Film & Entertainment/Digital Media/Gaming

Industry Overview

The Georgia Film and Entertainment industry includes film and TV, music, gaming, and digital media.  There are approximately 400 film & entertainment-related companies operating in Fulton County.  With the State of Georgia’s tax credits, Georgia has become the #3 feature film production location in the U.S.

A few reasons why film executives are choosing Fulton County

• In Georgia you’ll find a top-caliber crew, equipment and services at prices that bring your film or TV production in on time and on budget.
• An extensive array of sound stages and post facilities that enable you to maintain hands-on control and oversight for production activities occurring simultaneously.
• A deep talent pool  including actors and casting companies for principals and extras.
• Convenience of the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport with direct flights to over 200 cities, making it easy to get talent and key members of your production team in and out quickly.

With a variety of accommodation options, restaurants and a moderate climate year-round, you’ll find Fulton County to be the ideal place for your next feature film, broadcast or commercial TV production.

Sperling’s Best Places recently rated Atlanta as the No. 3 city in the U.S. in volume of video game planning activity, while Game Developer Magazine ranked Georgia No. 4 in highest industry compensation levels.

The film and entertainment industry in Fulton County has established approximately 400 companies with approximately half of them focusing on film and tv.  Out of these establishments approximately 73 of them are related to casting individuals in entertainment productions. This number however, does not include the extensive indirect impact that the industry has on businesses/organizations that may help accommodate the production. Projected industry growth by year 2022 is estimated to be 4.15%.

• Georgia Film Academy: Students will have an opportunity to network, build resumes and learn to market themselves in order to become integrated into the film industry as entry-level workers
• Georgia State: Students in the Film and Video program at Georgia State learn to become critical producers and consumers of film, television, and new media
• Georgia Technical University: Students are able to obtain a B.S in Literature, Media and Communication and/or a M.S in Digital Media
• Spelman College: The film and visual culture minor prepares students to engage the historical, theoretical, social, and political ramifications of the cinematic and cultural image in our global society
• Morehouse College: The overall mission of CTEMS is to provide quality introduction to the intellectual and artistic study of film and television with primary focus on the craft of storytelling as the foundation for impactful creative productivity.
• Clark Atlanta University: The Department of Mass Media Arts provides CAU students with the opportunity to learn the foundations of writing, reporting and researching best practices associated with communications.
• Savannah College of Art and Design: At SCAD, students prepare for robust careers as critics, reviewers, journalists, artists, entrepreneurs and leaders through a program dedicated to the world of cinema studies
• Emory University: The mission is to train undergraduate and graduate students to be discerning consumers, scholars and producers of the our most dynamic and influential cultural forms, grounding them in a thorough knowledge of American and international film and television history, the practices of media theory and criticism, as well as familiarizing them with the tools and methodologies of documentary and fiction filmmaking.
• Atlanta Technical College: Offering specializations in Video Production, Post Production Technology, Computer Animation, Photography, and Graphic Design, the program focuses on honing students raw creative energy into marketable skill sets.
• Atlanta Metropolitan College: Offers degrees in Digital media and Mass Communications.
• Gwinnett Technical College: In partnership with Georgia Film Academy. Gwinnett Technical College is now one of three locations in the state that is partnering with the Georgia Film Academy to develop a skilled workforce for those wanting to be a part of the film industry. With the introduction of this 18-hour certificate program, students can develop a specific set of skills while training on industry-standard equipment and with industry professionals

Georgia production incentives provide up to 30% of your Georgia production expenditures in transferable tax credits. The program is available for qualifying projects, including feature films, television series, commercials, music videos, animation and game development. With one of the industry’s most competitive production incentive programs, the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office can help you dramatically cut production costs without sacrificing quality.

State Tax Credit Benefits:

• 20 percent base transferable tax credit
• 10 percent Georgia Entertainment Promotion (GEP) uplift can be earned by including an embedded Georgia logo on approved projects and a link to com on the promotional website
• $500,000 minimum spend to qualify
• No limits or caps on Georgia spend, no sunset clause
• Both resident and non-resident workers’ payrolls and FICA, SUI, FUI qualify
• No salary cap on individuals paid by 1099, personal service contract or loan out. Payments made to a loan out company will require six percent Georgia income tax withheld
• Production expenditures must be made in Georgia to qualify from a Georgia vendor
• Travel and insurance qualify if purchased through a Georgia agency or company
• Original music scoring eligible for projects produced in Georgia qualify
• Post production of Georgia filmed movies and television projects qualify if post done in Georgia
• Development costs, promotion, marketing, license fees and story right fees do not qualify

Atlanta Entertainment Training Program: The program, which is a four entity partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment, IATSE Local 479, the film industry and the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency (AWDA), is currently in its pilot phase. At no cost or liability to production companies, the City of Atlanta’s Workforce Development Agency will identify qualified applicants for positions as trainees in motion picture and television productions in Atlanta. AWDA will also pay trainees’ wages for the length of the program, which is up to 17 weeks. Once trainees are accepted into the program, IATSE Local 479 will orient the trainees to the film industry through an intensive two-day workshop and work with production to place trainees on set

The Film & Entertainment industry has made a large impact on Fulton County. According to data retrieved in 2014, this industry (movie and tv production business sector) established 148 businesses in Fulton County, creating 2,434 jobs and paying out a total of $221 million to its employees.

