Film

The film and television industry continues to undergo significant transformation as production activity becomes increasingly dispersed across competitive domestic and international markets. While the 2023 labor strikes temporarily halted much of the industry, the resulting contract negotiations, rising production costs, and changing content investment strategies have also reshaped how studios, networks, and streaming platforms evaluate production spending. As a result, film and television production is no longer as heavily concentrated in traditional hubs such as Los Angeles and New York, with productions increasingly seeking locations that offer competitive incentives, established infrastructure, and cost certainty. Against this backdrop, Georgia’s direct production spending declined from more than $4.1 billion in 2023 to approximately $2.3 billion in 2025. Despite this contraction, Georgia remains one of the nation’s leading production centers due to the long-term stability of its film tax credit program. Unlike many competing states and countries, Georgia’s incentive has no sunset clause, meaning it is not subject to a predetermined expiration date, and no annual cap, allowing qualifying productions to access credits without concern for limited yearly funding. These advantages, combined with the state’s established infrastructure and experienced workforce, continue to attract major feature films, television series, and streaming productions. More than 550 television and episodic productions have filmed in Georgia over the past three years, creating consistent employment opportunities and reinforcing the state’s position as a premier production market. Savannah has also experienced a notable resurgence in production activity in 2026 following several fiscally slower years, with increased feature film and television production generating economic benefits for local businesses, vendors, and crew members. At the same time, institutions such as Savannah College of Art and Design and Georgia Southern University programs continue to expand workforce development opportunities, helping ensure that our region can meet the industry’s future labor demands. As production activity rebounds and competition among production markets intensifies, Georgia and Savannah remain well-positioned to capitalize on continued growth within the film and television sector.