After taking questions from some of the club members, Rome International Film Festival Executive Director Ryan Simmons posed a question of his own to the Rome Rotary Club.

“When are we going to build our film studio?”

While Simmons didn’t expect an answer immediately, he did provide evidence that Georgia has become a power player in attracting film and television productions, thanks largely to a hefty tax credit.

In its 11th year, the Rome International Film Festival will be Sept. 4-7 with all entries shown at the DeSoto Theatre downtown on Broad Street.

“As long as productions use local talent for crew and services, and spend a certain percentage of the budget in the state, they get a 30-percent tax credit,” Simmons said.

The film industry generated an economic impact of $5.1 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2014, according to the state’s Department of Economic Development.

“We’re the third-biggest filming state in the country,” Simmons said. “It’s great as far as the economy, but it’s also why supporting the arts matters.”

(http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/lifestyles/local/rome-international-film-festival-director-talks-up-state-s-booming/article_7e9f7b1a-29b0-11e4-91a2-0017a43b2370.html)