Clay Neely / The Newnan Times-Herald

Camera, lighting and audio equipment, are part of the support services film companies use during production including catering, construction, transportation, accounting and payroll, and post-production, which employs many Cowetans.

The film industry in Coweta County, and the industry shows no sign of slowing down.

Parts of Coweta can frequently be seen transformed into film sets for movies and TV shows.

Gov. Nathan Deal announced Monday that Georgia-lensed feature film and television productions generated an economic impact of $9.5 billion during fiscal year 2017. The 320 feature film and television productions shot in Georgia represent $2.7 billion in direct spending in the state. Georgias film industry supports thousands of jobs, boosts small business growth and expands offerings for tourists, said Deal. As one of the top places in the world for film, Georgia hosted a remarkable 320 film and television productions during the last fiscal year. These productions mean new economic opportunities and real investments in local communities. We are committed to further establishing Georgia as a top film destination and introducing film companies to the Camera Ready backdrops available across Georgia. In addition to the increase in production expenditures, Georgia has experienced significant infrastructure growth with multiple announcements in fiscal year 2017, including the expansion of Pinewood Studios in neighboring Fayette County and the announcement of Three Ring Studios in Covington.

Pinewood studios has 18 sound stages and is expected to grow even more, according to Brian Cooper, Pinewood Studios vice president of operations.

The studio officially started filming in June 2014, and three years later, Pinewood is the second-largest film studio in the United States, behind Warner Brothers.

With the additional infrastructure in Covington can accommodate larger productions with more capacity for multiple film projects. Literally hundreds of new businesses have relocated or expanded in Georgia to support this burgeoning industry creating jobs for Georgians as well as economic opportunities for communities and small businesses, said Georgia Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. Although these support-services companies cannot claim the tax credits, they directly benefit from the increased amount of work in the state, and the fact that the savings from the Film Tax Credit are typically re-invested in the project, creating additional economic impact and activity for these Georgia-based businesses. The economic impact of the film industry can be felt across multiple sectors. In addition to camera, lighting and audio equipment, film companies use a wide range of support services during production including catering, construction, transportation, accounting and payroll and post-production.

Cooper said Pinewood Studios utilizes vendors for various needs such as props and equipment rental, and many people working with the vendors live between Fayette and Coweta County.

Chris Clark, president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the impact of the movie industry in Georgia at a Pancakes and Politics Breakfast earlier this year.

He talked about how the film industry positively affects Coweta and Fayette Counties. Clark said most post-production of films made in Georgia is done in Los Angeles.

Bills were introduced to encourage productions to do their music and post-production of films in Georgia, Clark said.

He said more films may be coming to Georgia because of the recent abolition of film tax incentives in Texas.

Georgias growth in the film industry - from $67.7 million in direct spending in FY 2007 to $2.7 billion in FY 2017 - is unprecedented, not only in production spend, but also in the amount of investment that has been made in infrastructure, said Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner for the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office. The unwavering commitment to this industry by Governor Deal and the Georgia legislature has ensured Georgias place as a top destination for film and television. In 2017, the state Film and Tourism divisions partnered to celebrate the Year of Georgia Film to highlight Georgias film tourism sites, including local communities that have served as backdrops for movies and television productions since the 1970s.

(Kandice Bell contributed to this story. kandice@newnan.com )

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Deal: Film industry generates $9.5 billion - The Newnan Times-Herald - Newnan Times-Herald