Local

Atlanta To Get New Film Office

July 3rd, 2013

Thomas Bunton via flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasebunton/8201307629/

The city of Atlanta is setting up a new film office to deal with the city’s booming film industry. A broadcast version of this story

On Monday, the City Council voted 11 to 2 to create the new office. Councilman Michael Julian Bond, who voted in favor of the department, said it was long overdue.

“Atlanta, unlike our counterparts in LA and New York, that we often compare ourselves to, doesn’t have a film office,” Bond said.

The state estimates the economic impact of filming around the state amounted to $3.1 billion in 2012 — and the lion share of filming happens in Atlanta.

“Atlanta has benefited from films really by happenstance, ” Bond said.

The state has its own film office, the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office.

The Atlanta office would help streamline the permitting process for production companies.

The department will also be in charge of informing residents and businesses whenever filming will take place in their neighborhoods.

“If someone had a concern, they would just really have a plethora of places to go with really no one person being responsible for responding about the individual concerns,” Bond said.

The office is expected to be fully staffed and up and running in about 30 days, he said.