Accounting Services For The Media And Entertainment Sector
Specialist accountants for film, television, music, digital content, and creative agencies across the UK and US. We manage royalties, production reliefs, multi-stream income, and cross-border tax so you can focus on the work, not the paperwork.
Financial expertise built for creative businesses
This is Jungle Tax’s dedicated hub for the media and entertainment industry. It is for filmmakers, broadcasters, musicians, actors, content creators, agencies, and production companies who need accountants who understand irregular income, royalties, production reliefs, and cross-border tax across the UK and US. We turn complex creative finances into clear, compliant, tax-efficient outcomes.
Creative careers rarely follow a straight line. One month you invoice a brand, the next you receive residuals, licensing fees, or a production advance. That variability, combined with international audiences and overseas payers, makes generic accounting a poor fit. Our team specialises in the sector so nothing that lowers your bill or protects you from penalties gets missed.
Which creative businesses do we work with?
Film & Television
Production companies and freelancers claiming the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit and managing complex production accounting.
Music & Recording Artists
Royalty tracking, publishing income, touring costs, and international withholding tax reclaims for artists and labels.
Digital Content Creators
YouTubers, streamers, and podcasters managing ad revenue, sponsorships, gifted goods, and platform payouts.
Influencers & Talent
Brand deal structuring, expense planning, and incorporation advice for social media talent scaling their brand.
Agencies & Studios
Marketing, PR, design, and post-production agencies needing payroll, VAT, and cash-flow management.
Actors & Performers
Self-assessment, loan-out structures where relevant, and deductible expenses for on-screen and stage professionals.
How does tax differ for creatives in the UK and US?
UK / HMRC
Most UK creatives report income through self-assessment, with the return and payment due by 31 January after the tax year ends. Once turnover passes the £90,000 VAT registration threshold, registration becomes mandatory, and Making Tax Digital rules apply to how records are kept and submitted.
UK production companies benefit from generous creative reliefs. The Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit provides a headline credit of 34% of qualifying expenditure for film and high-end TV, rising to 39% for animation and children’s television, while video games qualify under the Video Games Expenditure Credit at 34%. Freelancers must also watch IR35 off-payroll rules when working through a personal service company.
US / IRS
US creatives are taxed on worldwide income and typically file by 15 April, with an automatic extension to 15 June for taxpayers living abroad. Self-employed income carries the 15.3% self-employment tax on top of income tax, so proactive planning and quarterly estimated payments matter.
Section 181 lets qualifying film, TV, and live theatrical productions expense up to $15 million of costs immediately (up to $20 million in certain distressed areas). Many performers and producers use loan-out companies to manage income and deductions. US persons with foreign accounts over $10,000 must also file an FBAR, and FATCA reporting may apply.
How do we handle royalties and international income?
Royalties, residuals, licensing fees, and streaming income are the lifeblood of many entertainment careers, and they are also the most commonly mishandled. When an overseas platform or distributor pays you, they may deduct withholding tax before the money reaches your account. Without the right paperwork, you can pay tax twice on the same income.
We apply the US-UK double taxation treaty and the correct withholding forms so you claim foreign tax credits, reduce withholding at source, and reclaim amounts already taken. For music, publishing, and film catalogues, we build clean royalty accounting that maps every income stream to the right entity and jurisdiction, giving you accurate figures for both HMRC and the IRS.
For businesses operating on both sides of the Atlantic, we advise on entity structuring, transfer pricing between production companies, and the timing of income and expenses. Our goal is a single, coordinated tax position rather than two disconnected filings that create risk and lost relief.
Built for the creative economy
We are not a generalist firm that treats creatives as an afterthought. We specialise in media and entertainment, so we already understand your income patterns, your reliefs, and the traps that catch performers, producers, and creators. That focus means faster answers, bigger claims, and fewer surprises at filing time.
›Get a ConsultationSector Specialists
We work exclusively with creative and entertainment clients, so we speak the language of royalties, residuals, and production accounting.
