Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, filming rolled along at quite a clip in fiscal year 2021. Movies like Goonies and the new Spider-Man, and shows like Ozark and Walking Dead have added up to quite the tally. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), spending on film and television projects in the state of Georgia totaled a new record of $4 billion last year.
“Because Georgia was the first state in the country to re-open our economy and worked with film productions across the state to ensure they could safely continue operations, the Peach State’s film industry is leading the nation,” said Governor Brian P. Kemp. “As the top state for business for an unprecedented eighth year in a row, the jobs, economic development, and investment in film and other supporting industries are a key part of Georgia’s success story. This record-breaking announcement also highlights Georgia’s incredible momentum in economic recovery as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The numbers are certainly eye-popping and the filming is nearly ubiquitous – and can sometimes be a bit obstructive as parking spaces are taken over and streets are closed. On the same day of this filming announcement the director of the Division of Family and Children Services was losing his job following an explosion of anger when he was blocked from parking at a state office building last week. According to the announcement from the GDEcD, there were 366 productions filmed in the state over the last, including 21 feature films, 45 independent films, 222 television and episodic productions, 57 commercials and 21 music videos.
With the assistance of the Georgia Film Office, the state produced a best practices guide for filming projects during Covd-19 which helped to ease some fears during the height of Covid last summer.
“Georgia allowed productions to return before other markets, so we not only had returning shows that shut down due to the pandemic, but we were also able to attract new shows that were slated to shoot in other, locked down markets,” said Lee Thomas, Director of the Georgia Film Office. “This additional slate of projects, combined with increased budgets due to the need for additional crew and space, plus stringent safety measures, led Georgia to have an even higher than projected record year.”
Not everyone is in favor of these kinds of credits. J.C. Bradbury, an economist out of Kennesaw State University, is routinely critical of tax credit-related economic development plans. “My child proposes I help her buy a car for $20K. The deal: I chip in 30% ($6K) and she gets the car. She notes that I’m not really out $6K, the family is $20K richer. That’s how the “economic impact” math on film tax credits works, except GA taxpayers dole out $1 bil/yr, not $6K,” said Bradbury on social media.
“Also, the recipient of the $1 billion isn’t a family member, or even other Georgia taxpayers; it’s mostly fabulously wealthy out-of-state movie executives and actors. It still blows my mind that this program exists and is wildly popular.”
