Can music industry folks expect tax credits like the ones people in the film and television industries enjoy?
Doesn't sound like they should bank on it anytime soon. "That's something we will see some people exploring," Gov. Nathan Deal said during remarks at Tuesday's Atlanta Press Club luncheon at the Commerce Club downtown. The governor's remarks hit the highlights of this year's legislative session, helped to a timely end, it turns out, by a television project called "Revolution," which filmed in the Capitol building.
“They literally moved in within hours of adjournment," Deal said. "Maybe we need to schedule those every year.” Legislators this session did revisit the tax credits that, since originally passing in 2008, have lured a steady stream of projects here. Projects that film here will still get the tax breaks, but they have to promote Georgia more aggressively. “We actually did make some changes, improved them,” Deal said. “We are going to get a more prominent display of the Georgia peach in the credits.”
While Deal did needle his audience at time, saying that “headlines that sensationalize our problems” work against the state’s economic interests, he did have some kind words for the scribes in the room. “I want to thank the press for several things,” he said. “I want to thank most of you for using a fairly decent picture of me.”
Lights! Camera! Action! Sofas! Chairs!
When celebs visit Atlanta, they often flock like pretty moths to a sexy flame and show up at STK, the swank new steakhouse in Midtown. Reality show stars NeNe Leakes and Kim Kardashian were spotted there together in late February. John Mellencamp and Meg Ryan, here for the Alliance Theatre's premiere of "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County," the collaboration between Mellencamp and Stephen King, dined there just the other night. Then there was the memorable evening last month when hip-hop artist Big Boi, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and NBA player Kris Humphries, Kardashian's ex, all happened to come in on the same night. So when camera crews converged on the restaurant Wednesday, a number of folks demanded to know what movie, television show or music video was filming there. Answer: a Haverty's commercial.
Overscene
Clint Eastwood and Justin Timberlake, who have been in metro Atlanta and beyond to shoot the baseball movie "Trouble with the Curve," have been attending to their golf game while down South. On Sunday they enjoyed a round at the Lake Burton Club in north Georgia, where the movie has been filming lately, joined by the club's assistant general manager Jason LeBlanc and head golf pro Ray Davis..."A.C.O.D.," or "Adult Children of Divorce," has finished filming after shooting scenes in numerous locations including the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Brown & Company Jewelers in Buckhead and the restaurant No. 246 in Decatur. The movie, starring Jane Lynch, Jessica Alba, Amy Poehler and Adam Scott, held its wrap party at Ormsby's in the westside area on Friday night...We're not sure why she was in town, but Oprah Winfrey was spotted strolling through the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday.
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