Since 2008, Atlanta has played backdrop to more than 140 films and TV shows, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Atlanta’s Office of Entertainment estimates that 75 percent of filming takes place in the city, meaning Atlanta keeps 75 percent of the 77,900 jobs and $3.8 billion in wages the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) attributes to the new business. Most of the filming takes place in “Zone 5”, better known as Midtown and downtown. Atlanta’s historic Swan House, which is one of the most visible local landmarks used on screen (throughout the “Hunger Games” films) never used to receive requests for filming and now gets them two or three times a month.

Fulton County is home to major movies and television series. The diverse landscape of the county not only offers city backdrops but also vast natural settings along the outskirts of the county. Among the major studios located in Fulton county are; Tyler Perry Studio, EUE/Screen Gems, and Turner Studios. Notable television series filmed in the county include; The Walking Dead, Teen Wolf, Vampire Diaries, and House of Payne. Notable recent films include; Ride Along, Captain America: Civil War, Furious 7.

In addition to the existing studios, a new project in Union City has become to develop. Reconstruction began in 2014 at the old Shannon Mall site located in Union City, Ga. 404 Studio Partners is an Atlanta-based studio development and operations management company formed to create new purpose-built film and television studio infrastructure inside the Atlanta metropolitan area. 404 Studio Partners has partnered with ROOKER, an Atlanta based full-service real estate development, design and construction firm specializing in the industrial segment to create Atlanta Metro Studios. The company’s purpose-built facility is being designed by film and television production veterans to support large-scale film and television content creators. Fulton Industrial Boulevard also offers a range of warehouse space for filming. Several of the warehouses range in size from 100k-150k square feet, while a few range in size from 400k-450k square feet. Most of the warehouses on the boulevard are in the 20k-30k square footage range

Georgia has been the location for hundreds of feature films, commercials, and music videos, along with television movies, series, and specials. The state’s diverse geography, moderate climate, transportation infrastructure, modern amenities, and skilled film crews have made it an attractive choice for film companies looking to shoot outside traditional locales like Los Angeles, California, and New York City.

In addition to major motion picture production, the film industry in Georgia also includes support and venues for smaller independent projects. IMAGE (Independent Media Artists of Georgia, Etc.), a nonprofit media arts center in Atlanta, sponsors two annual film festivals: the Atlanta Film Festival, which presents features, documentaries, and short films from around the world, and Out on Film, which features lesbian- and gay-themed films. IMAGE also offers programs and workshops for film professionals and students throughout the year.

Georgia is one of only two states (New Mexico is the other) that have developed a statewide centralized a crew training program in its higher education system. Support for the Georgia Film Academy started with Gov. Nathan Deal and is being facilitated through the four-year universities and technical colleges in the state. While other states may have more financially lucrative incentives, if a production has to import labor, much of the impact of the incentives is negated.

Georgia has a number of indigenous features that make it attractive for film production. First is Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, with several non-stop flights to Los Angeles every day. This level of service and flexibility is a very big deal for producers and other Hollywood-based professionals. And Georgia has abundant shooting locations from urban, big modern city to older Americana architecture and small town features, forests, lakes, rivers, beaches, rural areas, industrial and manufacturing sites, major league sports and motor sports facilities, etc.   Even a major freeway that can be closed for filming (“Fast and Furious 7”), which would be very difficult and expensive on Los Angeles.

For more information on site selection you can reach out to Bob Giordano by phone at 404-730-8397 or email at bob.giordano@fultoncountyga.gov.

The Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office launched the Camera Ready Communities program in 2010 to train and certify Georgia counties to work effectively with production companies and provide local, one-on-one assistance in every aspect of production, from location scouting and film permits to traffic control, catering and lodging. One of the goals of Camera Ready is to educate all participating municipalities on production basics. While certain counties have historically seen more production than others, all Camera Ready liaisons will do their best to assist production companies and provide local guidance.

North Fulton County and South Fulton County Chamber joins other communities across the Peach State in being the first to earn this special designation by the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office. As the exclusive official liaison, the South Fulton Chamber connects film and television production companies with skilled local professionals providing expertise and support in all areas of production for South Fulton County. Being named Camera Ready means we have in place a program that provides film and television production companies with easier, faster and better access to local resources and location information.

Fulton (Atlanta/South) County

• Cardelia Hunter
• City of Atlanta, Mayor’s Office of Entertainment
• 55 Trinity Ave. SW, Suite 2500 Atlanta, GA 30303
• Office: 404-330-6006 / Other: 404-673-2215
• Email: crhunter@atlanta.gov
• Website: www.atlantaga.gov

Fulton (North) County

• Bethany Usry, Vice President
• Progress Partners Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce
• 11605 Haynes Bridge Rd, Suite Alpharetta, GA 30004
• Office: 678-397-0562 / Other: 205-862-7320
• Email: busry@gnfcc.com
• Website: gnfcc.com

South Fulton Chamber of Commerce

• 1514 E. Cleveland Ave., Suite 205
• East Point, GA, 30334
• 770-964-1984
• Website: www.southfultonchamber.com