
Exploring the Smart Money Incentive Behind Georgia's Film Boom: Chrissie Merrill's Insights On Film Tax Credits
At the helm of this transformation is State Tax Incentives and founder, Chrissie Merrill, who has leveraged her vast experience in film tax incentives to build a company that now represents global names. Over the last decade, Merrill has worked on both the buy and sell sides of the market, bridging the gap between production companies with credits to sell and corporate buyers seeking to lower their state tax bill. Chrissie Merrill, founder of State Tax Incentives
What contributes to the buyers' appeal of the film Tax Credit is its absolute credibility. Merrill reveals these credits aren't abstract or high risk; they're issued and backed by state government, with oversight from departments of revenue.
That level of regulation brings a layer of security uncommon in other tax strategies. She reaffirms how such veritable backing speaks volumes to its overall utility and benefits. "At the end of the day, it's a state-sponsored cost-saving strategy," she says. "It's safe, it's regulated, and it has a real impact on the economy."
Georgia's film tax credit initiative, passed in 2008 , quickly became a model for other states. California , New Jersey , Kentucky , and more have since followed suit to stay competitive.
Providing a 20% base transferable tax credit with an additional 10% uplift for the state's promotional value, the formula of the credit structure is straightforward: Attract productions, stimulate local spending, and generate long-term economic benefits— all while being the ideal vehicle to save Georgia taxpayers money.
Apart from the safety and security attached to the incentive, Merrill points out that film tax credits are a stimulus for staggering economic activity. With competitive salaries for crew members and major film productions, the tax incentive indirectly pumps money into Georgia's local economy, in the restaurants, hotels, catering, transportation, and rental companies, to name a few.
When Merrill entered the field in 2010, awareness was limited. Many CPAs and financial advisors weren't aware of film tax credits. Now, she's witnessed that many savvy firms consider film tax credit not just as an asset, but a requisite. But in smaller cities and across other states, she still sees an untapped opportunity.
The credit's influence on production decisions, Merrill believes, is undeniable. "Hollywood isn't coming to Georgia for its weather, it's coming for the tax savings," she reveals. "If the credit went away, they'd go somewhere else. It's always about the bottom line."
And it's this very bottom line that corporate buyers are paying attention to. Reducing a state tax bill delivers immediate financial value, and in the process, buyers help sustain a thriving economy that fuels thousands of jobs.
Georgia's dominance in the film tax credit landscape now sparks a fierce competition. As other states race to enhance their own incentives, Georgia has tightened compliance measures to protect the incentives from being taken advantage of. And at the center of this operation has been State Tax Incentives. The company has been part of industry coalitions pushing for changes to speed up the audit process, which Merrill divulges is pivotal to keeping productions from moving to other states or countries.
In practice, Merrill's role is part matchmaker, part safeguard. She connects buyers and sellers, holds escrow, ensures contracts are met, and facilitates transfers. "I'm like a realtor for tax credits," she says. "I bring the right parties together and make sure the deal is protective from start to finish."
Merrill's journey also speaks to the value of persistence in a competitive field. As the sole leader of a female-led business in an otherwise male-dominated finance sector, she has built her company without the elaborate degrees, just hard work, trust, and a record of delivering. "You don't need the three letters to succeed," she says. "Just dedication to do what you say you're going to do."
In a marketplace where every percentage point matters, film tax credits have proven they can deliver savings, stimulate economies, and keep states like Georgia at the forefront of the production map. For any business that understands how to use them, they're more than a tax strategy; they're smart money. And for State Tax Incentives, they're the future.

