Savannah's New Money Maker: Movies

All of a sudden, it seems the Hollywood Stars are out again over Savannah.
You had to be a hermit not to know about Disney's "The Last Song" and Miley mania this past summer.
Now, as one star makes her exit, the next steps on stage.
Robert Redford starts shooting "The Conspirator" with James McAvoy and Robin Wright Penn this fall.
So why the sudden interest in the Coastal Empire?
News Three's Alice Massimi talked with Savannah's Movie Man for the answers.

In the 90s, Savannah was the place to shoot movies... “Forrest Gump”, “The General's Daughter”, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”. It was a time of big movies and big stars.
Then the stars faded...
“Starting around 2000/ 2001 Louisiana, New Mexico and other states started putting tax incentives into place which put us at real economic disadvantage,’ explains Jay Self the Director of Film and Tourism.
He says it took a lot of hard work from a lot of people to bring the stars back out to savannah.
“We worked really hard to get some tax incentives they finally came through and became very competitive last year and so we are seeing a lot more interest on the feature film and television side.”
Now Self says a lot of projects are in the works... the biggest... Robert Redford's return... ten years after he shot “The Legend of Bagger Vance” here... He'll be back with “The Conspirator” and if any of us forget the movies are a business, self estimates a ten million dollar impact on the economy.
“These are crews of 200 to 250 people, some local some from out of town, so it helps our local economy in many ways. Through employment but also through putting heads on beds, eating at restaurants, people buying gifts this is a huge economic impact.”
Self adds it's not just movies lining up to buy a ticket to Savannah...
“We are also paying attention to other markets that we have always been successful in, Still Photography, Fashion Photography and things.”
Savannah says bring it on.

Casting for Robert Redford's movie kicks off this weekend.
Those interested should show up at Oglethorpe Mall between ten and two this weekend. Bring a non returnable current snapshot.
They're specifically looking for adult males with slight builds and facial hair and adult women.
Filming for the movie is expected to start sometime in October.