WE ARE NUMBER ONE""""NUMBER ONE IN FILM PRODUCTION;

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

WE ARE NUMBER ONE""""NUMBER ONE IN FILM PRODUCTION;

Georgia is now the No. 1 filming location in the world, according to FilmL.A., and the industry has a giant impact on the state's economy.

Gov. Nathan Deal announced film and television productions generated $9.5 billion in economic impact in fiscal 2017. This includes $2.7 billion in direct spending.

In the past year, 320 film and television productions shot in the state, including several Marvel movies, Netflix's "Stranger Things" and AMC's "The Walking Dead."

“Georgia’s growth in the film industry — from $67.7 million in direct spending in FY 2007 to $2.7 billion in FY 2017 — is unprecedented, not only in production spend, but also in the amount of investment that has been made in infrastructure,” said Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner for the Georgia Department of Economic Development's Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office, in a statement. “The unwavering commitment to this industry by Gov. Deal and the Georgia legislature has ensured Georgia’s place as a top destination for film and television.” Sound stage complexes like Pinewood Atlanta Studios, EUE/Screen Gems Studios, Atlanta Metro Studios, Tyler Perry Studios and Blackhall Studios make it possible for so many productions to film here at once. Several other complexes were proposed within the last year, including Three Ring Studios in Covington, CineDome Studios in Chattahoochee Hills and Cinema South Studios in Fayetteville, Ga.