A report released last week by the nonprofit Film L.A., which is the city of Los Angeles' film office, showed that from a dollars-and-cents standpoint, Georgia finished fifth worldwide in the budget value of films shot at various locations in 2013. 

Canada was tops, with $1.3 billion worth of films being shot north of the border. After tax credits were figured in, that resulted in industry expenditures of $887 million.

Next came the United Kingdom, California, Louisiana, and then Georgia with $415 million in budget value; $261 million in post-tax credits spending.

The study did not take into account TV production, and there’s been lots of that in recent years in the state. Regardless, the film and television industry has become big business in Georgia.