Dual UK & US Expertise
HMRC and IRS obligations handled together, with treaty planning that stops you paying tax twice on the same income.
Maximised Reliefs
From creative industry expenditure credits to allowable expenses, we make sure every legitimate claim is captured.
Proactive, Not Reactive
We plan ahead for tax bills, quarterly payments, and deadlines so your cash flow stays healthy year-round.
Related services and industries
Entertainment Industry Accountants
Dedicated accounting and tax support for the wider entertainment industry.
Film & TV Accounting
Production accounting and expenditure credit claims for screen projects.
Royalties & Revenue Accounting
Specialist royalty tracking and revenue recognition for creative income.
Creative Accountants
Tailored accounting for creative professionals across every discipline.
Accountants for Influencers
Tax and financial planning for social media talent and content creators.
Cross-Border Tax Planning
Coordinated UK and US tax planning under the double taxation treaty.
Ready to sort your creative finances?
Speak to a specialist media and entertainment accountant today. Whether you are filing your first self-assessment or structuring a cross-border production, we are ready to help.
Coordinated UK and US tax for creative careers
Media and entertainment income rarely respects borders. Royalties, residuals, and licensing fees flow in from platforms, distributors, and labels around the world, and each payer can trigger its own reporting and withholding obligations.
We handle HMRC and IRS responsibilities together, applying the US-UK treaty so the same income is not taxed twice and every foreign tax credit you are entitled to is captured.
- ›One coordinated tax position across both jurisdictions
- ›Treaty relief and withholding tax reclaims managed for you
- ›Clean royalty accounting mapped to the right entity
Filings and reliefs handled end to end
From self-assessment and corporation tax to creative industry relief claims, we keep your filings accurate and on time so deadlines never catch you off guard.
Our team knows the reliefs, allowances, and reporting rules that apply to film, television, music, and digital content, so nothing that lowers your bill or protects you from penalties gets overlooked.
- ›Deadlines tracked and returns prepared proactively
- ›Every legitimate creative relief and expense captured
- ›Records kept ready for both HMRC and IRS scrutiny
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
Media and entertainment businesses need income tracking across multiple revenue streams, royalty and residual accounting, production cost control, VAT and sales tax handling, creative industry tax relief claims, and cross-border planning. At Jungle Tax we combine bookkeeping, corporation and self-assessment filing, and specialist advisory so creatives, agencies, and studios keep more of what they earn while staying compliant.
Royalties are usually taxed as income in the year you become entitled to them, and foreign royalties may face withholding tax at source. In the UK they are reported through self-assessment or corporation tax; in the US they appear on Schedule E or a business return. The US-UK tax treaty can reduce or eliminate double taxation, and we reclaim excess withholding where possible.
UK productions can claim the Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC), which gives a headline credit of 34% of qualifying expenditure for film and high-end TV and 39% for animation and children’s TV. Video games companies claim the Video Games Expenditure Credit at 34%. These credits require British Film Institute cultural certification, and we manage the claim end to end.
Yes. Section 181 of the US tax code lets qualifying film, television, and live theatrical productions expense up to 15 million dollars of production costs immediately, rising to 20 million dollars in certain low-income or distressed areas, rather than capitalising them. Many performers and producers also use loan-out companies to manage income timing and deductible business expenses efficiently.
Yes. Payments, affiliate income, ad revenue, and the value of gifted products or trips are generally taxable. In the UK this is reported through self-assessment once you pass the trading allowance, and in the US it is self-employment income subject to the 15.3% self-employment tax. We help creators track income, claim allowable expenses, and plan for their tax bills.
We handle both HMRC and IRS obligations under one roof, applying the US-UK tax treaty to avoid double taxation. That includes cross-border royalty flows, withholding tax reclaims, FBAR and FATCA reporting, entity structuring, and transfer pricing between production entities. Whether you are a UK agency expanding stateside or a US creator earning in Britain, we keep both sides coordinated.
Still have questions? We're here to help.
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