The local film sector is hurting from recent strikes, pricing increases, and global competition.
The Savannah Economic Development Authority has approved an increase in incentives that began on New Year’s Day to attract production back to our area.
“Incentives have largely driven the film and television industry of where they’re shooting, where they’re spending their money,” said Savannah Regional Film Commission Executive Director Walker Dalton.
Dalton of Savannah’s Regional Film Commission said that under the new incentives, feature films may receive $175,000 to film locally, up 75% from the previous scheme.
Television and online shows might earn up to $300,000.
“We needed to do something with this inducement. It’s been in place, and it’s done its job, and it’s done an excellent job up to this time,” Dalton explained.
According to the Regional Film Commission, entertainment productions will spend more than $200 million directly in the local economy in 2022.
Last year, the figure plummeted to around $6 million.
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Economists predict a partial recovery in Georgia this year, but a complete recovery will take longer.
“The timing of Hollywood’s pullback in film and television productions is not great for Georgia studios because it occurred just as a new studio space was coming on the market in the State of Georgia,” stated Dr. Benjamin Ayers, Dean of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.
Despite the slump, Dalton remains positive about the local film industry in the coming year, as well as the crew, materials, and money such films generate.
“It’s a huge impact,” Dalton added. “Think of projects like May December or Peanut Butter Falcon.” Once they’re issued, they truly become these beauty concepts of what the area is, as well as what it does economically.”
These local incentives are in addition to the state incentives for productions.
SEDA stated that in order to be qualified, producers must meet specific conditions and spend at least $1 million in Chatham County.
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