Georgia
Georgia is a country known for the Caucasus Mountains, Black Sea coast, ancient Orthodox mountain churches, and Soviet-era architecture. Agricultural locations of note include corn and wheat fields, tea plantations, and vineyards. Georgia has one of the world’s oldest and finest winemaking traditions.
Cost & Rebates
Georgian locations, local talent and supporting crew are inexpensive. Depending on the shoot, some specialised gear and crew may need to be brought in from abroad. If running a project through a local service company, the 20% income tax and a 18% VAT applies.
Georgia offers a 20% cash rebate with no min shooting days requirement, and minimum spend of 500K GEL (roughly 185K USD) for feature films and TV series; 110K USD for documentaries, animations, commercials, reality shows and music videos. An extra 2 to 5% rebate applies if the country of Georgia is featured in the film and meets the “Cultural Test”.
When To Shoot
Georgia generally has hot summers and mild winters with snow common in mountain areas. The semi-arid southeast and mountain regions have distinct microclimates. The best months to film for weather are May, June and September with long shooting days and none of the excessive heat and humidity of July and August.
Visa Information
No special work visas required. Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Western passport holders can enter visa-free for stays of up to 1 year. Some passport holders that require visas are eligible for the eVisa program. For others that require visas, our Georgian fixer / producer will issue you with an Invitation Letter.
Cast, Crew & Equipment
Georgia has a small pool of directors, videographers and stills photographers. Most key crew are available locally. Specialist crew are best brought in from nearby European production centres. Talent day rates and buyouts are negotiated on a personal basis. Georgia offers mainly ethnic Georgian talent with other ethnicities from the Caucasus’s also common. All other non-regional talent needs to be cast abroad. Georgia has all the standard camera, grip and lighting equipment. More specialised gear can be easily brought in from abroad. Bringing gear into Georgia is an easy process compared to bringing in gear to some of the countries neighbouring Georgia.