Coronavirus outbreak will not impact Georgia productions as they will still get film tax credits.
According to 11 Alive, while many TV shows and movies will pause production due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Georgia productions will continue to receive tax incentives. The news reports if their TV show or movie has contributed more than $500,000 to the state.
As we previously reported, the upcoming Disney+ series “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” has been canceled due to the Prague government closing schools and other significant institutions.
The Atlanta-based production will reportedly like to halt plans to return to Prague for re-shoots.
Last week was Georgia Film Day, where film professionals and legislators went to the Capital to celebrate the benefits of the TV and film industry.
11Alive spoke with Bert Brantley, CEO of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Brantley said Governor Kemp has a “proactive approach” to helping Georgia stay informed. “Right now, it’s business as usual. If you’ve ever been to a film set, they are very conscious about the safety and health of all their workers. So, this is something where we feel like they can continue to work. These are usually closed sets, so there’s no big gathering of people,” Brantley said. “So, this is an industry that can thrive in really all kinds of environments.”
That said, in the event of TV and film productions back out of filming due to the coronavirus pandemic, companies will still be able to receive the Georgia tax credit benefit if the production has spent more than $500,000 to the state.
“The key thing with our tax credit is what we incentivize employing Georgians. There is a portion of the tax credit that you can earn if you shoot here, you employ Georgians, and you can make your content here. And there’s additional percent if you broadcast, or go to the movies, or put it on streaming, and you see that Georgia peach that comes at the end. If they shut down, or don’t get to broadcast their show, they won’t qualify for an additional percentage,” Brantley said.
It is hard to deny the economic impact the film industry has had on Georgia’s economy. In 2019, the Georgia Department of Economic Development reported $2.9 billion in direct spending towards travel, hotel, lodging, crews, catering, props, and additional filmmaking equipment and services.
“So, the real number that we focus on is direct spending. These are the dollars that production companies spend in Georgia, and that’s $2.9 billion in 2019. People can talk about the economic impact of what those dollars are, but you can’t dispute where those dollars are spent in Georgia. They’re spent employing Georgians, catering, restaurants, hotels, really all across Atlanta, and all across Georgia. We really want to celebrate those dollars coming in the state and turning our economy,” Brantley said.
This news comes after Georgia was ranked number 1 filming location for blockbuster movies.
Continue Reading:
Coronavirus: Marvel Shuts Down Production of Several Disney Plus Series
103 TV Shows and Movies Shut Down Due to the Coronavirus
Coronavirus: ”Fast 9” Pushes Back Their Release Date By a Year
