Hollywood South Isn’t Just a Nickname Anymore
When people think of America’s entertainment capital, they automatically picture Los Angeles and its famous Hollywood sign. But something remarkable has been happening down in the Deep South over the past fifteen years. Georgia was ranked No. 1 in Film Production by Business Facilities Magazine, featured in the publication’s annual 2024 Rankings Report, and this isn’t just a feel-good statistic thrown around at chamber of commerce meetings. The Georgia Film Office reported that film and television productions spent $2.6 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2024, a total of $11 billion over the last three fiscal years. The numbers tell a story of transformation that’s almost hard to believe. Production spending in Georgia grew by more than 17% each year from 2012-2023, creating a $29.65 billion economic impact on Georgia’s economy. We’re not talking about some small regional boom here – this is a complete reinvention of what it means to be an entertainment industry powerhouse.
The Tax Credit That Changed Everything
Let’s be honest about what really kickstarted this whole thing. Money talks, and Georgia learned how to speak its language fluently. The Film Tax Credit is a 20% base transferable tax credit, with an additional 10% uplift for providing promotional value to the State. That means productions can get up to 30% of their qualified spending back as tax credits, which is basically free money for studios willing to pack up and head south. Because this is a tax credit, rather than a rebate, there is no limit on the amount of tax credits that can be earned in a given year, and there is no sunset clause on the program. Unlike other states that cap their incentives or make you compete for limited funds, Georgia essentially said “come one, come all” to Hollywood. The study found that without the film tax incentive, more than 92% of productions would have chosen another state. That’s not just a good policy decision – that’s economic genius disguised as Southern hospitality.
From Cotton Fields to Sound Stages
The infrastructure boom in Georgia reads like something out of a real estate fever dream. Since the film tax incentive was revised in 2008, stage space has increased from 45,000 square feet in 2010 to more than 4.5 million in 2024. That’s not just growth – that’s a complete metamorphosis from virtually nothing to becoming the second-largest production hub in America. Georgia is now second for stage space in the U.S., having leapfrogged over New York in recent years. Think about that for a second: a state that was primarily known for peaches and peanuts just overtook the Big Apple in Hollywood infrastructure. Georgia has more than 4.1 million square feet in soundstage space, with 1 million of that built since 2021. The state is currently number two in stage space after California, having surpassed New York. The speed of this construction boom has left even industry veterans scratching their heads.
Tyler Perry’s Empire Built on Former Military Ground
When Tyler Perry bought 330 acres of the former Fort McPherson army base in 2015, some people thought he was crazy. In 2019, Perry celebrated the grand opening of his newest Atlanta studio location, having purchased 330 acres of the former Fort McPherson complex in 2015 to make it the new home of Tyler Perry Studios. Tyler Perry Studios is one of the largest film production studios in the United States, and established Perry as the first African-American to outright own a major film production studio. His vision transformed what was essentially abandoned military infrastructure into one of the most important entertainment facilities in the country. The studio has 50,000 sq ft of the site dedicated to standing permanent sets, including a replica of a luxury hotel lobby, a White House replica, a 16,000-square-foot mansion, a mock cheap hotel, a trailer park set, and a real 1950s-style diner that was relocated from a town 100 miles away. Perry didn’t just build a studio – he created an entire alternate reality where filmmakers can shoot anything from White House dramas to small-town comedies without ever leaving Atlanta. The scale is mind-blowing, and it’s become a template for how Georgia approaches film infrastructure.
The Military Base Makeover Trend
Perry’s success with Fort McPherson sparked something of a military base conversion movement across Georgia. BlueStar Studios lifted the veil this week on a $180-million, 53-acre remake of Fort Gillem, a former Army base in Forest Park, where purpose-built stages are scheduled to begin opening for business next summer. Construction is well underway on the 600,000-square-foot campus that will include 18 soundstages and offices. It’s fascinating how Georgia has turned its military history into entertainment gold. Several new soundstage campuses came online in FY24, including Assembly Atlanta in Doraville, located on the 135-acre site of the former General Motors Assembly plant, and BlueStar Studios at the former Fort Gillem. These aren’t just abandoned properties getting a fresh coat of paint – they’re complete reinventions that preserve history while creating jobs. The symbolism is pretty powerful too: spaces that once prepared Americans for war are now creating the stories that entertain the world.
Trilith Studios: Where Superheroes Come to Life
If you’ve watched a Marvel movie in the past decade, there’s a good chance it was filmed at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville. In Fayetteville at Trilith Studios, the primary filming location of some of the highest grossing films of all time such as “Spider Man: No Way Home” and “Avengers: Endgame,” offers a one-hour guided trolley tour. This isn’t just another studio lot – it’s become ground zero for some of the biggest blockbusters ever made. Blockbusters such as Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man, and Spider-Man: No Way Home have filmed across Trilith’s 1,000 acres, as a related, master-planned town continues to rise across the street. The fact that they’re building an entire town around the studio tells you everything about how seriously Georgia takes this industry. When you’re planning residential communities around film studios, you’re not just chasing a trend – you’re betting your future on entertainment.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Georgia Is Crushing It
Let’s talk cold, hard facts for a minute because the financial impact is staggering. The State of Georgia hosted 273 productions between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, and that’s during a year that included major industry strikes. The Georgia Film Office reported that the State of Georgia hosted 390 productions, represented by 31 feature films, 55 independent films, 241 television and episodic productions, 40 commercials, and 23 music videos between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Even with the ups and downs, Georgia has maintained its position as a production powerhouse. Nearly $3 billion in investment is planned for 2024-2027, which is predicted to have an economic impact of $5.7 billion on the state and support another 15,400 jobs in 2025. These aren’t just jobs – they’re careers, entire industries that didn’t exist in Georgia twenty years ago.
