'Scream Queens' moves to Los Angeles

Slasher comedy "Scream Queens" is moving from New Orleans to Los Angeles to take advantage of California's tax breaks, the cast and crew confirmed on Saturday.

The Fox series is among nine projects allocated a total of $37.6 million in tax credits as part of the final round of an expanded scheme designed to attract studios back and revive Hollywood's golden age.

"What it means in terms of production is just the ease of it for everybody, to be able to have everybody not have to be living away from home," the show's co-creator Brad Falchuk told a panel in Hollywood's Dolby Theatre at day two of TV festival PaleyFest.

Falchuk was joined on stage by the show's stars, including Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis, who paid tribute to former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for encouraging studios back to the state during his 2003-2011 tenure.

"When Governor Schwarzenegger was elected, my friend, we really hoped he was going to give back to the community that gave him so much by bringing production back to California," she said, adding that seeing film industry jobs coming back to the state was "fantastic."

"Scream Queens," which starts filming its second season in July, joins a wave of arrivals which also includes "American Horror Story" -- a production stable mate of "Scream Queens" which was among the nine projects included in the tax credits scheme.

ABC's "Mistresses" and "Secrets and Lies" and HBO's "Veep" have also come to California recently.

"Our success in helping five existing TV series relocate to California in less than a year illustrates the success we're achieving with the expanded tax credit program," the California Film Commission's executive director Amy Lemisch said in a statement.

"Every new TV series we attract or retain brings long-term, high-wage jobs that would otherwise go elsewhere."

HBO's "Westworld" was also picked for the California scheme, alongside three pilots -- CBS' "Bunker Hill" and "Four Stars" plus Hulu's "Citizen" -- and three new series: Showtime's "I'm Dying Up Here," Amazon's "Good Girls Revolt" and USA's "Shooter."

"One of the many benefits of filming in California is our wide range of locations that can double for anywhere in the world," Lemisch added.

The commission said the nine projects would generate an estimated $313 million in direct in-state spending.