Georgia’s diverse geography, moderate climate, transportation infrastructure, modern amenities, and skilled film crews have long made it an attractive destination for film companies, but it was a major tax credit passed by the state legislature in 2008 that truly solidified Georgia’s film industry.

Once a film or television project has been approved, it is up to the project’s producer to find a cost-effective location that fits the needs of the screenplay. Georgia competes with many other states and countries for film and television projects, but the kinds of projects Georgia has attracted have changed over time. In the last decades of the twentieth century, shows set in the South were most likely to film in the state. Since the tax credit, projects filmed in Georgia have used studios to portray any number of places, including outer space.

The 1970s: Burt Reynolds and the Car-Chase Craze

Although various movies have been shot in Georgia since the early days of film, it was Deliverance (1972) that truly brought the state to Hollywood’s attention. Based on the best-selling James Dickey novel and directed by John Boorman, Deliverance stars Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox, Burt Reynolds, and Jon Voight as Atlanta businessmen whose rafting excursion down a remote mountain river goes horribly wrong. Shot along the Chattooga River in Rabun County, the film was a commercial and critical success.

Deliverance was locally controversial in its perceived depiction of mountain residents as backwoods hillbillies. But the production was an economic boon to the state, a fact not lost on then-governor Jimmy Carter. He established a state film commission in 1973 to market Georgia as a shooting location for future projects.

Production grew in Georgia throughout the 1970s, and it was once again Burt Reynolds who brought blockbuster projects to the state. Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) both feature Reynolds as the Bandit, an outlaw pursued at high speeds across the South by Sheriff Buford T. Justice (played by Jackie Gleason). Shot on various state highways, in such towns as Jonesboro, and at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, these hugely successful films launched a craze of car-chase films at the end of the decade.

Smokey and the Bandit
Smokey and the Bandit
Courtesy of Georgia Department of Economic Development.

CBS was quick to jump on this craze with its hit television series The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-85). Onetime Georgia resident John Schneider and Tom Wopat starred as the Duke boys, rebellious cousins always outrunning the local police in their muscle car, the General Lee. Although Dukes later moved production to California, the first several episodes were shot in and around the city of Covington. The first jumping of the General Lee (seen in the show’s opening credits) took place on the campus of nearby Oxford College of Emory University.

The 1980s and 1990s: Covington, Miss Daisy, and Savannah

Covington would later feature prominently in another television series, In the Heat of the Night (1988-94). Conceived as a continuation of the 1967 Academy Award–winning film of the same name, In the Heat of the Night stars Carroll O’Connor as a small-town sheriff and Howard E. Rollins Jr. as his African American lieutenant. Covington stood in for Sparta, Mississippi, where the two characters solved a different crime each episode, frequently overcoming racial tensions and small-town politics. Production of the show became part of everyday life for residents of Covington, with numerous locals hired as extras and several area businesses serving the production crew.

In the Heat of the Night
In the Heat of the Night
Courtesy of Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Covington was not the only Georgia city to be seen nightly on the nation’s television screens. I’ll Fly Away (1991-93), an NBC series starring Sam Waterston as a southern lawyer at the dawn of the civil rights movement, was shot largely in historic Madison, as well as in Conyers, Covington, Monticello, Newnan, and other locations.

Feature-film production boomed in Georgia throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Sharky’s Machine (1981), directed by and starring Burt Reynolds, caused a sensation in downtown Atlanta when the film crew shot a 220-foot outdoor free-fall stunt from the top of the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel. Later films such as My Cousin Vinny (1992) and Remember the Titans (2000) were shot throughout the state.

If Burt Reynolds was the movie star most identifiable with Georgia in the 1970s, Jessica Tandy was arguably Georgia’s most representative star of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Driving Miss Daisy (1989), based on Alfred Uhry’s play and starring Tandy and Morgan Freeman, was set largely in the Atlanta area. The story of an elderly Jewish woman who develops a close bond with her African American chauffeur, Driving Miss Daisy won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Tandy.

Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes
Courtesy of Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Tandy then starred in another Georgia production, Fried Green Tomatoes (1991). Directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg’s novel, Fried Green Tomatoes is the story of two women in 1920s Alabama who become friends despite their differences and open a restaurant together called the Whistle Stop Cafe. Film crews transformed a local establishment in the small town of Juliette, in Monroe County, into the cafe, where it remains as a tourist attraction for fans of the film.

During this time, many filmmakers began to discover the unique and mysterious charm of Savannah. Though most of the film was shot in other states, Forrest Gump (1994) became forever linked with Savannah because the bench from which Forrest (played by Tom Hanks) tells stories about his life was located in Chippewa Square. (The actual bench now sits in the Savannah History Museum.) The Academy Award–winning film Glory (1990), based on the true story of the first all-Black volunteer company to fight in the Civil War (1861-65), was also shot in Savannah and other coastal areas of the state. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), Clint Eastwood’s adaptation of the best-selling work by John Berendt, only added to the influx of tourists visiting Savannah because of the book.

