Tax Credits Lure Filming to Georgia
March 26, 2009 | 10:55 amJonathan Cribbs over at Champion Newspapers recaps Decatur’s recent filming frenzy and offers an explanation for the recent influx of grips, cameramen, directors and celebs.
A newly created up-to-30% state tax credit for films that shoot in Georgia.
Inadvertently, it seems that Decatur has become a major beneficiary of this legislation. With its close proximity to Atlanta, beautiful locales, and increasingly rare “small town feel”, it looks like the goals of the Strategic Plan are now paying new, unexpected dividends.
I can’t wait for the Decatur Hot Dog joint where all the celebs who have visited have signed, B&W pictures on the wall! 
That TV pilot was also filming at Agnes Scott the other night.
Most of the filming around town (not just recently, but overall) usually occurs at Agnes Scott or on Adams Street.
Decatur is also conveniently located within a short drive to the Clermont Lounge
They started doing the same thing in Massachusetts last year. You continually see streets blocked up in Boston for filming.
The state govt is talking about building a major east coast studio in Plymouth MA.
I bumped into Mel Gibson on my way out of a hot yoga class 4 or 5 mos as he was propped up against the door smoking a cigarette.
Cameron Diaz was working out with a trainer at a gym I used to go to up in Back Bay a few mos back (she was staying in a hotel across the street). I recognized her immediately.
I saw Kate Hudson across the street taking a break from a filming scene in the South End late last summer.
Funny how the two places I spend all my time are turning into movie sets. I don’t particularly care for our ‘celebrity culture’.
I ran into Barney Frank at the convenience store down the street from my place a couple of weeks ago. I turned around and recognized him immediately. I just said “Barney Frank!” He looked at me a bit jittery for a second like he perhaps thought I was going to yell at him. Those govt guys are all probably really nervous about being out in public these days.
Speaking of GA films, I can’t resist a plug for The Lena Baker Story http://www.lenabakerthemovie.com/ exectutive produced by Emory grad Barton Rice.
A Georgia story, shot on GA locations and screening around the metro area right now.
Hope to see more of this with new tax incentives. And for the record, my house is available for location shots for the right price (especially if you’ve got a story about icky green housepaint and knee-high weeds.)
http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2007/12/01/the_year_of_filming_profitably/
Speaking of— Kip Pardue of “Remember the Titans” and “Rules of Attraction” fame was eating at Leon’s full service last night…..
Here’s another movie in Decatur:
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2009/04/15/california_flag_decatur.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13