Legislators today extended the Pennsylvania Film Production Tax Credit. Under legislation signed by the governor, a production intended for a national audience that spends 60% of its budget in Pennsylvania draws a 25% transferable tax credit on qualified expenses.

A spokesperson at the “Little Chicago” offices confirmed that this tax credit will allow the movie to continue filming in Pennsylvania. Failure to pass the extension of the credit could have forced the filming to other other states that already offer film tax credits. New York State offers a 30% tax credit.

Mayor Tom Riel stated this will ensure a $3 Million tax credit to the producers of the movie “Little Chicago”. He recently spoke at a conference in Harrisburg about the importance of the tax credit to the State’s small and rural communities.

Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan has also expressed interest in Bradford as a possible location for filming. Shyamalan is already known for shooting major productions in PA, mostly in the Philadelphia area. His film credits include “The Sixth Sense” and “The Village”.

At a post-conference dinner Mayor Riel had the chance to chat with some of the conference speakers. He was seated next to Mr. Shymalan, giving them the chance to talk about movies and to talk about Bradford.

M. Night Shyamalan’s Next Movie In Bradford? (MP3 Audio)

According to Variety magazine, part of Pennsylvania’s push to establish a movie infrastructure in the state includes a deal to construct a major movie studio in the Delaware valley. It will include six 24,000-square-foot, high-ceilinged soundstages.