California Film Commission

The California Film Commission renewed and extended its relationship with Los Angeles-based ExcelPR Group following a multi-firm competitive review.

The CFC awarded Erik Deutsch's firm, which has represented the Commission on a year-to-year basis since 2011, a two-year contract.

Its job is to promote film and TV production in the Golden State by raising awareness of California's $330M a year tax credit program.

Competition to lure film & TV shoots has intensified over the past few years.

More than 30 states and dozens of countries offer incentives to attract film & TV work, which generates about $70B in annual wages in California.

ExcelPR will promote CFC's 2020 launch of the next-generation film & TV tax credit program 3.0 while handling media relations, content generation, thought leadership and issues management.

In May, California Governor Gavin Newsome appointed Colleen Bell, former US ambassador to Hungary, as executive director of the CFC.

Prior to her 2014 diplomatic posting, she was a producer at Bell-Phillip TV Productions.