The Reality Check: Recent Challenges
Not everything has been smooth sailing in Georgia’s film boom, and it’s important to acknowledge the bumps in the road. Production spending for the same fiscal year was down to $2.6 billion from $4.1 billion the previous year, according to the Georgia Film Office. The 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes hit Georgia hard, just like everywhere else in the entertainment industry. Production tracking company ProdPro reported that filming in Georgia was down 41 percent for the first half of this year compared with the first half of 2022. It’s down 37 percent nationally for the same time periods. For the ninth month in a row, the Georgia film office is tracking fewer than 30 productions at any given time. A year ago, the state had 46 productions. Today? Just 26. The industry is cyclical, and Georgia is learning that success doesn’t guarantee permanent momentum.
Competition from Europe Is Getting Real
Here’s something that should worry Georgia officials: other places are learning from their playbook. European countries, which have cheaper labor costs than the United States, were listed on about one-third of them, including the new “Avengers” film in the United Kingdom and a new “Hunger Games” movie in Germany. Both of those franchises used to shoot in Georgia. When major franchises that helped put Georgia on the map start looking elsewhere, that’s a wake-up call. The global nature of filmmaking means Georgia isn’t just competing with California and New York anymore – they’re up against countries that can offer even better deals. This shift represents a fundamental challenge to Georgia’s growth model, and it’s happening faster than many people expected.
The Stars Keep Coming South
Despite the recent challenges, major productions are still choosing Georgia for their home base. Filming began in January 2025 at LionsGate Studios in Atlanta, directed by Kevin Williamson, with stars like Mason Gooding, Courteney Cox, and Neve Campbell for the latest Scream movie. Madden, an Amazon biopic starring Nicolas Cage as NFL legend John Madden, is set to begin soon in 2025. David O. Russell is directing the film, which also stars John Mulaney as Trip Hawkins, Kathryn Hahn as Virginia Madden, and Sienna Miller as Carol Davis. A-list talent continues to make Georgia their temporary home, and The Dish, from Universal Pictures, is being directed by Steven Spielberg. This sci-fi film about a UFO is slated to start filming in metro Atlanta. When Steven Spielberg chooses your state for his next project, you know you’re doing something right.
Training the Next Generation
Georgia isn’t just building soundstages – they’re building careers. Georgia residents are being prepared for jobs in the film and television industry, so they can fulfill their industry dreams near where they live. Productions benefit from resources like the Georgia Film Academy, which is responsive to the needs of the industry and can quickly develop curriculum to suit productions’ needs. This is smart policy that thinks beyond the immediate economic impact. Instead of just importing talent from Los Angeles, Georgia is creating its own pipeline of skilled workers. The Georgia Film Office provides multiple resources for local businesses and talent to list their services to industry decision-makers. Georgia Reel Crew™ – a searchable, online directory of crew and support services. Georgia Reel Scout™ – a database of local properties available for filming. Georgia Camera Ready Communities – a searchable list of local film industry liaison in all 159 counties. They’ve basically created a one-stop shop for everything Hollywood needs.
AI Anxiety and Tyler Perry’s Pause Button
Even success stories have their plot twists, and Tyler Perry just delivered a major one. Tyler Perry has stopped a planned $800 million expansion at his 330-acre film studio in Atlanta over fears that rapid advances in video-related artificial intelligence could reduce demand for traditional filmmaking. This isn’t just one man’s opinion – it’s a reality check from someone who’s invested more than anyone in Georgia’s film future. In February 2024, Perry announced his $800 million expansion project which included additional soundstages is temporarily on hold due to his concerns that rapid advances in video-related artificial intelligence could reduce demand for traditional filmmaking. Perry wants the filmmaking industry to galvanize as one voice and lobby for legislation to regulate artificial intelligence in Hollywood. When the guy who literally bet everything on Georgia’s film industry hits the pause button, everyone else should probably pay attention. The future of filmmaking might look very different than anyone expects.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Georgia’s Hollywood Dreams
Georgia’s transformation from a primarily agricultural state to an entertainment powerhouse has been nothing short of remarkable, but the next chapter remains unwritten. Despite these challenges, the outlook for 2025 remains optimistic. With ongoing policy refinements, infrastructure investments, and a renewed focus on innovation, Georgia is well-positioned to continue as a major player in the global film industry. The state has proven it can adapt and compete with anyone, but the entertainment industry never stands still. With artificial intelligence changing how content gets made, international competition heating up, and the traditional studio system evolving, Georgia will need to keep innovating to maintain its position. The question isn’t whether Georgia has succeeded – it’s whether they can stay ahead of the curve as the industry transforms around them. What would you have guessed would happen next in this ongoing Southern success story?