The Early 2000s: Box Office Hits and Tax Credit Wars

A wide variety of films continued to be shot in Georgia, including the box-office smash Sweet Home Alabama (2002), starring Reese Witherspoon. Despite its title, it was shot almost entirely in Georgia, with the small town of Crawfordville, in Taliaferro County, standing in for fictional Pigeon Creek, Alabama.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), written by and starring Tyler Perry, was shot in the Atlanta area. Like Sweet Home Alabama, Diary of a Mad Black Woman opened number one at the box office its first week and spawned the Atlanta-based sequel Madea’s Family Reunion (2006). Also in 2006 Perry founded Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, where he shot his television situation comedy House of Payne. In 2008 the BET network premiered the comedy series Somebodies. Written by University of Georgia graduate Henry Cameron “Hadjii” Hand and filmed in Athens, the series was based on his independent film featured at the Sundance Film Festival.

Pinewood Atlanta Studios
Construction of Pinewood Atlanta Studios
From USDA-FSA Aerial Photography Field Office. Collage by Jonathan D. Hepworth, New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Despite these successes, Georgia began to face stiffer competition from other states and nations (like Canada) that offered film producers tax credits. To lure more projects, both public and private entities worked to create new incentives encouraging filmmakers to come to Georgia. In 2001 the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation exempting the television and film industry from sales and use taxes on production-related expenses.

After a Ray Charles biopic was produced in Louisiana rather than Georgia in 2004, the General Assembly passed the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act in 2005, which offered income tax credits for filmmakers who worked in Georgia. The legislation resulted in a revenue increase for the state from $124 million in 2004 to $475 million in 2006.

In May 2008 Georgia governor Sonny Perdue signed into law a revised Entertainment Industry Investment Act at the studios of Turner Broadcasting System. This more generous legislation gave production companies a 20 percent tax credit for filming in Georgia, with an additional 10 percent credit if the final product featured a Georgia peach logo promoting the state. This tax credit raised Georgia’s profile substantially, being among the largest tax credits in the nation.

With such favorable legislation, several production companies began to invest in more concrete facilities in Georgia. RiverWood Studios, based in Coweta County, began restoring and constructing buildings in historic Senoia in 2007 to create a permanent nineteenth-century-town set. In 2013 British Pinewood Studios built their first U.S. location in Fayette County, partnering with a Cathy family trust to construct Pinewood Atlanta (now Trilith).

The 2010s and Beyond: Mega-Blockbusters and Controversies

The tax credit incentive and establishment of more permanent studios in Georgia brought about extensive production in the state. In the five years spanning 2013 through 2017, more projects filmed in Georgia than in all previous decades combined, leading Atlanta to be nicknamed “the Hollywood of the South.” Among these projects were large and popular franchise productions, including the final films of the Hunger Games series and several films produced by Marvel Studios. Filmed at Pinewood Atlanta, Avengers: Endgame (2019) rapidly earned $2.5 billion at the box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing films ever. The increase of digital streaming services and their push for original context also found Georgia’s tax credit hospitable for production demands.

Captain America Atlanta Filming
Captain America: Civil War Filming in Atlanta
From torontokid2, Wikimedia Commons

This growth did not come without controversy or criticism. As the Great Recession cratered state revenue, some argued the tax credit was an expensive giveaway to the film industry. Supporters countered that film production in Georgia boosted businesses that otherwise would have gone under during the recession. Despite occasional efforts to repeal or lower the tax credit, the rate has stayed the same since 2008. In 2020 the General Assembly passed legislation requiring an audit of expenditures in the state to qualify for the tax credits.

Other actions by the legislature have provoked criticism from the film industry and calls to boycott production in the state. A restrictive abortion law passed in 2019 and changes to Georgia’s voting laws in 2021 have led to industry calls to boycott the Peach State. Producers like Tyler Perry, however, have said that even when disagreeing with legislation it makes little financial sense to move their investments out of state.

More challenging to Georgia’s film industry was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the shutdown of many studios and the furlough of employees. Within months, the state government rolled out a series of best practices for filming during pandemic conditions, and filming began again for most productions by the end of 2020.

Independent Film, Music, and Gaming Industries

In addition to major motion picture production, the film industry in Georgia also includes support and venues for smaller independent projects. The Atlanta Film Festival, run by the Atlanta Film Society, presents features, documentaries, and short films from around the world. With roots going back to 1987, Out on Film has independently sponsored LGBTQ films since 2008.

