News & Such

"...Since 2008, Georgia has offered a tax incentive for production companies that spend at least $500,000 in the state...lacking a similarly generous tax break, Tennessee couldn’t close the gap. Brewer didn’t hide his frustration when the efforts of him and others fell short of the $1.6 million needed to make up the difference.

“I think this is an unfortunate loss for Tennessee,” Brewer told the Commercial Appeal at the time. “I really wrote ‘Footloose’ and designed ‘Footloose’ to be a big commercial not only for the music of Tennessee but the spirit of Tennessee. Tennessee comes off looking really good in ‘Footloose.’”

Instead, Tennesseeans — and everyone else who sees the new “Footloose” — will be looking squarely at Georgia.

“Tennessee probably felt the way we did in 2004 when ‘Ray’ was filmed in Louisiana and the final scene [set at] the Georgia Capitol was not the Georgia Capitol,” said Greg Torre, deputy commissioner of marketing and communications for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, which includes the film office. Indeed, it was that experience of losing Albany native Ray Charles’ celluloid story to another state that kick-started the legislative process needed to create the tax incentives here.

Ever since, more business has kept on attracting more business here: From soundstages and stunt people to camera operators and post-production facilities, all are setting up shop here permanently. That, in turn, attracts still more TV and movie projects enticed by the state’s one-stop-shopping opportunities.

“We sympathize with them,” Thomas said of Tennessee. “But the longer we keep it going, the harder it is for anyone else to catch up to us.”

Just ask Brewer. During the recent interview here, he more than once praised the “pretty incredible” crews and other filming infrastructure he’d found in Georgia. Appointed last month by Gov. Bill Haslam to the board of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment & Music Commission, Brewer said that they might need to “maybe, maybe start considering that we can’t compete with Georgia” on the film front and instead try to become the dominant “go-to place” for other entertainment production.

“I think we have a good shot in terms of music,” Brewer said.

Meanwhile, give the “Footloose” director credit. He might have gone into this wanting to be in Tennessee, but once here, he certainly didn’t hold a grudge. He didn’t painstakingly transform Atlanta into Memphis, like the makers of “The Blind Side” did, or remove any identifying traces of Georgia wherever possible.

Just the opposite, in fact: The Starlight Drive-in, Cowboys in Kennesaw and Senoia Raceway all are settings for key scenes; cars come equipped with authentic Georgia license plates, right down to the peach in the middle and the county name at the bottom. And perhaps most memorably, one high school boy makes clear where he just won’t go, fashionwise:

“I don’t wear orange,” Willard (Miles Teller), witheringly informs the lead character, who’s just moved to town from Boston. “I am not a Tennessee fan, I’m a Georgia Bulldog fan!”

http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-movies/georgia-wins-battle-for-1197391.html