Gov. Deal on GA Film Industry: We Have 'Permanency' Here

A report released last week by the nonprofit Film L.A., which is the city of Los Angeles' film office, showed that from a dollars-and-cents standpoint, Georgia finished fifth worldwide in the budget value of films shot at various locations in 2013. 

Canada was tops, with $1.3 billion worth of films being shot north of the border. After tax credits were figured in, that resulted in industry expenditures of $887 million.

Next came the United Kingdom, California, Louisiana, and then Georgia with $415 million in budget value; $261 million in post-tax credits spending.

The study did not take into account TV production, and there’s been lots of that in recent years in the state. Regardless, the film and television industry has become big business in Georgia.

According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the industry in 2012 provided more than 25,000 jobs in the state, with direct economic benefits totaling almost $3.1 billion.

And it’s not slowing down according to Gov. Nathan Deal, who appeared on the Fox Business Channel on Tuesday.

“Last year we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 23,000 jobs that were created and representing about a $1.3 billion annual payroll, so as you can see, we have a great deal of permanency here,” said Deal.

See the included video for more from Deal and his thoughts on Georgia’s film and television industry.