The Savannah Regional Film Commission announced today that Savannah has been named the number one 2020 Best Small Places and Towns to Live and Work as a Moivemaker by MovieMaker magazine. MovieMaker determined the winners using surveys, editorial research on tax incentives and recent productions, and personal visits to most of the locations on the list.
“It is such an honor for Savannah to be named by MovieMaker magazine as the number one Best Place to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in the small cities and towns category,” said Savannah Regional Film Commission Executive Director Beth Nelson. “Each year the Savannah region continues to invest in the industry to make it not only the ideal location to work, but also to live, and it is wonderful to be recognized.”
Savannah Economic Development Authority President and CEO Trip Tollison echoed Nelson’s comments, “Our partners including the City of Savannah, Chatham County, local colleges and universities, our public-school system, local businesses and services and many others have embraced the entertainment production industry and recognize the impact this industry can have on our economy. Being named the number one best small cities and towns to live and work as a moviemaker is validation that we are moving in the right direction.”
“We’re thrilled about the new and returning cities and towns on our list of creatively thriving places for moviemakers to do great work. This year, we decided to move Los Angeles and New York City to the Hall of Fame of Best Places to Live and Work as a MovieMaker, which opened up the list to richly deserving new communities that are creating their own great film legacies,” said MovieMaker editor-in-chief Tim Molloy.
This was the sixth year in a row that Savannah has been named in the top three, landing the number one spot in 2020, 2019, 2017 and 2016.
In early January, the Savannah Regional Film Commission announced that in 2019, the entertainment production industry generated $125.6 million in direct spend leading to a $266.3 million economic impact for the region.