets to lush countryside and lively cityscapes. Competitive tax incentives, along with experienced local talent and crews, make the Bay State a sought-after filming location in New England.
Productions That Call Massachusetts Home
Massachusetts boasts a rich history in filmmaking, providing the perfect backdrop for a diverse array of movies. Explore the titles that have transformed this space into a canvas for storytelling, and envision how your project could be the next to add to its legacy.
Production Credits
- The Holdovers
- American Fiction
- Challengers
- Sorry Baby
- Coda
- The Sound of Metal
- Little Women
- Spirited
- The Walking Dead: Dead City
- The Equalizer
- The Equalizer 2
A Few Filming Locations in Massachusetts
Boston Public Garden
Fenway Park
Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House
The Crane Estate
Boston Public Garden
The Boston Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in the United States. It is part of Boston’s “Emerald Necklace.” The area is a beautiful urban oasis and home to the famous swan boats.
- Iconic visuals include gas lamps, swan boats, arched pedestrian bridges, and seasonal foliage and floral displays
- Snowy landscapes in the winter and lush greenery in springtime lend diverse backdrops
- The park easily transforms into both contemporary and historical park settings
- Its central location provides easy access to hotels and production services
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Fenway Park
America’s most beloved ballpark and home to the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park is an icon. Though generations have come and gone, Fenway remains much like it did the day it opened on April 20, 1912.
- Fenway Park is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium still in operation
- Settings include authentic, nostalgic, and modern sports atmospheres for baseball and Americana scenes
- Iconic features include Peskey’s Pole, a hand-operated scoreboard and classic red brick exteriors
- Logistics teams and facility employees are experienced in working with film productions
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The Crane Estate (Ipswich)
The 2,100-acre Crane Estate is an unforgettable destination, featuring winding salt marshes, miles of barrier beach and a beautiful hilltop mansion. The estate is a 59-room Stuart-style mansion designed by world-renowned architect David Adler. Today, the Crane family mansion is known as The Great House on The Crane Estate and is protected, along with the rest of Castle Hill, as a 165-acre National Historic Landmark.
- The 1920s-style grand home boasts Italian Renaissance architecture surrounded by sweeping Atlantic views
- Grounds include a formal garden, forest paths and rolling verdant lawns
- A popular location and frequent stand-in for European and East Coast aristocratic settings
- Less than an hour from Boston, the location offers a secluded atmosphere for controlled filming
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Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House (Concord)
The Orchard House is most noted for being where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women in 1868. This noble home also boasts a rich history spanning two centuries, as well as over 100 years of life as a treasured historic site open to the public.
- The House offers period-accurate interiors with preserved artifacts for the perfect 19th-century backdrop
- Interior and exterior filming is available for productions by arrangement with site management
- Surrounding landscapes include meadows, tree-lined streets, and classic New England stone walls
- The onsite interpretive staff is familiar with meeting the needs of heritage-based film productions
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Massachusetts Film Office Rebates & Incentives
Navigating the world of film production, financial incentives and tax rebates plays a crucial role in bringing your vision to life while maximizing your budget. This section outlines the range of incentives, tax rebates and financial support available to filmmakers choosing this location.
There are multiple streams of funding available:
1. Production Expense Credit — 25%
Eligible productions may claim a transferable, 90%-refundable credit worth 25% of all qualifying in-state production expenditures.
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Qualification:* Either (a) at least 75% of total production expenses are incurred in Massachusetts or (b) at least 75% of principal-photography days occur in the Commonwealth.
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Caps & Carry-overs:* No per-project or annual cap; unused amounts can be carried forward for five years or sold to a third party. Mass.gov
2. Payroll Credit — 25%
Productions that spend a minimum of $50,000 in Massachusetts within a 12-month period can also receive a 25% credit on all Massachusetts-source payroll.
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Limits:* Above-the-line compensation is creditable on the first $1 million paid to any one individual.
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Refundability & Transferability:* Same 90% refund option or transfer to another taxpayer. Mass.gov
3. Sales-Tax Exemption — 6.25%
Qualified productions that meet the same 75% spend-or-days test may purchase or lease tangible personal property and production services free of Massachusetts’ 6.25% sales tax, reducing upfront cash outlay. New England Studios
At-a-Glance Bonuses & Restrictions
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No annual or per-project caps on any of the three incentives. New England Studios
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Credits are fully stackable—projects can (and typically do) combine the Production Expense Credit, Payroll Credit, and Sales-Tax Exemption in a single application.
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Applications are filed through MassTaxConnect; credits may not reduce a corporate excise liability below $456. Mass.gov
Learn More About Rebates & Incentives
Unlock the Perfect Backdrop for Your Production
CONTACT
Massachusetts Film Office
Meg Jarrett
meg.jarrett@mass.gov
Phone – (857) 283-3999
www.mafilm.org