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Int'l Business Times
08-08-2025
- Int'l Business Times
Exploring the Smart Money Incentive Behind Georgia's Film Boom: Chrissie Merrill's Insights On Film Tax Credits
Film tax credit, once an obscure policy in the tax landscape, has now found itself to be a touted and savvy cost-saving tax strategy. And in Georgia, this lucrative policy has been an effective catalyst in luring blockbuster productions, reshaping the state's economy, and creating high-paying jobs, essentially turning the region into a global contender for film and television work. At the helm of this transformation is State Tax Incentives and founder, Chrissie Merrill, who has leveraged her vast experience in film tax incentives to build a company that now represents global names. Over the last decade, Merrill has worked on both the buy and sell sides of the market, bridging the gap between production companies with credits to sell and corporate buyers seeking to lower their state tax bill. Chrissie Merrill, founder of State Tax Incentives What contributes to the buyers' appeal of the film Tax Credit is its absolute credibility. Merrill reveals these credits aren't abstract or high risk; they're issued and backed by state government, with oversight from departments of revenue. That level of regulation brings a layer of security uncommon in other tax strategies. She reaffirms how such veritable backing speaks volumes to its overall utility and benefits. "At the end of the day, it's a state-sponsored cost-saving strategy," she says. "It's safe, it's regulated, and it has a real impact on the economy." Georgia's film tax credit initiative, passed in 2008 , quickly became a model for other states. California , New Jersey , Kentucky , and more have since followed suit to stay competitive. Providing a 20% base transferable tax credit with an additional 10% uplift for the state's promotional value, the formula of the credit structure is straightforward: Attract productions, stimulate local spending, and generate long-term economic benefits— all while being the ideal vehicle to save Georgia taxpayers money. Apart from the safety and security attached to the incentive, Merrill points out that film tax credits are a stimulus for staggering economic activity. With competitive salaries for crew members and major film productions, the tax incentive indirectly pumps money into Georgia's local economy, in the restaurants, hotels, catering, transportation, and rental companies, to name a few. When Merrill entered the field in 2010, awareness was limited. Many CPAs and financial advisors weren't aware of film tax credits. Now, she's witnessed that many savvy firms consider film tax credit not just as an asset, but a requisite. But in smaller cities and across other states, she still sees an untapped opportunity. The credit's influence on production decisions, Merrill believes, is undeniable. "Hollywood isn't coming to Georgia for its weather, it's coming for the tax savings," she reveals. "If the credit went away, they'd go somewhere else. It's always about the bottom line." And it's this very bottom line that corporate buyers are paying attention to. Reducing a state tax bill delivers immediate financial value, and in the process, buyers help sustain a thriving economy that fuels thousands of jobs. Georgia's dominance in the film tax credit landscape now sparks a fierce competition. As other states race to enhance their own incentives, Georgia has tightened compliance measures to protect the incentives from being taken advantage of. And at the center of this operation has been State Tax Incentives. The company has been part of industry coalitions pushing for changes to speed up the audit process, which Merrill divulges is pivotal to keeping productions from moving to other states or countries. In practice, Merrill's role is part matchmaker, part safeguard. She connects buyers and sellers, holds escrow, ensures contracts are met, and facilitates transfers. "I'm like a realtor for tax credits," she says. "I bring the right parties together and make sure the deal is protective from start to finish." Merrill's journey also speaks to the value of persistence in a competitive field. As the sole leader of a female-led business in an otherwise male-dominated finance sector, she has built her company without the elaborate degrees, just hard work, trust, and a record of delivering. "You don't need the three letters to succeed," she says. "Just dedication to do what you say you're going to do." In a marketplace where every percentage point matters, film tax credits have proven they can deliver savings, stimulate economies, and keep states like Georgia at the forefront of the production map. For any business that understands how to use them, they're more than a tax strategy; they're smart money. And for State Tax Incentives, they're the future.


