ARIZONA FILM INSIDER - JUNE 2026

ARIZONA PRODUCTION UPDATE

The Arizona Film Coalition is thrilled to welcome Monica Lopez to our Board of Directors. She also serves as Secretary. For years Monica has been supporting the AFC as the manager of our social media. Monica brings extraordinary experience and skills to the Board.

As many of you know, Monica is Senior Production Manager at Film Tucson, the Southern Arizona film commissioner. She supports film and media productions across Southern Arizona and along the border into Sonora, Mexico. She serves as the primary liaison between filmmakers and local resources. She secures locations, streamlines permitting, and connects productions with skilled local crew and vendors. Some of her recent work includes projects for SCHWINN, GARMIN, TOYOTA, AUDI, and EXPEDIA, as well as a major TELEVISA-UNIVISION production. She is always working to support independent films, documentaries, and music videos.

INSIDE THE AZ LEGISLATURE

2026 Legislative Summary

The Second Regular Session of the Fifty-Seventh Legislature adjourned Sine Die in the early morning hours of June 13, 2026, after 165 days in session. The Legislature concluded a year defined by constrained revenues, prolonged budget negotiations, and policy disagreements between the Republican-controlled Legislature and Governor Hobbs' administration. While the session began with significant attention focused on state tax conformity with recently enacted federal tax law, budget negotiations in the shadow of Arizona’s dire revenue projections ultimately dominated much of the legislative calendar and shaped the pace of the session.

The Legislature introduced a record 2,030 bills during the 2026 session, surpassing the previous record established in 2025. The unprecedented volume of legislation required the House of Representatives to expand its traditional bill numbering system into the 4000-series for the first time. Of those measures, 415 were approved by the Legislature, 264 were signed into law by Governor Hobbs, and 151 were vetoed.

Following weeks of negotiations, the Legislature approved an $18.29 billion bipartisan budget package, which Governor Hobbs signed on June 14, 2026. The budget addressed Arizona’s ongoing fiscal constraints while fully conforming the state’s tax code to the federal H.R. 1 tax package. It also included targeted investments in public safety, healthcare, education, and infrastructure while requiring approximately 2.5% reductions for most state agencies as lawmakers balanced competing fiscal priorities.

Budget Wrap Up

Despite this challenging budget environment, and the elimination or reduction of numerous state programs, appropriations, and economic development initiatives, the Arizona Motion Picture Production Program remained fully intact, allowing Arizona's film incentive to continue providing certainty for productions considering Arizona for future projects.

Importantly for Arizona's creative community, the budget also continues funding for the Arizona Commission on the Arts. While modest in comparison to many state appropriations, continued support for the Arts Commission reinforces Arizona's commitment to fostering arts, culture, and creative placemaking across the state. Together, the Arts Commission and the Motion Picture Production Program represent complementary investments that strengthen Arizona's creative economy, support local artists and enhance the state's ability to attract visitors, businesses, and film productions alike.

With the legislative session now complete, the Arizona Film Coalition will continue working alongside our industry partners and policymakers to support and advance Arizona’s growing film industry.

Special Session on the Horizon?

At the time of publication, rumors continue to swirl regarding a potential special session related to Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. It remains unclear whether the votes are there to do so.

INSIDE FILM TUCSON

TelevisaUnivision’s telenovela Tierra de Amor y Coraje—filmed in Tucson and southern Arizona earlier this year—will hold its U.S. premiere in Tucson on August 6 at La Rosa. The following day, Tanque Verde Guest Ranch will host a full day of live broadcasts with outlets including The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Hola!, People en Español, and others. Film Tucson oversees event planning and logistics and will host select national reporters. Producers and principal cast will return to Tucson to participate in both events.

Film Tucson hosted New York–based location scout Aaron Hurvitz on a FAM (familiarization) tour of southern Arizona—with stops at Old Tucson, White Stallion Ranch, and the Titan Missile Museum—and cross‑border scouting in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. His credits include Joker, Marty Supreme, Oppenheimer, and Killers of the Flower Moon.

Los Angeles–based production company Monument Content shot an Adidas commercial at the Caterpillar Tucson Proving Ground facilities, hiring a dozen local crew members over two days of filming.

INSIDE PHOENIX FILM OFFICE

Every six months, the Phoenix Film Office collects production data from across Greater Phoenix to build a clear and credible record of our industry’s economic impact. While our permit system tracks a portion of the work happening in the region, many projects film in neighboring cities within Maricopa County or in locations that do not require permits. When those projects are not self-reported, they go uncounted, and the full picture of our industry’s contribution becomes incomplete.

Thanks to consistent participation from our production community, our reports have documented steady fiscal year-over-year growth (July to June):

2021/22: 17.26 million

2022/23: 19.58 million

2023/24: 21.88 million

2024/25: 23.99 million

These numbers help demonstrate the real value of multimedia production to elected officials and civic leaders. They strengthen advocacy efforts, influence policy discussions, and ensure that the economic impact of our regional production ecosystem is represented accurately.  To visit all the reports, please visit our Economic Impact Reports page.

We are currently gathering information for the January 1 to June 30, 2026, reporting period for the 2025/26 report. If your company produced work in Greater Phoenix during that time and you did not receive the survey link but believe you have data to contribute, please contact the Phoenix Film Office at filmphx@phoenix.gov. The final report will be shared in the next newsletter.