US and UK Tax Accountants for Film and TV
At US UK Tax Experts, we are international accountants for the film and TV industry, providing cross-border tax and accounting services for productions operating between the United States and the United Kingdom. We prepare and file HMRC and IRS returns, claim UK film and TV tax reliefs in the company tax return, and handle the US and UK reporting for studios, filmmakers, and streaming projects. From independent films to large-scale productions, we keep the filings accurate, compliant, and on time, so you can focus on your craft while we manage the numbers.
Global Accountants for Film and TV Productions
At US UK Tax Experts, we are experienced international accountants for film and TV, helping production companies, studios, and creative professionals deal with the tax reporting that comes with cross-border filmmaking. From feature films and documentaries to streaming projects, we provide US-UK tax and accounting support that keeps you compliant with both HMRC and IRS regulations. Our team handles income reporting, double taxation relief claims, VAT returns, and U.S. state-level filings, so your production's returns are accurate and on time wherever you film.
As specialist accountants for film and TV, we prepare the production accounts and the tax filings that co-production arrangements require. Our international accountants also prepare claims for film and television tax reliefs across both the UK and U.S., including Film, Animation, and High-End Television Tax Reliefs, as well as federal and state-level incentives. We check each claim against the eligibility requirements and make it on the right return, so the relief you are entitled to is claimed in full and on time.
Whether you're an independent filmmaker, global studio, or international investor, US UK Tax Experts provide clear, accurate, and compliant tax preparation. Our international accountants file the returns each country requires, make sure the same income is not taxed twice, and keep the US and UK filings in agreement, allowing your creative team to focus on producing exceptional content while we handle the numbers.
What the sector looks like right now, and why cross-border position matters more than it used to.
Our Services | International Accountants for Film and TV Industry
At US UK Tax Experts, we are experienced international accountants for film and TV, preparing accounts and tax returns for studios, production companies, and creatives across the United States and the United Kingdom. We specialise in cross-border accounting, ensuring full compliance with both HMRC and IRS, claiming the film tax reliefs each production is entitled to, and keeping the reporting clear for every project.
Our services cover tax compliance, film and television tax relief claims, production accounting, and the filings for SPVs used in global co-productions. We also handle crew payroll, VAT and sales tax returns, and production cost reporting, giving producers and investors confidence in every figure. Whether you're claiming UK Film Tax Relief or U.S. state-level incentives, we make sure every eligible claim is made on the right return.
As leading US-UK tax accountants, we simplify international compliance and make sure production income is not taxed twice through clear, accurate, and transparent accounting. From independent films to major streaming productions, our international accountants for the film and TV industry ensure your global projects stay compliant, correctly reported, and on time with every filing.
Why It’s Important to Hire Specialist International Accountants for the Film and TV Industry
The film and television industry operates on a truly global scale, with productions often spanning multiple countries, currencies, and tax systems. These cross-border operations create complex financial and compliance challenges that require specialist expertise. Hiring international accountants for the film and TV industry means the returns for every production company are prepared correctly and filed on time in each country, which protects your production and your investors from penalties and delays.
Every country has unique tax rules, reporting requirements, and film incentive schemes. Without specialist support, productions risk missing out on valuable tax credits, facing double taxation, or encountering compliance issues that delay funding. A specialist international accountant knows how to file for each production entity, handle payroll filings for cast and crew in more than one country, and make sure the US and UK returns agree with each other, ensuring your project remains compliant at every stage.
At US UK Tax Experts, we prepare and file your production's US and UK tax returns, turning complex international tax rules into accurate, complete filings. Our team claims the UK and U.S. film tax reliefs your production qualifies for on the relevant returns, reports cross-border transactions, and keeps the reporting your investors rely on accurate. Choosing experienced US-UK tax accountants means choosing precision, reliability, and complete peace of mind, so your creative success is never held up by a late or missing return.
What we handle for you
The filings this sector needs most, on both sides of the Atlantic.
Questions this sector asks first
The general position on each. What applies to you depends on where you live, where the work is done and who pays.
The relief is claimed by the production company in its company tax return, not applied for separately. New productions claim the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit, which replaced the older film and high-end TV reliefs, and need a British Film Institute certificate showing the production qualifies as British before the claim goes in.
Usually yes for performers. The UK withholds tax at the basic rate from payments to non-resident entertainers once they pass the annual threshold, and the US-UK treaty lets the UK tax performance income unless gross receipts for the year are $20,000 or less. The UK tax is then claimed as a foreign tax credit on the US return.
The incentive itself is applied for through the state film office, not the IRS, but it has tax consequences. A refundable or transferable state credit is generally income for federal purposes when it is received or sold, so it has to be reported on the production entity's US return for that year.
Each company files in its own country: a UK company tax return and a US corporate or partnership return. If US persons own the UK company, Form 5471 goes with their US return, and payments between the two companies need to be reported consistently on both sides so the same profit is not taxed twice.
Let's get both sides right
Tell us how your business earns across the US and UK, and we will map out what you owe, where, and when.