The state of Georgia’s film industry changes depending on who you ask. The economic juggernaut is booming, according to advocates and executives who see the moment as a chance for “innovation.” Some struggling filmmakers and employees at empty production houses are a little more concerned.
The so-called “Hollywood of the South” has felt the impacts of a changing industry in recent years, especially as Georgia film moneymakers have left the country to shoot in global locales.
Georgia’s film industry can be credited largely to its hefty tax credit created in 2008: Productions in the state can get a 20 percent base credit with an added 10 percent incentive for providing “promotional value” to Georgia.
Over the years, the tax credit lured in major productions like Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and several films from Marvel. The industry responded by opening dozens of studios across the state. Soundstages like Assembly Studios, Tyler Perry Studios, Trilith Studios and Shadowbox Studios popped up in and around Atlanta.
“Avengers: Endgame,” “Baby Driver” and dozens of other high-dollar productions ballooned the industry. In 2022, about $4.4 billion was spent on film production.
But the 2023 Writers Guild of America strikes and looming tariffs slowed things down. Marvel moved a lot of its production to the United Kingdom. After shooting the majority of 2025’s “Superman” in Georgia, DC did the same.
By 2024, film production expenditures had shrunk to $2.6 billion. Many crew members struggled to find jobs. Georgia was left with dozens of empty state-of-the-art soundstages — and industry leaders are desperate to fill them.
But industry advocates like Georgia Entertainment CEO Randy Davidson say it’s “a disruption that in my mind, I see as an opportunity.”
The media leader runs an outlet dedicated to entertainment industry news and analysis focused on broadcast, film, gaming, sports, fashion and more. He has a front row seat to the “creative” solutions studio heads are finding to keep the massive industry moving.
That’s why he helped produce an event called “The Creator’s Toolbox” at Shadowbox Studios. The 850,0000 square foot studio space with nine soundstages and sprawling lots is located in southern DeKalb County.
“This is about Shadowbox being able to reimagine what their soundstages can do,” Davidson said.
Davidson paints an optimistic and unconventional picture: tennis matches, e-gaming championships and galas lined up next to live tour rehearsals or musical productions. To Davidson, film production is only one piece of the industry puzzle.
“Film is a monetization lane,” Davidson said. “We love film, film is great, but there are other monetizations.”
The Aug. 6 Creator’s Toolbox event brought together leaders from every unconventional avenue to spotlight the evolving economy. Film and television industry veterans like Tom Luse mingled with powerhouse sports game designers like Marcus Matthews inside one of the massive soundstages in southern DeKalb County.
“I think the theme of tonight is to build a bigger tent across the entire entertainment industry here in Georgia,” Shadowbox Vice President of Studio Strategy Thomas Laub said.
The event kicked off with a panel on the gaming industry. Globally, the industry is worth over $200 billion. But the economic powerhouse has historically been seen as separate from film productions, except for adaptations like “Minecraft.”
Game developers like Marcus Matthews, known for his work on “NBA 2K” and dozens of other sporting game titles, think the industries have a lot in common.
“Whether you make a game or a movie, you’re connecting with people,” Matthews said.
He pointed to scripting and storytelling across all forms and the collaborative production of each medium. But how do the mediums intersect, and how does it fit into the studio system?
Randy Davidson sees plenty of potential for overlap. He has visions of e-sporting tournaments inside the soundstages, or having creatives “monetize” their concept by creating a video game first, then turning it into a film further down the line.
“Today’s generations of creators aren’t married to TV or film,” Davidson said.
The media leader thinks the key is to “rally locally and recruit globally.” Davidson wants to ensure long-term success with Georgia-grown stories, but he needs to get the word out.
“One part of it is for us to go out and tell the world’s creators, story writers, and directors that Georgia has it,” Davidson said.
Historically, productions have dropped into Georgia for a few months before leaving. The “money” is still in Los Angeles — Georgia doesn’t have a self-sustaining film ecosystem.
But industry leaders are optimistic. Shadowbox Studios Sales Director Jeremiah Cullen said we’re in “a bit of an indie renaissance.”
“We’re getting a lot of independent filmmakers and online content creators,” Cullen said.
Events like the annual Atlanta Film Festival, hosted by nonprofit Atlanta Film Society spotlight the local independent film scene. There are no major studio dollars, but scrappy productions like “Withdrawal” and groups like Reel Friends have made a distinct local mark.
As Georgia Entertainment travels to global events like the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, Davidson hopes to show off the state and prove “it’s the place” with creative talent and official infrastructure.
“If we can control the whole ecosystem of entertainment, I think we can definitely make a difference,” Davidson said.
