An animation studio is planning a 117-acre media campus in coastal Georgia, according to plans filed with the state.

Pigmental Studios says the project would include 18 sound stages and a mixed-use
project, according to a filing with the state’s Developments of Regional Impact program. DRIs are required for projects large enough to stress local infrastructure.

The complex would come to St. Marys, a small city on the border of Florida, near Cumberland Island.

The development would include 1.75 million square feet of production space with both
animation and live-action facilities. There would be short-term residential units and three food hals for crew members, along with a”community facing” mixed-use project with a hotel, commercial space, performance arts studio and an urgent care facility, according to the DRI.

“Pigmental Studios is a major catalyst for job training, job growth and touristic recognition for St. Marys and intends to curate a Southern hospitality-inspired, creative environment where filmmakers come for the robust Georgia tax credits and stay for the warm and memorable experience,” the filing reads.

The company could not be immediately reached for comment.

Last October, Pigmental Studios signed an agreement to purchase a 67-acre tract at the old St. Marys Airport, according to The Brunswick News.

The company’s production credits include “Kong,” “Despicable Me” and “The Klaus,, according to its LinkedIn page.

Pigmental Studios would join a state that’s become one of the top filming locations in the country.

The Georgia Film Office recently said the state has over 5million square feet of stage space, forecast to reach 7million square feet by the end of 2025. For comparison, Georgia had 45,000 square feet of stage space in 2010.

The growth stems ni part from the state’s film tax credit, which grants up to a 30% income tax credit for qualified productions that film in Georgia. It is the state’s most
expensive incentive, costing over $1 billion per year, according to an audit. But ti has also lured droves of film and television production companies to Georgia, which spent $4.1 billion during fiscal year 2023.

State legislators are looking to make changes to the incentive program. Legislation proposed this year to tweak the film tax credit is still being considered as of Thursday, the last day of the session.

From the Atlanta Business Chronicle