Part V: The Market of Film Credits

Credit: Georgia Department of Economic Development

Key Points
  • Hundreds of movies and TV shows filmed in Georgia since 2005 have drummed up more than $24 billion in economic activity.
  • Supporters trace the film industry’s local boom to tax credits worth billions of dollars.
  • Critics say film out-of-state companies benefit too much by selling tax credits to the tune of $2.9 billion since 2016.
On top of transparency concerns, critics have homed in on the ability of film companies to sell credits as too much of a giveaway for Georgia to stomach. Anyone in Georgia can buy film credits – typically for 80 to 90 cents on the dollar – to help offset their own annual income taxes, regardless of whether they had anything to do with a movie or show’s creation, according to several local accounting firms. The market for buying and selling film ...