(Above:Annie Mumolo (L) and Kristen Wiig. Kudos, Ladies.)

The hit Production/writing team of Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, writers of the 2011 smash hit comedy Bridesmaids, will pull the making of their new film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar out of Georgia in response to the passage of the state’s so called fetal heartbeat bill.

Variety

“A feature film reunion of the creative team behind “Bridesmaids” will no longer shoot in Georgia, following the signing of anti-abortion legislation in the Hollywood-centric state.

Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo’s new comedy, “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” has pulled out of the state in light of its so-called “heartbeat bill,” a rep for Wiig told Variety. Wiig is a co-writer and star alongside Oscar nominee Mumolo in the movie, to be produced by Gloria Sanchez Productions and distributed by Lionsgate. A spokesperson for Lionsgate had no immediate comment.

The bill seeks to ban abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, and has become a lightning rod for protest and outcry since Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed it in early May. The state’s generous 30% tax rebate for film and TV production has made it an optimal location for shoots, contributing an estimated 92,000 jobs and a thriving community of artisans and craftspeople.”

Seems to me that “thriving community of artisans and craftspeople” had better get political, and fast, if they want to keep working.

Which blue state is gonna step up and match Georgia’s tax incentives to poach the film and TV maker’s business?

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1 COMMENT

  1. Georgia ain’t Alabama. And contrary to what the current leadership there thinks, becoming Alabama just to spite the libs isn’t worth the cost. They’ll buckle if this pattern is repeated by enough filmmakers.

  2. I’m not sure that any random blue state can pass legislation granting tax breaks and then see a flood of production moving there in response. It took decades for Atlanta to become a major filming center. The tax incentives may have been critical, but the existence of Turner Broadcasting and CNN meant that some infrastructure was in place as filming started to flow from Hollywood to Atlanta. It would be interesting for some academic folks to take a look at the cost-benefit of providing film industry incentives. Do they turn out more economically sound than throwing money at sports franchises? Or at Chinese industrial firms, like in Wisconsin? Maybe, but I don’t know. If I were a legislator from a blue state, I would be reluctant to opportunistically pass new tax laws.

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