3. The little guys get a reprieve

The House bill would have effectively made it more difficult for smaller filmmakers, like those who make commercials, to aggregate their projects to qualify for the tax credit.

Peter Siaggis, who runs commercial producer Spots Films in Atlanta and shot 15 commercials in Georgia last year, said if the bill had passed, he might have had to cut staff and close his offices. “I’m glad they came to their senses,” he said. “It alleviates a lot of business stress.”

Jessica Felder, an accountant who has worked on a range of smaller independent productions, said new auditing requirements meant to reduce fraud have already made compliance costs more burdensome by adding a lot more paperwork. And it has taken a lot longer to get the tax credit, she noted.

Bigger companies like Netflix and NBCUniversal, on the other hand, have size and scope and a team of accountants to ensure they can get the tax credits.

4. The film and TV business has become a true force in the state

Sixteen years ago, the TV and film business in Georgia was barely a footnote. But as the industry has matured and more soundstages have been built, its power in the legislature has grown as well.

Now there are multiple lobbyists at the state Capitol representing big studios (the Motion Picture Association of America or MPAA), the soundstages (the Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition of GSEC) and a broader array of TV and film interests (The Georgia Production Partnership or GPP). Some studios hired their own individual lobbyists as well.

“The film industry in Georgia is on the precipice of being a complete ecosystem in the state, but we are not there yet,” said Craig Miller, an independent filmmaker and producer who is a key player with GPP. “The support of the leadership to maintain the incentive intact is a vote of confidence that will only help our industry to grow.”

Although Gov. Brian Kemp doesn’t evangelize for the industry the way former Republican governor Nathan Deal did in the early 2010s, he has quietly supported the tax credit system. He even attended a film office 50th anniversary event hosted by the state film office at the Fox Theatre in February and spoke on the dais.

“We’re proud Georgia is a global leader in this industry and that we are continuing to see growth in this field,” he said.

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