MN Film & TV

What MN Film & TV does

MN Film & TV was a nonprofit film office founded in 1983 in Minnesota to support film and television production in the state. In 2024, the organization was replaced by Explore Minnesota Film, a state government program operating under Explore Minnesota Tourism and headquartered at 121 7th Place E, Suite 360, St. Paul. The organization provides a consolidated suite of services including a production resources directory (via Reel Scout) connecting productions with local crew and vendors, comprehensive production site information covering camera-ready communities, an $88 million state tax credit program with regional rebates, and educational workshops in partnership with institutions such as the University of St. Thomas. Its core outputs are promotional and support services rather than technology products.

The business model is government-funded rather than commercial: the entity operates on state appropriations as part of Explore Minnesota Tourism, with no commercial pricing for its services. It does not develop proprietary technology—its digital infrastructure is built on third-party platforms such as Reel Scout for crew directories, Asana for contact forms, and Substack for newsletters. Distribution is direct to production companies via phone (888-VISITMN), email ([email protected]), website contact forms, and social media channels including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and Threads.

The customer base is horizontal: film and television production companies, commercial advertisers, documentary filmmakers, and independent productions seeking to shoot in Minnesota. The organization addresses production-side pain points including location scouting, navigation of state incentive programs, and access to qualified local crew and vendors. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, consistent with a small state program office. The 2024 restructuring from nonprofit to state agency consolidated film promotion within the state's broader tourism marketing infrastructure, providing access to established digital channels and funding stability.

Name

MN Film & TV

Legal name

Explore Minnesota Tourism

Website

https://mnfilmtv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MN Film & TV (now Explore Minnesota Film) is Minnesota's official state film office, supporting film, television, and commercial productions with location scouting, crew directories, educational workshops, and administration of an $88 million state tax credit program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Film Office Services

NAICS

Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (512199)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Tax Incentives & Rebate Monetization (MPADAAAD)

Keywords

• Film production support
• State film office
• Production tax incentives
• Location scouting services
• Film crew directory

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Operations: As a state government film office (previously nonprofit, now state agency), MN Film & TV was funded through government appropriations and potentially membership fees from industry partners. The organization facilitated the state's $88 million tax credit program to attract film production to Minnesota.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MN Film & TV (now Explore Minnesota Film) operates as Minnesota's official state film office, providing film and television production companies with production resources, location information, crew/vendor connections, and navigation of the state's $88 million tax credit program with regional rebates. The organization also facilitates educational workshops and connects productions with camera-ready communities and a network of non-profit production resources throughout the state.

Product overview

Explore Minnesota Film (formerly MN Film & TV) is the state's official film office, established in 2024 as a state government agency to support film and television production in Minnesota. The organization provides a unified suite of services including a production resources directory connecting filmmakers with local talent, comprehensive production site information, and a $88 million tax credit program with regional rebates. Educational workshops and programs complement these offerings. The portfolio functions as an integrated ecosystem of support services rather than a discrete software product, designed to attract and support film productions throughout the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tax Credits & Regional Rebates Program A $88 million tax credit program offering financial incentives for film and television production in Minnesota, along with regional rebate programs. Aimed at qualifying film and television productions seeking to shoot in Minnesota.
• Production Resources Directory A crew and production directory connecting filmmakers with local talent, crew, and production services in Minnesota. Targeted at film and television productions seeking local crew and vendors in Minnesota.
• Production Resources Comprehensive production resources including stellar production sites, camera-ready communities, and a growing network of non-profits supporting film production in Minnesota. Designed to help productions identify suitable filming locations throughout the state.
• Workshops & Educational Programs Educational programs and workshops for film students and professionals, including training opportunities at institutions like the University of St. Thomas. Aimed at film students and industry professionals seeking professional development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Established for 41 years before transition to state agency in 2024

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FilmLA: The official film office for the City of Los Angeles, providing permitting, location services, and crew connections — comparable in core scope (state/regional film office with incentive navigation and production support), with substantially larger scale and deeper Hollywood footprint.
• Georgia Film Office: Georgia's state film office driving the state's film incentive program (an uncapped 30% transferable tax credit) — functionally equivalent role in administering incentives and supporting productions, and the dominant competitor for inbound US production volume.
• Empire State Development – New York State Film Office: New York's state film office that administers the Empire State Film Production Credit and Film Production Tax Credit — directly comparable mandate of administering production incentives and supporting inbound shoots, with a much larger incentive pool.
• Florida Film Commission: Florida's official state film office promoting the state as a filming destination and supporting inbound productions — a direct peer in mandate, serving a region of comparable population size to Minnesota with an active incentive presence.
• Texas Film Commission: Texas's state film office, administering the Moving Image Industry Incentive Program and providing scouting, crew connections, and community liaison services — a directly analogous state-film-office mandate to MN Film & TV.
• California Film Commission: California's state-level film office that administers state incentives (including the Film & Television Tax Credit Program), provides location scouting, crew directory, and permit assistance — directly comparable in mandate and service suite, but with a much deeper production ecosystem and larger incentive pool.
• New Mexico Film Office: New Mexico's state film office, which administers the state's 25–35% Film Production Tax Credit and supports inbound productions — a directly comparable state-film-office role with a stronger long-running incentive history than Minnesota's.
• Illinois Film Office: Illinois's official state film office managing the Film Production Tax Credit and providing production support — a direct in-region peer to Minnesota with comparable mid-sized incentive offerings and Midwest crew strategies.
• Louisiana Entertainment (Film Office): Louisiana's state film office administering the Motion Picture Tax Credit and providing production support — directly comparable in role, with one of the most aggressive incentive stacks in the US.

Regional players

• British Columbia Film Commission: Provincial film commission in Canada (operating via Creative BC) that runs a comparable incentive and production-support mandate for British Columbia — a closely analogous regional film office outside the US, competing for North American productions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ExploreMinnesota
• Facebookfacebook.com/ExploreMinnesota
• Instagraminstagram.com/exploreminnesota
• TikToktiktok.com/@exploreminnesota
• Pinterestpinterest.com/exploreminn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mnfilmtvorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MN Film & TV