Major Production Companies Change Their Tune As They Remain In Georgia Despite ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Bill
By Movieguide® Staff
Over the past three years, many production companies began looking outside the traditional home of movies, Hollywood.
After Georgia’s Gov. Brian Kemp signed the state’s abortion bill in 2019, many vowed never to work in a state that did provide abortion rights to their employees.
While the 2019 bill did not take effect immediately, with the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the federal appeals court gave the go-ahead for July 20, 2022.
The legislation, known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality (Life) Act, mirrors Texas’ “heartbeat” bill.
Now production companies must decide to stick with their boycott or continue to reap the benefits of Georgia’s significant tax incentives.
Read More: Production Companies Boycott Filming in Georgia Because of Pro-Life Bill
Several production companies, such as NBCUniversal, made their position clear in 2019 but are unsure of what they will do amid the bill’s actuation.
“If any of these laws are upheld, it would strongly impact our decision-making on where we produce our content in the future,” NBCUniversal said in a 2019 statement.
Despite their previous statement, NBCUniversal recently partnered with Gray Television to build out its Assembly Studios in Georgia in 2023.
Warnermedia and Netflix said that while they would continue to film in Georgia regardless of the bill, they would fight to earn rights for their employees.
“We operate and produce work in many states and within several countries at any given time and while that doesn’t mean we agree with every position taken by a state or a country and their leaders, we do respect due process,” WarnerMedia said in 2019. “We will watch the situation closely and if the new law holds we will reconsider Georgia as the home to any new productions. As is always the case, we will work closely with our production partners and talent to determine how and where to shoot any given project.”
Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos added: “We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law. It’s why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we’ll continue to film there, while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, we’d rethink our entire investment in Georgia.”
Tyler Perry, one of the most outspoken about his love for Atlanta and his home state, said he would not leave anytime soon.
“Atlanta has been the dream. It has been the promised land,” Perry said in 2019. “So when I got here, this whole state and city has been amazing to me and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Also, I put $250 million in the ground here and in the studio. So when you have a quarter of a billion dollars sat down in the ground, you can’t just up and leave.”
Read More: Tyler Perry Confronts Hollywood and Refuses to Cut Ties with Georgia Over Pro-Life Law
Despite mainstream media’s cries of outrage at the heartbeat bills in popular production states like Georgia and Texas, most production companies are there to stay.
Movieguide® recently reported:
Despite its outrage against the Supreme Court’s overruling of Roe v. Wade, Hollywood has yet to boycott filming and producing in states that restrict or ban abortions because of the significant tax breaks studios receive in those states.
Jonathan Kuntz, a film historian at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, says, “If you’re talking about Supreme Court decisions and laws in state legislatures, there’s thousands of those all the time. Once you boycott one, some folks may see it as a slippery slope. That’s tricky. It’s very difficult for a large company to negotiate that.”
Movieguide® previously explored the possibility of Hollywood boycotts over pro-life laws, finding, that “Georgia’s $1.2 billion tax credit for film and TV production means it’s an attractive destination for production companies despite its restrictions on abortion.”
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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