Commentary by Randy Davidson, Founder & CEO of Georgia Entertainment
As the state’s legislative session begins, it’s clear that Georgia’s creative industries — film, music, gaming and the broader creator economy — are once again part of the quiet but consequential conversations taking place around the Gold Dome.
I’m not a lobbyist. But through Georgia Entertainment and our work convening industry leaders, policymakers and partners, we stay closely involved in making sure these industries remain on the agenda and at the table alongside the many other issues legislators are balancing.
From those conversations, two general camps have emerged among those who are broadly supportive of policies that sustain and grow Georgia’s creative economy.
Camp One: Stay Quiet and Let the Cycle Play Out
The first camp believes this is a moment for caution.
Governor Kemp is entering the final stretch of his administration with a strong record across economic development, workforce growth and business recruitment. Many under the Gold Dome are running for office, which naturally compresses the political appetite for nuanced incentive discussions.
At the same time, a major theme already forming in the gubernatorial and lieutenant governor races is the push toward eliminating the state income tax. On the surface, that conversation can raise questions about the long-term future of incentives, including the film tax credit, even if those questions are often more theoretical than practical.
From this camp’s perspective, the safest course is to avoid unnecessary attention. Don’t force a debate. Let existing policy stand. Allow the political cycle to move forward without injecting uncertainty into an industry that depends heavily on stability and predictability.
Camp Two: This Is the Moment to Lock It In
The second camp views this period as an opportunity.
They see this session as a chance for Governor Kemp to leave a clear, lasting mark on Georgia’s creative-industry leadership, much like Sonny Perdue helped launch the incentive framework and Nathan Deal reinforced it through workforce investments like the Georgia Film Academy.
This camp argues that global competition is intensifying. Foreign incentives remain aggressive, often paired with labor structures U.S. producers don’t face domestically. At the federal level, there is renewed discussion, aligned with President Trump’s stated priorities, around national approaches that could strengthen domestic production and counter overseas advantages.
From this vantage point, clarity is a competitive asset. Locking in policy confidence, reaffirming Georgia’s commitment and signaling long-term stability keeps the state firmly on the sunrise side of the production narrative.
A Real-World Conversation
This dual thinking process came into focus following the Signature 100, where many legislators attended the event. Among those present was Senator Blake Tillery, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
Conversations touched directly on the no income tax discussion and whether the industry should be proactive in strengthening or reaffirming incentive policy.
One important takeaway is worth emphasizing: support for eliminating the state income tax does not equate to opposition to the film incentive or creative-industry policy. Those ideas are often framed as incompatible in public discourse, but in practice they are not. Georgia has corporate taxes, grant programs and alternative policy mechanisms that already support targeted economic development.
Groups like the Georgia Chamber and others are actively working through messaging and talking points to ensure industry champions and policymakers remain aligned as these issues surface. It will be especially important to reference data illustrating the return to the state by film production incentives during this time.
Careful Knitting
Georgia is making progress internally, particularly around labor collaboration and alignment across the industry. There’s a balance and strategy to not spook studios, financiers or productions evaluating where to place their next project with loose headlines or speculative narratives.
This legislative session requires a careful needle to be threaded.
Everyone involved ultimately wants the same outcome: sustained production, good jobs and Georgia’s continued leadership in the global creative economy. The differences are about approach, timing and political reality.
If we avoid strife inside the “family” and remain self-aware, Georgia can move through this session with its momentum intact. Quiet coordination, thoughtful engagement and mutual respect is the hope.
