Members of the Rotary Club of Coweta-Fayette on July 14 were given a wide-ranging update on Georgia’s film industry by Georgia Film, Music and Entertainment Office Senior Location Specialist Craig Dominey.
Dominey said that “Georgia has production incentives up to a 30 percent tax credit, state of the art infrastructures, highly skilled workforce, diverse shooting locations and direct flights through Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.”
Dominey said Georgia now has eight film and television studio facilities.
The film industry’s impact for Fiscal Year 2013 included 142 combined productions, which include feature films, TV movies and series, commercials and movie videos, Dominey said.
“The direct spending from these productions was $933.9 million and the estimated economic impact was $3.334 billion,” Dominey said, adding that the economic impact from 1973-1998 was only $2.5 billion.
Commenting on the impact of “The Walking Dead Tour,” Dominey said that since May 2013, 2,674 ticketed guests have visited Senoia and more than $100,000 has been spent in Senoia on items such as food and gifts.
Dominey also addressed the quality of our talent in Georgia.
“Georgia’s entertainment industries are among the fastest growing industries. More than 30,000 Georgians are employed in the entertainment industry. Nineteen Georgia colleges and universities provide certificate and degree programs in film and television and a minimum of nine productions can be simultaneously supported by the local crew base,” said Dominey. “And that number is growing”.
Created in 1973, the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDECD).
For more information on the film and entertainment industry in Georgia visit www.georgia.org/fmde.
