Filmmakers Flock to Georgia, Bring Jobs

SENOIA, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Is Georgia becoming the new Hollywood? Moviemakers are flocking to the state because of tax breaks and they're not only bringing big stars like Ashton Kutcher with them, they're also bringing hundreds of jobs.

Hollywood has taken over the small town of Senoia, Georgia. The Lifetime channel series "Drop Dead Diva" by Sony Pictures is one of the latest projects filming in the state.

"It has a huge economic impact-you can see the people working here and that has a local impact on restaurants but also puts Georgians to work," said Scott Tigchelaar of Riverwood Studios.

Right now in Senoia, 350 people are employed for film projects and about 80 percent of them live in Georgia.

"At Riverwood Studios, a mile from here, [a] Lions Gate film has 200 people working. [It's] a $60 million film with Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl and Tom Selleck," said Tigchelaar. "We got a lot of sets being built, construction workers a year ago were building houses and out of work and this has been a nice transition for them to put them back to work."

"Drop Dead Diva" is being shot on the small town streets of Senoia and in local restaurants like Maguire's Pub.

"They're going to use our name, that's priceless. Oh it's a huge shot in the arm," said Wendy Maguire, of Maguire's Pub.

Jackson Hurst and Kate Levering have leading roles in the "Drop Dead Diva" series, which is set in Los Angeles.

"This is a really cool place to shoot because so many fantastic movies were made here in Senoia," said Levering.

"It's interesting they're using Senoia, Georgia as a scene from L.A.," said Tigchelaar.

The economy is helping bring the film industry to the state of Georgia.

"This biggest reason [the film industry is] coming to Georgia is [the] tax incentive passed last year. It has huge economic impact for the films and its what has put Georgia on the map," said Tigchelaar.