Film & TV Accountants for Production & Tax Credits
Specialist production accounting and Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) claims for feature films, high-end TV, animation and streaming projects across the UK and US.
Film and TV accountants manage the money behind productions, from budgeting and weekly cost reporting to claiming UK and US tax incentives. Jungle Tax works with producers, production companies and studios to control spend, protect cashflow and secure the maximum Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit on every qualifying project.
What does a film and TV accountant do?
Production accounting is a discipline of its own. Every film and television project is effectively a temporary business with a fixed budget, an unforgiving schedule and dozens of suppliers, crew and rights holders to pay on time. Our role is to keep that business financially watertight, from the first budget draft through principal photography, post-production and final delivery.
We handle purchase orders, petty cash and payroll for cast and crew, manage multi-currency payments on international shoots, and produce the weekly cost reports that producers and financiers rely on. Crucially, we structure every cost code so that qualifying core expenditure is captured cleanly for your tax credit claim rather than reconstructed under pressure at the end of the shoot.
How do UK film and TV tax credits work?
The UK’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) is one of the most competitive production incentives in the world. It replaced Film Tax Relief and High-End TV Tax Relief and is claimed through the production company’s Corporation Tax return. Getting it right depends on accurate cost accounting from day one.
Headline expenditure credit on qualifying UK core spend for feature film and high-end television.
Enhanced credit rate for qualifying animation and children’s television productions.
AVEC is calculated on qualifying core expenditure, capped at 80% of total core spend.
To qualify, a production must pass the BFI cultural test (or qualify as an official co-production), be intended for theatrical release or broadcast, and be made through a UK qualifying production company. Our team manages the BFI certification, the split of UK and non-UK core expenditure, and the accountant’s report HMRC requires. For a deeper look at the wider creative reliefs, see our guide to creative industry tax reliefs.
How do you handle cross-border US and UK productions?
International co-productions and US studio shoots in the UK bring a second layer of tax complexity. A production may access the UK AVEC through a UK qualifying company while its US parent looks to Section 181 expensing and state incentives such as Georgia, New York or California. Without careful structuring, the same cost can be claimed twice or fall between two systems entirely.
We coordinate both sides, allocating expenditure to the correct jurisdiction, applying the US-UK tax treaty, and managing withholding on payments to cast, crew and loan-out companies working across borders. The result is a production that captures every legitimate incentive while staying compliant with both HMRC and the IRS.
Our production accounting process
We incorporate the special purpose production company, register it correctly with HMRC, and structure it to hold qualifying core expenditure for a clean AVEC claim.
Detailed cost reporting against budget, cost code mapping, and weekly cost reports so producers and financiers always know where the money is going.
We forecast the timing of your tax credit, model production cashflow, and support interim financing arranged against the expected AVEC receipt.
We prepare the accountant’s report, cost statement and Corporation Tax filing, then handle HMRC queries through to the credit landing in your account.
Built for the screen industries
We combine hands-on production accounting with specialist UK and US tax expertise, so your project is financed, filmed and delivered without nasty surprises. From independent features to streaming series, we protect your budget and unlock every incentive you are entitled to.
›Get a ConsultationScreen sector specialists
We speak the language of production, from cost reports and completion bonds to loan-out companies and residuals.
AVEC claim experts
We maximise Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits with audit-ready cost statements and BFI certification support.
Cross-border reach
US and UK tax under one roof, coordinating AVEC, Section 181 and state incentives on international shoots.
Cashflow protection
We forecast credit timing and support interim financing so your production never runs short of cash.
Related services
Creative Industry Tax Reliefs
AVEC, theatre, orchestra and museum reliefs for creative businesses.
Learn more →Film & TV Industry
Our dedicated hub for producers, studios and screen professionals.
Learn more →Creative Accountants
Accounting and tax for creatives, studios and production companies.
Learn more →Cross-Border Tax Planning
US-UK structuring for international productions and talent.
Learn more →Accountants for Influencers
Tax and accounting for on-screen talent and digital creators.
Learn more →UK Business Tax Services
Corporation Tax, VAT and compliance for production companies.
Learn more →Ready to finance and film with confidence?
Whether you are budgeting an independent feature or delivering a high-end series, our film and TV accountants keep your production on budget and your tax credit claim watertight.
Audit-ready AVEC claims from the first budget draft
We build the tax credit claim into your production accounting from day one, mapping qualifying core expenditure as costs are incurred rather than reconstructing it after wrap. Every cost statement, accountant's report and BFI certification is prepared to withstand HMRC scrutiny, so your Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit lands cleanly.
- ›Cost codes structured for qualifying core spend
- ›BFI cultural test and certification support
- ›Accountant’s reports and HMRC-ready cost statements
One team for US and UK production tax
International co-productions and US studio shoots in the UK carry two tax systems at once, and the same cost can easily be claimed twice or missed entirely. We allocate expenditure to the correct jurisdiction, apply the US-UK treaty, and coordinate AVEC alongside US federal and state incentives. Your production captures every legitimate credit while staying compliant with both HMRC and the IRS.
- ›UK qualifying production company setup for AVEC
- ›US Section 181 and state incentive coordination
- ›Withholding and treaty relief on cross-border talent
Official resources & further reading
Authoritative guidance from the relevant tax authorities and regulators. Always confirm current thresholds and deadlines on the official source.
Questions & Answers
AVEC is the UK’s expenditure credit that replaced the old Film Tax Relief and High-End Television Tax Relief. Films and high-end TV can claim a headline 34% credit on qualifying UK core expenditure, while animation and children’s TV can claim 39%. Productions must pass the BFI cultural test and be intended for theatrical or broadcast release.
AVEC is calculated on qualifying core expenditure, capped at 80% of a production’s total core spend. Core costs cover pre-production, principal photography and post-production, but exclude development, distribution and marketing. Our film and TV accountants map every cost code so you claim the maximum credit without triggering an HMRC enquiry.
Yes. AVEC is available to the qualifying UK production company regardless of where investors are based, so US studios and streamers routinely structure UK shoots to access the credit. US productions may also qualify for federal Section 181 expensing and state incentives such as those in Georgia, New York and California. We coordinate both sides to avoid double-counting.
AVEC is claimed through the production company’s Corporation Tax return, and HMRC aims to process most valid claims within around eight weeks of receiving a complete submission. Because the credit is often received well after spend, we build it into cashflow forecasts and can support interim financing arranged against the expected credit.
A production cannot claim both AVEC and R&D relief on the same expenditure. However, genuinely novel technical work, such as bespoke virtual production, VFX pipelines or real-time rendering tools, may qualify for R&D relief where it sits outside the AVEC claim. We ring-fence each cost so you stay compliant while capturing every available incentive.
You need a British cultural certificate from the BFI, a detailed cost statement splitting UK and non-UK core expenditure, an accountant’s report, and evidence the production is intended for release. We maintain audit-ready production ledgers throughout the shoot, so the claim is documented as costs are incurred rather than reconstructed afterwards.
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