Atlanta's once-thriving film industry, dubbed the "Hollywood of the South," has faced a steep decline in recent years. According to multiple reports, spending on film and TV production in Georgia plummeted from $4.4 billion in 2022 to just $2.3 billion in the last fiscal year. The number of total productions also dropped significantly, from 412 in 2022 to 245 last year.
Key Takeaways
Atlanta's film industry, once booming due to generous tax credits, has seen a significant decline in production spending and job opportunities. According to multiple reports, spending on film and TV production in Georgia dropped from $4.4 billion in 2022 to $2.3 billion in the last fiscal year, with total productions falling from 412 to 245 during that period. The decline has been attributed to factors such as the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes, competition from other states, and studios shifting production overseas.
- Film production spending in Georgia dropped from $4.4 billion in 2022 to $2.3 billion last fiscal year
- Total productions decreased from 412 in 2022 to 245 last year
- Major studios like Marvel have shifted production to the UK due to cheaper labor and production costs
- Local industry professionals report significant reductions in work opportunities and income
- Shadowbox Studios is investing in diversifying its client base and training new talent to keep Atlanta competitive
The decline has been attributed to several factors, including the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes. Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner of the Georgia Film Office, noted that many productions have started looking overseas to avoid potential future work stoppages.
Major studios like Marvel have shifted their massive productions from Georgia to the United Kingdom, where labor and production costs are cheaper. Streamers such as Netflix are also increasingly filming abroad while producing fewer shows overall. Additionally, other states like California and Texas have upped their incentives to compete with Georgia's tax credits.
Local industry professionals have felt the impact of this decline acutely. Chris Ratledge, a 48-year-old digital imaging technician, moved from Indiana to Georgia in 2017 to take advantage of the booming film industry. At its peak, he was making up to $9,500 a week working on sets for productions like "Red Notice," "Miracle Workers," and "P-Valley." However, since May 2024, Ratledge has only worked four days on set.
To make ends meet, Ratledge now works part-time at the front desk of a local tennis center and strings rackets on the side. His family's income has dropped to $2,000 a month, which barely covers their rent. His wife, a cancer survivor, has started cleaning houses a few days a week.
Monique Younger, an Atlanta costume supervisor, reports that her work is less than half what it once was. Jen Farris, a longtime location scout, now navigates two- or three-month gaps between projects. Shadowbox Studios, one of metro Atlanta's largest soundstage operators, has seen just one of its nine soundstages booked for production on the day of training.
Despite the bleak landscape, Shadowbox Studios is betting on Atlanta's future by diversifying its client base and investing in new talent. The studio hosted about 25 Black college students for Backlot Academy, a program launched to diversify the ranks of professions where personal connections often determine who gets hired.
Julian Williams, a trainee at Shadowbox Studios, grew up in Atlanta and watched his city become a playground for Hollywood. Now a digital media student at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Williams is determined to break into the industry as a production assistant with the hope of one day becoming an assistant director.
Joseph Jones, a Backlot alumnus, credits Shadowbox Studios with helping him embark on a rewarding career as a production assistant. "It changed my life," said Jones, who spent years working in hotels but always knew he wanted to work on films.
Lee Thomas of the Georgia Film Office noted that business is up significantly from the last fiscal year due to a new state law that allows Georgia's tax incentives to apply to more types of productions. Jen Farris, the location scout, believes too many talented and creative people are in Atlanta for it all to simply fade away.
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