Georgias Entertainment Division Wins Statewide Recognition for Customer Service
ATLANTA, January 22, 2010 — The vast amount of recent film & TV production in Georgia has resulted in the state's highest recognition of the team behind it. The Georgia Department of Economic Development's Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Division has been awarded the Governor's Commendation for Excellence in Customer Service for its ongoing commitment to providing excellent customer service during the extraordinary increase in projects spurred by the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act passed in 2008. "Georgia has a national reputation in the entertainment industry, not just for our film-friendly assets and aggressive incentives, but for our team's high quality of responsiveness,' said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. 'Our entertainment projects have increased almost 150 percent, which I attribute in large part to the way our team courteously and efficiently accommodates the needs of these clients.' The six-person entertainment team has assisted with production activity in 50 Georgia counties, with the resulting impact resonating throughout the entire state. During fiscal year 2009 (July 2008 through June 2009), investment in Georgia-made productions totaled more than $770 million, and the economic impact of the entertainment industry in Georgia was a record-breaking $1.3-plus billion. During that time, 26 feature films, 93 television productions, 251 commercials, 37 music videos and 41 video games were produced in Georgia. They included The Last Song, with Miley Cyrus; Due Date, with Robert Downey, Jr., and Jamie Foxx; Life as We Know It, with Katherine Heigl; The Conspirator, directed by Robert Redford; and The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock, one of the top-grossing films of the last few weeks. Georgia's entertainment workforce is more than 25,000 members strong, and the number of film and TV crews operating in the state grew by 85 percent in 2009. The team also helped attract more than 16 entertainment-related companies have located or relocated in the state. Many other existing companies have expanded their operations. The Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act has helped catapult the state into the ranks of the top five entertainment production locations in the U.S., and Georgia now ranks number one for entertainment activity among the southeastern states. The legislation grants an income tax credit of 20 percent to qualified productions. An additional 10 percent tax credit is awarded to approved projects that embed a Georgia promotional logo in the titles or credits of a production. Eligible productions include both traditional motion picture projects such as feature films, television series, commercials and music videos, and innovative industries like game development and animation. The Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Division, formerly known as the Film, Video and Music Office, conducts extensive business development, sales, marketing and promotional activities in order to attract entertainment projects and businesses to the state. The division's team also assists the local, national and international entertainment industries with information, expertise and resources.It is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), the sales and marketing arm of the State of Georgia.