Economic impact of the film and television industry hits $5.1 billion, Governor says
Gov. Nathan Deal and the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), today announced that all 159 Georgia counties have been designated Camera Ready. The state’s Camera Ready Community Program is the first of its kind in the nation, making Georgia the leader in offering a community-based production assistance program.
“Not only does this industry employ more than 77,900 Georgians, but it creates a sustainable environment with new infrastructure, more business opportunities for existing Georgia businesses and new educational programs through our universities and technical colleges,” said Deal. “I congratulate every community in Georgia for taking part in this statewide program and making our state a more attractive place for film and television production.”
The state’s Camera Ready Community Program was established in 2010 to help develop and sustain the burgeoning film and television industry by offering production companies access to local resources and information. The program is a special designation given to participating Georgia communities interested in cultivating and attracting the entertainment industry. Camera Ready communities name liaisons who can assist film and television production companies on a local level.
“Georgia’s Camera Ready liaisons offer productions direct access to local resources and play an essential role in attracting movie and television projects to Georgia,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “This industry is already having a significant impact in communities across the state creating new jobs, investment opportunities, new tourism product and beyond – I am thrilled that every county in Georgia wants to be part of the action.”
The final 20 counties that received the Camera Ready designation include: Atkinson, Baker, Burke, Charlton, Echols, Effingham, Glascock, Heard, Irwin, Jefferson, Jones, Long, Peach, Pierce, Treutlen, Twiggs, Ware, Wheeler, Wilcox and Worth.
Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office Project Manager Craig Dominey assisted each community with obtaining its designation.
“When we began this program four years ago we had 16 communities certified as Camera Ready,” said Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office Deputy Commissioner Lee Thomas. “With every county prepared to assist the film industry, Georgia is better equipped to welcome and serve more productions statewide.”
The film industry continues to thrive in Georgia with more than 158 feature film and television productions shot during FY14, with a combined production spend of $1.4 billion. As a whole, the industry’s economic impact for FY14 hit $5.1 billion, up from $1.33 billion in FY10 when the Camera Ready Community Program began.
To learn more about Georgia’s Camera Ready Community Program, visit www.georgia.org/cameraready.
About GDEcD
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts events and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.
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