Georgia Film Industry Bringing in Big Bucks

Georgia has become one of the top five states for film production thanks to our Georgia Legislature.   This dramatic increase in filming in Georgia is due to the tax credits afforded to production companies spending at least $500,000 on qualified production and post-production making them eligible for a 20% tax credit.   Furthermore, if the production company includes a Georgia promotional logo in the feature film, television series, music videos, or video game, can receive an additional 10% tax credit.  Commercial and music videos spending $500,000 or more are also eligible for a 20% tax credit.

While movies can be full of make believe, the film and television industry in Georgia provides more than 25,000 real jobs for real people. Some of those jobs are directly involved in production. Other film-related jobs include hair and makeup stylists, caterers doctors, truck drivers, electricians, painters, construction workers, accountants, security guards and many more.

Last year, the direct economic benefits of film production in Georgia came to nearly $2.5 billion. In fiscal year 2011, works, Hollywood studios, production companies and independent producers invested more than $689.3 million in Georgia. The production industry has positively impacted thousands of businesses, from hotels, restaurants, grocery stores and rental car companies to hardware stores, lumber yards, garden nurseries, heavy equipment rentals and office supply companies. 

Georgia has been the production location for more than 700 feature films, TV movies, TV series, single episodes and pilots have been since 1972. Included among them are Footloose (2011), The Walking Dead, X-Men, First Class, Fast Five, Drop Dead Diva, The Vampire Diaries, The Blind Side, Driving Miss Daisy, Forrest Gump, My Cousin Vinny, Zombieland, Glory, Sweet Home Alabama, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and We Are Marshall.

Recently, numerous location scouts have been contacting me about needed locations.  They have found me through my listings being promoted on numerous websites.  My 16 units on Grape Street, http://141grapestreet.isforsale.com/, was one of the locations for the movie “Flight”, http://www.paramount.com/flight/ with Denzel Washington which is hitting theaters now.   It made the owner $25,000 for a week long shooting, and many of the tenants were extras.   I just negotiated the lease for my ex-funeral home, http://2321candler.isforsale.com/, for the upcoming movie Last Vegas,  http://www.movieweb.com/movie/last-vegas , staring Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freemen, and Kevin Klein.  Because the building was vacant, the lease amount was only $8000 for one day of shooting, two days prep before, and two days cleanup after.  But, even better, the owner and I get to be extras with the full all-star cast.  

Dealing with these location scouts has taught me a lot.  What a film can pay for a site is based on the film’s budget, length of time there, whether it is vacant or not.   Their contracts are pretty simple.  Because there is so little exposure in Georgia, and I have learned how to reach the location scouts, I have decided on setting up a film location listing service, for residential, commercial, or land.  As a matter of fact, I have the name http://FilmLocationListingService.com and should have that website up and going within 30 days.  If you would like to submit your property for consideration, please submit pictures, addresses, and any pertinent information to dh@atlantarealtyexpert.snet with “Location, city, and type of property in the subject line.”  Hopefully, we can all make a few extra bucks on top of this ever Improving real estate market.