The audience quieted down as the movie industry awards ceremony continued at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
… And in the category of “Greatest Economic Impact,” the winner is …. Georgia!
Governor Nathan Deal announced today that Georgia’s film industry had a $7 billion impact on Georgia’s economy in Fiscal Year 2016, an increase of $1 billion from FY 2015. Direct spending on the 245 movies and television shows filmed in the Peach State generated $2.02 billion in direct spending during the year.
The growth of the film industry has been a major focus of the state’s Department of Economic Development under the administration of Nathan Deal. In a statement, Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Carr touted the success of the film industry.
Georgia’s film industry is on a steady rise year over year and now ranks number three in TV and movie productions, just behind California and New York. As long as we continue to deepen our crew base and add even more studios and businesses to support the industry, Georgia is ensuring its place in the film industry well into the future.
In 2014, the state’s High Demand Career Initiative identified the film industry as a key target area for economic development and job growth. That led to the creation of the Georgia Film Academy, a joint effort between the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia to teach students the skills they needed to enter the field.
The expanding film industry brought more than 130 new, relocated, or expanded businesses to Georgia, including Atlanta Metro Studios in Union City and a significant expansion at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayetteville.
Governor Nathan Deal also noted the industry’s impact.
Georgia’s film industry provides a significant impact on our state’s economy, employing thousands of Georgians while developing infrastructure and boosting small businesses. The film industry has created a home in Georgia, and I am committed to retaining this relationship by constructing a strong, film-ready workforce that will continue to help the industry thrive.
This fall, will see the debut of several productions filmed in the Peach State, including the movies Solace, starring Colin Farrell and Anthony Hopkins; Sully, starring Tom Hanks, Anna Gunn and Laura Linney; and The Birth of a Nation, starring Nate Parker and Armie Hammer. On TV, look forward to Atlanta, on FX; The Walking Dead, on AMC; and Halt and Catch Fire, on AMC.