With consistent efforts to address infrastructure and labor issues, the film, television and commercial production industry represents one of Savannah’s greatest opportunities to further diversify and expand its economy, according to a study conducted three years ago for the Savannah Economic Development Authority.
When the Stanford Research Institute identified the film industry as a target with high potential for Savannah, SEDA asked native son and veteran Hollywood producer Stratton Leopold to chair a committee of production industry professionals to help identify the opportunities and barriers and to make recommendations moving forward.
After talking with the city of Savannah, Visit Savannah staff and the city’s film office, Leopold and his committee determined there was a need to increase the marketing of Savannah as a production location.
To that end, SEDA — in partnership with the city of Savannah Film Office — will spearhead efforts to aggressively promote the Savannah region as a place for film production, according to SEDA president and CEO Trip Tollison.
“Our responsibility will be making the sale and working on product development — determining what we need in terms of infrastructure to enhance our attractiveness to the industry,” Tollison said.
“Once the sale is made, the film office takes over to work with the production company.”
Finding the money
To help make that sale, SEDA will tap its marketing budget to contract with an industry expert with established contacts to help market and sell Savannah and Chatham County.
“This person will work closely with the film office, focusing on a marketing strategy that will include collateral materials, advertising, a website and events,” he said.
Other areas of responsibility will include cultivating and maintaining essential relationships with production companies and developing local incentives.
“We have the state incentives, but we want to know what else we can do locally to further entice production companies,” Tollison said.
“This person will spend time in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Savannah, which is essential for doing the job right.”
SEDA has interviewed a number of candidates and expects to name its new marketing expert in the next several weeks, with a starting date sometime around the first of the year.
Tollison hopes bringing on a marketing expert will help free up new film office director William Hammargren to concentrate on productions the city already has won.
“That’s important, because service is every bit as critical as the sale,” he said.
The more, the merrier
Visit Savannah President Joe Marinelli agreed.
“The film-making industry is a huge economic driver wherever they go,” he said. “Fortunately, Georgia understands the importance and overall impact that the movie and TV industry can have on our state’s economy and on us here locally.
“We all know that Savannah is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. A producer once told me that it would take millions of dollars to re-create a set in Hollywood that looks like our Factors Walk,” he said.
“That’s why it’s important that our city recognizes the value and has staff in place to take care of those customers. Because at the end of the day, a movie like Forrest Gump or Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil will bring visitors to our community for years — and maybe decades — to come.”
The success of the new partnership between SEDA and the city film office will be measured on a number of criteria, including economic impact, the number of productions and the satisfaction of both the production companies and local residents, Tollison said.