INDUSTRY THE VIEW FROM...
THE VIEW FROM…
We skip across the pond to the US, where Hollywood is taking new shape and the production landscape is seeing a major reshuffle THE UNITED STATES
WORDS KATIE KASPERSON
W hile Hollywood is closely not the birthplace of the motion picture industry – not even in the United States. N ew Jersey claims major cinematic milestones, such as the country’s first film studio (in West Orange) and drive- in theatre (in Pennsauken). In the early 1900s, it was considered the motion picture capital of America. In the following years, the industry quickly began to move west, preferring Southern California for its mild climate and consequent cost-effectiveness. associated with filmmaking, this once-glamorous Los Angeles neighbourhood is
Studios started to crop up in and around Hollywood and, by the thirties, they had essentially all moved there. A century later, and Hollywood’s golden age is long gone. Climate change is largely to blame; California faces long droughts and frequent wildfires. Coupled with an uncertain economy, filmmakers are seeking opportunities elsewhere. This mass exodus means other states are picking up SoCal’s slack, and some may even be poised to take over the industry. ANYONE’S GAME Dubbed the ‘Hollywood of the South’, Atlanta, Georgia has been attracting the
film and television industry for nearly 20 years now. The government passed the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act in 2008, and then updated that legislation to reflect the industry’s shifting business strategies in 2025. The Peach State now offers a 20% transferable tax credit to eligible productions, plus an extra 10% uplift for ‘providing promotional value’ to the area, according to Georgia’s official state website. The Walking Dead , Stranger Things and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire are just a few of the productions that have put Atlanta on the map. Now one
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