Georgia Film Industry Struggles as ‘Hollywood of the South’ Loses Major Productions

Georgia's once-booming film industry has seen production spending drop from $4.4 billion in 2022 to $2.3 billion last year. Workers who once earned thousands weekly are now struggling to find work as major studios like Marvel move operations overseas.

ATLANTA (AP) — Digital imaging technician Chris Ratledge once earned up to $9,500 weekly working on movie sets in Atlanta. Today, the 48-year-old relies on food stamps to survive.

Ratledge relocated from Indiana to Georgia in 2017 when film studios, attracted by substantial tax incentives, transformed Atlanta into what became known as the “Hollywood of the South.” The city served as the filming location for major productions including “The Hunger Games,” “Stranger Things,” and numerous Marvel superhero films.

The work demanded long hours — typically 70-hour weeks — but Ratledge said the $72 hourly wage was life-changing. “I paid off three years of back taxes in one year, just from the money I made,” says Ratledge, who contributed to Netflix’s “Red Notice” and television series like TBS’ “Miracle Workers” and Starz’s “P-Valley.”

That prosperity has vanished: Since May 2024, Ratledge has managed only four days of film work.

He now works part-time at a tennis facility’s front desk and repairs tennis rackets for additional income, struggling to support his family of four on $15 hourly without health benefits. His wife, a cancer survivor, has begun house cleaning work several days weekly, and the family has moved to a smaller rental home. Their combined $2,000 monthly earnings barely cover rent, creating debt and leaving Ratledge severely discouraged.

“All I want for Christmas is for my film career back,” Ratledge posted on Instagram in December.

Following a record $4.4 billion in production spending during 2022, Georgia’s film and television industry has experienced a sharp decline, falling to only $2.3 billion in the most recent fiscal year. Total productions decreased from 412 in 2022 to 245 last year. The downturn worsened following the 2023 writers and actors strikes that suspended productions for months, further damaging an industry still recovering from COVID-19 shutdowns.

“We saw a lot of productions start looking overseas, knowing that they wouldn’t have another work stoppage,” said Lee Thomas, the deputy commissioner of the Georgia Film Office. “We knew that it would be like a reset to the industry … but it certainly was a bigger, harder fall than we anticipated — and longer.”

Marvel Studios has departed Georgia’s market — with 2025’s “Thunderbolts” being its final local production — relocating its large-scale projects to the United Kingdom where labor and production expenses are lower. Streaming services like Netflix are also increasingly filming internationally while reducing overall show production. Meanwhile, competing states including California and Texas have enhanced their incentive packages to challenge Georgia’s tax credits, which can cover up to 30% of production expenses.

Atlanta costume supervisor Monique Younger noted that local industry Facebook groups are flooded with work shortage complaints, with some members frustrated that experienced veterans are securing the limited available positions. Younger reports her workload has dropped to less than half its previous level, making her “feel a little bit useless.”

Location scout Jen Farris, an Atlanta native with extensive industry experience, previously turned down offers due to excessive work demands. Currently, she faces two- to three-month periods between projects, requiring her to “watch her pennies.”

“You just pray that you have nested away enough to float a little bit,” she said.

Despite challenging conditions, Shadowbox Studios, among metro Atlanta’s largest soundstage facilities, remains optimistic about the region’s prospects and encourages local filmmakers and industry professionals to explore new opportunities.

Shadowbox has marketed its extensive facilities to various clients, from independent filmmakers to content creators and esports organizations. The company also prioritizes maintaining the city’s skilled workforce.

Atlanta has historically functioned as the nation’s “antidote” to Hollywood productions moving abroad, according to Shadowbox COO Mike Mosallam, who highlights the city’s skilled crews, relatively affordable production costs, abundant soundstage facilities, and varied filming locations. Preserving this talent pool is essential to preventing additional productions from relocating, he explained.

In November, Shadowbox welcomed approximately 25 Black college students for Backlot Academy, a program established in 2022 to increase diversity in professions where personal networks often determine hiring decisions.

Experienced crew members instructed participants on reading call sheets, using walkie-talkie communication, and enduring 12-hour workdays. Participants received free enrollment in a multi-week digital production course and mentorship support for securing their first industry position.

Trainee Julian Williams, who grew up watching Atlanta transform into a Hollywood destination, witnessed one of the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” films being shot on his street. The 24-year-old digital media student at Georgia Piedmont Technical College aims to enter the industry as a production assistant, hoping to eventually become an assistant director.

While prepared to pursue his filmmaking aspirations wherever they may lead, Williams currently believes in Atlanta and its supportive film community.

“People are genuinely helpful and willing to share what they know,” Williams said.

Among those mentoring Williams and fellow trainees was Joseph Jones, a Backlot graduate who attributes his successful production assistant career to Shadowbox’s program. “It changed my life,” said Jones, 53, who previously worked in hospitality but always aspired to work in film production.

However, Shadowbox executives acknowledge current realities: The industry is experiencing significant decline, particularly in Atlanta. During the training day, only one of Shadowbox’s nine soundstages was occupied by an active production, noted sales director Jeremiah Cullen.

Cullen explained that Shadowbox has adapted by negotiating flexible pricing to accommodate filmmakers’ budgets while regularly contacting former clients to identify potential opportunities.

“Hey, we miss you on the lot,” he tells them. “You got anything cooking?”

Ratledge also developed his love for cinema early, particularly after seeing his small Indiana town of Milan featured in 1986’s “Hoosiers” when he was nine years old. Despite continuing to contact his professional network, he’s prepared to transition to other work.

Ratledge isn’t seeking extraordinary opportunities — simply one consistent television project that would provide financial stability and planning time. A five- or six-month series, he explained, would restore his health insurance, enable bankruptcy filing, and allow him to “hit the reset button.”

“I don’t think I’m any different than the people who worked in Detroit when the auto industry collapsed in the ’70s and everything went overseas,” he said.

This concern has attracted attention from President Donald Trump, who proposed tariffs last year to retain film production domestically — a plan experts have criticized as unclear and impractical.

Georgia Film Office’s Thomas reported that business has improved considerably compared to the previous fiscal year. She partially attributes the recovery to new state legislation extending Georgia’s tax incentives to additional production types, including short-form vertical videos and free ad-supported streaming platforms like Tubi.

Some Atlanta industry veterans remain hopeful about future prospects, including location scout Farris. She believes too many skilled, creative professionals have established themselves in Atlanta for the industry to simply disappear.

“People moved their families here. They’re raising children here. This wasn’t just about film,” she said. “It changed our landscape — it brought in brilliant new minds. Artists. Creators. And I really believe Georgia will find a way to foster an entirely new wave of artistic possibility.”