Georgia’s film industry is dominating the south.
Georgia’s film industry is booming and as the surrounding states are unable able to afford the luxurious film tax credits that keep producers happy, Hollywood executives are leaving states like Louisiana, Florida and North Carolina to film in Georgia.
According to a new report, two shows filmed in Florida are strongly considering leaving the state to film in Georgia after, Florida representatives have decided to pull the plug on film tax incentives.
The latest production to receive film tax credits from Florida was Netflix’s Bloodline and the show is rumored to never return for a third season because of the lack of filming incentives unless the show moves to Georgia.
Bloodline script supervisor Kathryn Waters wrote a Facebook post in January imploring business owners in the Keys to email a “Friends of Bloodline” Gmail address about the impact of the show, which earned two Emmy nominations for its first season, on the local community.
“Have we lost business to Georgia? Of course,” says Michelle Hillery, president of Film Florida and deputy film commissioner in Palm Beach County. “We’ve lost about $650 million of business. We’re losing a great deal of our history because our stories are being told in other states.”
But Netflix’s Bloodline is not alone. HBO’s Ballers is rumored to be leaving Miami and to film outside of Florida in order to receive film tax credits.
“We have a long history of shooting projects in Florida and were obviously disappointed in the recent vote to not renew the incentive program,” HBO said in a statement to THR. “We will be assessing its impact on any future productions like Ballers, who have established Florida as their home.”
“Have we lost business to Georgia? Of course. We’ve lost about $650 million of business. We’re losing a great deal of our history because our stories are being told in other states.”
Nowadays, filmmakers are choosing to use Florida for only a few scenes and then moving to different states like Georgia to film the rest of the movie. The Rock’s Baywatch movie and Netflix’s The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are the latest productions to film in Florida for only a few days and then film elsewhere.
What kind of impact is this having on the actors in the film industry? Well, it’s forcing actors to become more mobile and willing to travel all over the south for their next acting job.
“One of the guys I met was Orlando-based but mostly working out of Louisiana and Atlanta,” says series co-creator Robert Carlock. “He said it was the shortest commute he’d had in some time.”
Florida actors also have become more mobile as productions cross state lines. When Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt shot an upcoming episode at Universal Studios, several guest stars came from the local talent pool. “One of the guys I met was Orlando-based but mostly working out of Louisiana and Atlanta,” says series co-creator Robert Carlock. “He said it was the shortest commute he’d had in some time.”
Florida’s film industry maybe dying but, business in Georgia still is booming.
