Senoia – The Perfect Setting for Life... …and 25 Film and television productions

1. Senoia – The Perfect Setting for Life...…and 25 Film and television productions The impact of partnership on one small Georgia town, and its new found identity as a live / work back lot and tourist destination.

2. In 2007, Senoia was a sleepy little town, long past its prime as a turn of the century regional center of commerce… home almost 100 years later to just six commercial businesses.

3. Today, it’s a vibrant, bustling town with restaurants, bars, retail shops and professionals… …it’s also a back lot for the film industry, and a popular tourist destination. …So what happened?

4. Background - Raleigh Studios • Built in 1988. • Georgia was 3rd in the nation for production. • Home to films like “Fried Green Tomatoes” and “The War”.

5. With the studio in such close proximity, Senoia became a natural choice for productions in need of practical locations…

6. Some films from Georgia’s early years in the industry became cinematic classics, and sparked tourism opportunities. Released in 1997, by 2003 “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” was estimated to have brought the City of Savannah an additional $250 million in tourism related revenue. – Source – CNN/Money

7. Everything was going great until… …Canada introduced tax incentives to the film industry, coupled with a cheap Canadian $... and the phrase ‘runaway production’ was born. Production left Georgia and the rest of the US and headed for the Great White North. Other countries soon followed Canada’s lead with their own production incentive programs.

8. However, in 2008… …Georgia passed an industry leading production incentive. Since 2008, Georgia has seen exponential annual growth in production activity, related jobs, and the economic benefits of production spending. From June 2010 to June 2011, GDED reported there were 327 film projects in Georgia, with an estimated economic impact of more than $2.4 billion. From 2011 to 2012, it rose to over $3 billion. In 2013, if considered collectively as a single employer, the production industry would represent the 4th - 5th largest company in Georgia.

9. Economic Benefit – Present and Future • When a film production comes to an area, there is an immediate economic benefit from its production related spending. • Television Series – Average $40 million per season in production spending. • Feature Films – Production budgets can range from $2 million to $200 million. • Benefits are spread throughout a community, from hotels to restaurants, builder supply to gas stations. • However, even after a production has completed it’s initial spending, there’s potential for lasting benefit. That benefit is based upon how you identify and what you make of the opportunity they leave behind.

10. From Production to Tourism • The following considerations can help enhance tourism opportunities based on the film business: • Identify the unique strengths of a town or region. • Promote those strengths to the film industry by achieving a “Camera Ready” designation from the Film Office and uploading key potential filming locations to their database. These can consist of: • Old homes • Unique structures (i.e. an old mill, covered bridge, a castle, empty factory, etc.) • Unique landscapes (i.e. mountains, rivers, rapids, waterfalls, or areas that resemble other parts of the world such as jungle, badlands, etc.) • Unique streetscapes (NY alleys, cobblestone streets, gas light districts, etc.) • Whenever a production is in the area, consider how their presence can be leveraged from a tourism perspective.

11. From Production to Tourism Case Study – Senoia How Raleigh Studios partnered with Senoia to redefine it as a tourist destination.

12. Case Study – Senoia • 1: Defining Senoia’s Identity • Quaint, ‘Mayberry-esque’, historic, undeveloped town with beautiful antebellum homes and its own unique history. • Adjacent to a movie studio. • A backdrop for numerous film and television projects. • In 2006, the principals of Raleigh Studios partnered with Senoia stakeholders, purchased the majority of undeveloped land in Senoia’s Historic District, and master planned an infill development project designed to blend seamlessly with the town’s early 1900’s architectural style. Everything to be added would have a dual objective: • Enhance Senoia’s existing identity. • Make the town even more conducive to future film work.

13. Case Study – Senoia • 2: Promoting Senoia to the Film Industry • Senoia’s new renaissance has been marketed to the production industry as a live/work back lot for the studio. • The City of Senoia, together with Raleigh, developed simple, standard protocols for accommodating filming in town including street closures, production vehicle parking, use of public property, etc. • Infill development was designed to make production as smooth and easy as possible. • Infrastructure has been added including power drops for filming without generators. • There is a $100 application fee, but otherwise no City imposed fees to film in Senoia.

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19. Case Study - Senoia Leveraging Production for Tourism • Walk of Fame - Senoia has put bronze plaques in the sidewalks for film and television projects that have shot there. • Film Memorabilia – Local businesses have memorabilia on display, creating a unique tourism opportunity throughout town.

20. Case Study - Senoia • Film Tour – Senoia has partnered with the PTC CVB to develop a tour of famous film locations throughout the town. • New Locations – Raleigh and the City of Senoia work with productions to preserve locations built specifically for a film project.

21. Conclusion: Partnership = Prosperity The film industry partnered with the State of GA to pass one of the best tax incentives in the country. Raleigh Studios partnered with the City of Senoia to master plan an infill development project that makes Senoia a great back-lot for filming, a unique destination for tourism, and a vibrant, fun place to live. Senoia’s DDA has developed tourism events, a walk of fame, a memorabilia tour, and has partnered with local business and the PTC CVB to establish a trolley tour of film locations.

22. Since 2007, during the most difficult economy the country has ever experienced, Senoia has witnessed over 600% growth in commercial business… from 6 commercial businesses on Main St. in 2007, to 49 today.