“I, Tonya” is also up for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. It faces steep competition from “The Disaster Artist,” “Get Out,” “The Greatest Showman” and “Lady Bird.”

Bennett said the county is learning how to streamline the ability for filming in the county, and is eyeing ordinance revisions to streamline filming necessities, such as construction and certain permitting areas to be more fluid when the industry does come to the county.

The primary cause of the anticipated increase is the elimination of deductions for things like agent commissions, acting classes, and not incidentally, union dues.

Mathews is hoping to take the lessons Billups will share at the meeting to bolster support for the South Georgia Film Festival hosted by Valdosta State University’s mass media department in March.

“We want to get more of that post here in Georgia,” said Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner of the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office. “We want to be able to compete with the Vancouvers and the Los Angeleses of the world.”

“This tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for the entertainment industry,” OSHA’s Atlanta regional administrator, Kurt Petermeyer said. “The entire industry needs to commit to safety practices for actors and stunt people involved in this type of work.”

The Georgia Film Academy in Fayette has a two-year program and graduates can get jobs making $80,000, Bonner said.