Savannah Film Festival
Savannah Film Festival
Courtesy of Savannah College of Art and Design

Notable film schools also operate in the state, including the Film and Television Department at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), which also hosts the annual Savannah Film Festival, and Georgia State University’s film production program. Additionally, local and out-of-state production companies have shot nationally broadcast spots for corporations with headquarters in Georgia, including Coca-Cola, Delta, and the Weather Channel.

While feature films and television programs have attracted the most attention, a robust music-video industry has also emerged in Georgia. Due in part to Georgia’s growing recorded-music industry and the large number of popular-music artists who reside in the state, music-video production provides jobs to many local crew members. Such renowned local artists as Bow Wow, Ciara, Ludacris , R.E.M., Third Day, T.I., Usher, and Trisha Yearwood have chosen Georgia as the backdrop for their music videos.

R.E.M
R.E.M
Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records

The production of other multimedia products, particularly video games, have also generated sizeable profits. Georgia became a well-known center for video game development by tapping into local technical and arts colleges, including SCAD and the Georgia Institute of Technology, for their development teams. In 2006 the state legislature enacted tax code changes allowing digital entertainment producers, including video game companies based outside the state, to gain new savings on products developed in Georgia.

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A More Perfect Union

The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Commercial Production

Commercial Production

A film crew shoots a commercial for Georgia tourism at Stone Mountain in 2006. Commercial production increased dramatically in the state during the first years of the twenty-first century, with such major corporations as Coca-Cola, Delta, Ford Motor Company, and General Electric choosing to film in Georgia.

Film Industry

Film Industry

A camera operator works on a film set in Georgia, where the film industry has generated more than $4 billion for the state's economy since the 1970s. The Georgia Film, Video, and Music Office, established in 1973 by then-governor Jimmy Carter, recruited more than 550 major projects between 1973 and 2007.

Smokey and the Bandit

Smokey and the Bandit

Sally Fields (left) and Burt Reynolds are pictured during the filming of Smokey and the Bandit (1977). An enormous commercial success, the film was one of several projects that Reynolds brought to Georgia during the 1970s.

In the Heat of the Night

In the Heat of the Night

Cast members of the television series In the Heat of the Night pose during the filming of an episode in downtown Covington, circa 1994. From left, Denise Nicholas (Harriet DeLong), Carroll O'Connor (Sheriff Bill Gillespie), and Carl Weathers (Chief Hampton Forbes).

Filming of The Dukes of Hazzard

Filming of The Dukes of Hazzard

Crew members shoot an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard in Covington, circa 1979. The first several episodes of the series were filmed in Covington before production moved to California. The famous shot of the airborne General Lee, the Duke cousins' muscle car, was filmed at nearby Oxford College.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes

Mary-Louise Parker (left) and Mary Stuart Masterson are pictured during the filming of Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), adapted from a novel by Fannie Flagg. Although set in Alabama, the film was shot in the small town of Juliette, in Monroe County. Portions of the film set, including the Whistle Stop Cafe, are now open to visitors.

The Legend of Bagger Vance

The Legend of Bagger Vance

Robert Redford (right), the director of The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), demonstrates a golf swing to the film's stars, Matt Damon (left) and Will Smith (second from left). The film was shot in the streets and country clubs of Savannah.

Video Students

Video Students

Students in the video production program at West Georgia Technical College in LaGrange work on a class project. In addition to producing three television series, students at the college have won awards for two documentaries, Soaring with Eagles and Helping to Build Hope.

Courtesy of Technical College System of Georgia

Savannah Film Festival

Savannah Film Festival

Attendees of the 2006 Savannah Film Festival congregate outside the historic Trustees Theatre, which was restored by the Savannah College of Art and Design. The festival, which is hosted by SCAD each fall, offers feature-length, short, and documentary films from around the world.

Courtesy of Savannah College of Art and Design

R.E.M

R.E.M

The Athens-based rock band R.E.M. has filmed some of their music videos in Georgia over the years, including collaborations with Chattooga County artist Howard Finster and Hall County artist R. A. Miller. From left, Peter Buck, Michael Stipe, and Mike Mills.

Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records

Pinewood Atlanta Studios

Construction of Pinewood Atlanta Studios

With increased financial incentives to film in Georgia, international studios invested resources to produce in the state. These three photographs show the Pinewood Atlanta Studios site in Fayette County before, during, and after construction. Originally part-owned by British Pinewood Studios, the Fayette location has since become an independent venture named Trilith Studios.

From USDA-FSA Aerial Photography Field Office. Collage by Jonathan D. Hepworth, New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Captain America Atlanta Filming

Captain America: Civil War Filming in Atlanta

With a generous state tax credit passed in 2008, Atlanta became known as “the Hollywood of the South.” Here, a parking lot across from the Richard B. Russell Federal Building becomes a Lagos, Nigeria, street scene in filming the movie Captain America: Civil War in 2015.

From torontokid2, Wikimedia Commons

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