Local Germany
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- Local Germany
Adidas-Puma family feud to be featured in TV series set in Germany
Hollywood-based film producer No Fat Ego is backing the project, which has the blessing of the family behind the Adidas empire founded by Adolf "Adi" Dassler. It will delve into one of the most fascinating fraternal blow-ups in corporate history, which pitted Adi against his brother Rudolf ("Rudi") who went on to create rival Puma. The two men jointly ran a family-owned footwear company before falling out during World War II, with their post-conflict animus splitting their town of Herzogenaurach to this day. Scriptwriter Mark Williams, behind the hit Netflix series "Ozark", has been hired to lead the project and is currently going through Dassler family home videos and memorabilia to work on the story. "Everybody knows the brands, but the story behind them is something we don't really fully know," Williams told AFP at the Cannes film festival. One of the most sensitive areas -- particularly for the reputations of the multi-billion-dollar footwear companies today -- will be how the brothers are portrayed during the war period. Both became members of the Nazi party in the 1930s, as was customary for the business elite at the time. READ ALSO: How is Germany responding to Kanye West's 'Heil Hitler' single? Rudi went to fight, however, and was arrested by Allied forces on his return to a defeated Germany. "Adi stayed home and tried to keep the company alive," Williams added. Their factory was seized as part of the war effort and converted into a munitions plant. The series promises to be a "Succession-type drama between the family" set over several generations, Williams explained, comparing it to the earlier hit HBO series. Hollywood backing The head of No Fat Ego, Niels Juul, who has produced Martin Scorsese's most recent movies, said he was originally drawn to the story after learning about the Dassler brothers' collaboration with legendary black American runner Jesse Owens. Advertisement Partly thanks to their innovative spiked shoes, Owens became one of the stars of the 1936 Berlin Olympics which Hitler had hoped would showcase white German supremacy. No Fat Ego intends to develop the series with full editorial independence before offering it to streaming platforms. "We want to have the creative control, and Mark has to have absolute silence and quiet to do what he does," Juul told AFP. READ ALSO: German sportswear giants Adidas and Puma weighing job cuts Adidas drops Bella Hadid from campaign over Gaza controversy


Int'l Business Times
20-05-2025
- Int'l Business Times
Adidas, Puma Family Feud To Be Turned Into TV Series
The bitter brotherly feud that sparked the creation of sports-shoe brands Adidas and Puma in the same small German town in the 1940s is to be turned into a television series with the help of family archives, its producers announced Sunday. Hollywood-based film producer No Fat Ego is backing the project, which has the blessing of the family behind the Adidas empire founded by Adolf "Adi" Dassler. It will delve into one of the most fascinating fraternal blow-ups in corporate history, which pitted Adi against his brother Rudolf ("Rudi") who went on to create rival Puma. The two men jointly ran a family-owned footwear company before falling out during World War II, with their post-conflict animus splitting their town of Herzogenaurach to this day. Scriptwriter Mark Williams, behind the hit Netflix series "Ozark", has been hired to lead the project and is currently going through Dassler family home videos and memorabilia to work on the story. "Everybody knows the brands, but the story behind them is something we don't really fully know," Williams told AFP at the Cannes film festival. One of the most sensitive areas -- particularly for the reputations of the multi-billion-dollar footwear companies today -- will be how the brothers are portrayed during the war period. Both became members of the Nazi party in the 1930s, as was customary for the business elite at the time. Rudi went to fight, however, and was arrested by Allied forces on his return to a defeated Germany. "Adi stayed home and tried to keep the company alive," Williams added. Their factory was seized as part of the war effort and converted into a munitions plant. The series promises to be a "Succession-type drama between the family" set over several generations, Williams explained, comparing it to the earlier hit HBO series. The head of No Fat Ego, Niels Juul, who has produced Martin Scorsese's most recent movies, said he was originally drawn to the story after learning about the Dassler brothers' collaboration with legendary black American runner Jesse Owens. Partly thanks to their innovative spiked shoes, Owens became one of the stars of the 1936 Berlin Olympics which Hitler had hoped would showcase white German supremacy. No Fat Ego intends to develop the series with full editorial independence before offering it to streaming platforms. "We want to have the creative control, and Mark has to have absolute silence and quiet to do what he does," Juul told AFP.