INDUSTRY GROUPS
Who is Going to Bat for Georgia’s Film Industry? By Joanna Brooks
I t’s no secret that Atlanta has become home to dozens of big Hollywood productions; the yellow crew parking signs and paved lots filled with Lightnin’ Rentals trailers are hard to miss. Film and television shoots in Georgia bring with them jobs for thousands of people, millions of dollars in revenue, and a ripple-effect for non- industry businesses. With all of that money subject to governmental edict, it’s no wonder that in 2015, five of the major Atlanta studios formally joined together to create the Georgia Studio and Infrastructure Alliance. Just one year later, Georgia had more film production than anywhere else in the world. As Alliance President, Beth Talbert, told The Georgia Hollywood Review , “More than 92,000 people work in Georgia’s film and television production industry — that’s a number that simply can’t be matched with the opening of a new plant in rural Georgia. A single production can employ 500 or more Georgians for months. People from all corners of the state are benefiting from the industry’s presence here.” The Georgia Studio and Infrastructure Alliance’s mission is to serve as legislative and educational advocates for the entertainment industry. One way they achieve this is by doing what the industry does best — storytelling. “It’s critical to us to share the stories about Georgians building careers and changing their lives through employment and opportunity in our state’s film and television industry,” Talbert says. “We’re going to continue that, illustrating the huge employment impact the industry has in Georgia.” Through their blog, Instagram, and Facebook pages, the Alliance shares these stories on an on-going basis, profiling crew members, actors, shows, and locations that keep the industry thriving. It isn’t just native Georgians whose stories are important. The Alliance also features stories of Atlanta transplants. There has been an influx of industry professionals from Los Angeles; including Talbert herself, who made the move here after working in Hollywood for nearly two decades. Talbert is the Vice President of Studio Operations at Eagle Rock Studios in Stone Mountain. “When I moved to Georgia from California in 2016 to lead Eagle Rock Studios, the Alliance was well-established as a unified voice for those working in Georgia’s film and television production industry,” Talbert recalls. “Kris Bagwell, who leads EUE/Screen Gems in Atlanta, pulled together the right people at the right time — including Eagle Rock as a founding member — and I wanted to add my efforts on behalf of the Alliance.” In addition to EUE/Screen Gems and Eagle Rock, Alliance members include Mailing Avenue Stageworks,
Triple Horse Studios, Atlanta Filmworks Studios, and Third Rail Studios. These powerhouses are the brick- and-mortar studios behind major franchises, including The Hunger Games to the Fast and the Furious movies, as well as several Netflix, HBO, Amazon, and Hulu series. While the Alliance’s studio members provide the physical spaces and sound stages for production, the Infrastructure members are the supporting entities that supply the food, equipment, transportation, lights and cameras, and just about every other service or product a production requires. “There is an amazingly strong infrastructure right here in Georgia to support the film and television production industry. Shows can hire top-tier talent — including Georgians — for just about every job on a production. Location scouts. Camera operators. Set decorators. Those skills have developed here and you don’t have to bring talent with you,” Talbert says. In addition to lobbying,
Georgia Studio and Infrastructure Alliance President, Beth Talbert
Eagle Rock Studios
the inception of the Alliance in 2015 included a partnership with the Lieutenant Governor’s office and the state’s College and Career Academies to create a curriculum for film and television jobs. “Georgia is committed to cultivating the next generation of film and television production talent, too. You see that with the Georgia Film Academy, plus the high school and other university programs that have emerged,” Talbert says. The Georgia Film Academy offers a certificate program through hands-on training for credit hours towards graduation at state colleges, and technical colleges. With a new governor in place as of 2018, the state is seeing some changes. Talbert says, “It’s more important than ever for those of us with boots-on-the-ground in Georgia to be a unified voice about the industry.” The
Georgia Studio and Infrastructure Alliance has worked hard to keep up the industry growth, and continue to fight for the enormous economic impact, workforce creation, and educational opportunities due to film and television production in Georgia. To read the inspiring stories of Georgia locals who are thriving in the industry, check out the Alliance’s blog at www.gastudioalliance. wordpress.com. For more information about the Alliance and the member organizations, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ GAstudioalliance or visit their website at www.gastudioalliance.net
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