The Savannah Economic Development Authority announced that the first Savannah Crew Relocation Incentive has been distributed. The incentive, which became available in January 2016, is a reimbursement of up to $2,000 in validated moving expenses for qualified applicants.
 
The first recipient is Roger Pixler, a scenic painter and plasterer, who worked on such productions such as Baywatch, Magnificent Seven, Vice Principles, Disappointments Room, Sleepy Hollow 2, Paper Towns, The Spongebob Movie: A Sponge Out of Water and others.
 
Pixler said, “The incentive definitely helps me and shows me that Savannah is taking the entertainment business seriously.”
 
“We have had many inquiries regarding the Savannah Crew Relocation Incentive since January but the requirements for application and the process to verify relocation are extensive, and necessarily so,” said Brynn Grant, chief operating officer at SEDA.
 
Reviewed quarterly by the Savannah Relocation Committee, applications must provide evidence of at least seven years of film and/or television production experience and records verifying relocation to Chatham County.
 
“We know having a substantial local crew base is one of the key factors necessary for building the entertainment production industry,” said Grant. “So in addition to promoting the local professionals already living and working here, and supporting education and training programs to provide pathways into the industry for other residents, this incentive is helping to grow the film and television workforce available in Chatham County.”