A film commission provides guidance to film makers regarding best resources, people and facilities.  It generally maintains a broad database of contacts of local vendors, crew, and location resources.  Film commissions also market their jurisdictions to the production community.  When successful, the community benefits economically from on-location spending related to the film.  In addition, the locations featured in film and TV projects become visitor destinations. 

Commissions promote, develop, and advise on new strategies to create additional resources and incentives relevant to the film and television industries.  A Film Commissioner acts as an ombudsman between the production community and the local community.

Countries around the world maintain film councils.  These councils generally try to promote its jurisdiction as one with a high production value.  For example, UK Film Council US sets one of its aims as attracting film production into the UK.  Other goals are keeping the UK and US film industries informed about marketing opportunities in both countries, creating opportunities for new and experienced UK film professionals to benefit from the best of US industry practices and helping the UK and US film industries to develop and sustain creative business relationships with each other.

Listed below are the major film commissions in the US:

Arizona Film Commission
Arizona Film Commission

California Film Commission
California Film Commission

Amador County Film Commission
Amador County Film Commission

Antelope Valley/Lancaster Film Commission
Antelope Valley/Lancaster Film Commission

Berkeley Film Commission
Berkeley Film Commission

Beverly Hills Film Commission
Beverly Hills Film Commission

Big Bear Lake Film Commission
Big Bear Lake Film Commission

Butte County Film Commission
Butte County Film Commission

Calaveras County Film Commission
Calaveras County Film Commission

Catalina Island Film Commission
Catalina Island Film Commission

El Dorado/Lake Tahoe Film Commission
El Dorado/Lake Tahoe Film Commission

Fresno County Film Commission
Fresno County Film Commission

Humboldt County Film Commission
Humboldt County Film Commission

Imperial County Film Commission
Imperial County Film Commission

Inland Empire Film Commission
Inland Empire Film Commission

Kern County Film Commission
Kern County Film Commission

Lake County Film Commission
Lake County Film Commission

Long Beach Film Commission
Long Beach Film Commission

Los Angeles Film Commission
Los Angeles Film Commission

Malibu Film Commission
Malibu Film Commission

Orange County Film Commission
Orange County Film Commission

Sacramento Film Commission
Sacramento Film Commission

San Francisco Film Commission
San Francisco Film Commission

Santa Barbara County Film Commission
Santa Barbara County Film Commission

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Siskiyou County Film Commission
Siskiyou County Film Commission

Sonoma County Film Commission
Sonoma County Film Commission

Tuolumne County/Sonora Film Commission
Tuolumne County/Sonora Film Commission