The entertainment industry has shaped who we are, so we’ve never had to shift gears or change focus. Tennessee ranks first among all U.S. States for its concentration of musicians, singers, music directors and publishers. More than 6,725 talented Tennesseans are employed in the recording industry at nearly 1,100 businesses. With that extraordinary talent base per capita, we aim to provide you with a pipeline of incentives that runs straight from us to you.
As long as you’re spending a minimum of $50,000 in primary markets or $25,000 in secondary markets, The Tennessee Entertainment Commission Scoring Incentive Program offers a grant up to 25% on Qualified Tennessee Expenditures to companies producing original scores for film, television, animation, commercials, gaming and multi-media projects within Tennessee.
| Incentive | 25% |
|---|---|
| Type of Incentive | Grant |
| Refundable / Transferable / Carryforward | Yes / No / NA |
| Minimum Spend | $50,000 Primary Markets $25,000 Secondary Markets |
| Caps | $500,000 cap on rebate per company/per year |
| Qualified Labor | 1st $50,000 of Each Resident |
| Qualified Vendor Expenses | 25% Qualified TN Vendors |
| Loan out Withholding / Registration | No / Yes |
| Screen Credit Required | Yes |
| Audit Requirement | Yes $250,000+ requires CPA review Under $250,000 require TNECD review |
| Sunset Date | None |
Please refer to the Scoring Incentives Guidelines for a full overview of the Incentives offered.
Qualified expenditures are costs directly related to the scoring project and include studio rental fees and associated fixed costs; artist and musician salaries; mixing and mastering; instrument and equipment rentals.
Qualified expenditures include payments made for goods or services used in Tennessee in connection with a qualified project. The goods or services must be purchased from a Tennessee vendor or paid to a Tennessee resident for a qualified project. Eligible spend is limited to the first $50,000 in gross wages, salaries, fees, per diem and fringe benefits paid to a Tennessee resident. Any expenditure incurred before the “Effective Date” is contractually assigned and fully executed will not qualify.
Please reference Appendix B of the (“TEC”) Scoring Incentive Guidelines for a full list of eligible and ineligible expenditures.
Funding for the program is subject to annual appropriations by the State Legislature.
In-state housing expenses, living allowances and per diems related to scoring projects in Tennessee are paid to Tennessee residents and non-residents.
Travel expenses are eligible for reimbursement when purchased through a Tennessee vendor.
Prior to production, please review the TEC Scoring Incentive Guidelines, forms & applications available for download.
Download The Scoring Incentives Guidelines
Download Appendix B – Qualifying Expenditures
Download Appendix F – Sample Test Section Table
Download Form A – Scoring Registration CCE
Download Form A Annex 1 – TEC Scoring Application
Download Form C – Scoring Final Application
Download Form D – Scoring Additional Reservation of Funds
Download the Scored in TN Logos and Brand Guidelines
Download Grant Pre-Reimbursement Form
Please submit all required forms and applications, including all form and application attachments, electronically to tn.entertainment@tn.gov. To learn more, call (615) 741.3456.
When a company is ready to discuss their project, they get Bob Raines. Bob works with the music and entertainment companies that are interested in relocating, expanding or starting a business in Tennessee.