Georgia Film Industry Generates $9.5 Billion: What It Means for Atlanta Productions

Georgia's film and television industry reached a historic milestone in 2017, generating nearly $9.5 billion in direct economic impact and cementing the state's position as the number one filming location in the world according to FilmL.A. In a single year, 320 film and television productions shot in Georgia — a figure that would have seemed impossible just a decade earlier.

The engine behind this growth is Georgia's film incentive program, which awards productions up to 30% of their qualified Georgia expenditures in transferable tax credits. Introduced in its current form in 2008, the credit applies to a wide range of production costs including wages paid to Georgia residents, equipment rentals, location fees, and services from Georgia-based vendors. Productions that cannot use the credits against Georgia tax liability can sell them on the open market, effectively converting them to cash.

The economic impact extends far beyond the productions themselves. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, 28,656 people were directly employed in Georgia's film and television industry in 2017, with an additional 12,518 working in production-related fields. That workforce includes camera operators, grips, electricians, set decorators, makeup artists, drivers — and the craft service and catering professionals who keep every production fed and running.

For Atlanta Craft Services, Georgia's emergence as a global production hub has meant steady growth in demand for professional, experienced craft service and catering on film and television sets. We have been part of that growth since 2015, serving productions at studios and on location throughout metro Atlanta and across the state.

If your production is coming to Georgia, we would love to be your craft service and catering partner. Contact Atlanta Craft Services today to discuss your needs.