Film and media projects in Chicago brought in an estimated $474 million of economic spending last year, according to the State of Illinois.

A spotlight is being cast on a crop of homegrown filmmakers during this year’s Macon Film Festival. For the first time, a “Macon Made Shorts” film block will be showcased Saturday, August 17th  from 10:30am-Noon at the Hargray Capitol Theatre.

Workers in Savannah’s film industry are worried about the nearly $10 billion economic impact it has on our state when film crews stay in our hotels, eat at our restaurants, and spend their money in Savannah.

It’s hard to keep track of the TV shows and movies filming in Georgia, so The Credits podcast host Kalena Boller occasionally stops by On Second Thought with an update.  She’s moderating a podcasting panel at the Macon Film Festival Aug. 17. It’s called “Making Room at the Table: Women in Georgia’s Film Industry.” 

Georgia’s tax incentives and spending credits made it such a darling of Hollywood that the state surpassed California as the favorite setting for TV and film production in the U.S.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival was started by the watershed advocacy group, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), in 2003. It has evolved into the largest environmental film festival of its kind.

The Peach State is now better known as the Southern Hollywood – or “Y’allywood.” A bold tax policy has helped spur the creation of about 92,000 jobs statewide and brought in billions in spending.

Her father Jared financially supports her; however, he has found new love and is engaged to be married for the first time. Her grandmother Grace is the glue that keeps the family together.

“What they don’t have in Orlando or Cocoa Beach are free standing buildings that fit the authentic look of the time period,” Martinolich said. “The story takes place between 1958 and 1969 so free standing buildings from then would have been built in the 1920s and 1930s.”