GOODWILL IN FILM
Mark Wofford of PC&E By Chr i s t ophe r Ha l l
A tlanta’s exploding film and television industry is due in large part to the community’s support of each other; the attitude being that if we work together, we will rise up together. More recently this was demonstrated by Production Consultants and Equipment’s (PC&E) work with Illegal Rose, a short film directed and produced by Deborah Draper and starring Jasmine Guy. When Mark Wofford, general manager of PC&E, was introduced to Deborah Draper, her work, and her current project Illegal Rose , he knew right away it was a story that needed to be told. Illegal Rose is a rather timely piece. Written by Draper and Caroline Slaughter, the film is described as a “cynical woman caught in a rut accidentally kidnaps a 9-year-old runaway girl from an Immigration Detention Center.” Wofford explains it is “a real passion project based on a piece by Langston Hughes. Our team discussed her equipment request and we were able to accommodate Draper and her Director of Photography (DP), and provide the gear they requested.” PC&E is in its 36th year in business. Founded by Doug Smith, their earliest jobs ranged from commercials and student and independent work, to providing the lighting for In The Heat of The Night . Since then, PC&E has logged in more than 100,000 projects; 6,000 in the past year. Mindful that the success of the company was largely due to the people who worked for him, Doug Smith retired as CEO in 2018 after selling the business to the employees in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) transaction. As the Atlanta Film and Television Community has grown, so have the types of projects PC&E takes on. According to Wofford, “Last year we made a decision to pursue more feature length and episodic work. We hired Dave Warner in Business Development to assist us in that.” Today PC&E’s services include providing production equipment: lighting and grip, camera and lenses, generators, sales and expendables, and three sound stages. Illegal Rose is not the only project that PC&E has supported. Wofford goes on to say that there are 92,000 people working in the Georgia film industry and growing; and that it is important there is mutual support of each other. PC&E is interested in developing new talent, providing opportunities, and assistance with networking. “We are often approached by filmmakers and others who are looking for production assistance. Sometimes the filmmaker may need help meeting their budget; and sometimes they have no real budget to work with. They just have a vision and story to tell.”
When working with a client, each project is approached in a singular manner. “There is no cookie cutter approach. Every job is different,” Wofford explains. There are, of course, a number of different considerations, such as how PC&E decides who and how they can help. For instance, they have to contemplate: What is being asked of us? How does it impact us? Is this a filmmaker with an authentic voice and a vision that needs help and that we would like to develop a relationship with? And again, the mutual support within the film community, “Perhaps we’re helping someone move up, like an AC (Assistant Camera) who has a chance to DP (Director of Photography) a project.” Assistance with production is not the only service they provide for the Georgia film industry. PC&E also provides tours to local universities and hosts events for other organizations, including the PA Academy since its inception. Indeed, their commitment to community extends beyond the film industry. They have developed and are active in a number of different charitable programs, such as Rise Against Hunger, Team Georgia Film Fights Hunger, and the Hamper Hunger food drive. They also support the charitable efforts of groups like IA 479 and Local 600. On August 24, PC&E teamed up with Rise Against Hunger. Employees and industry volunteers prepared 10,000 meals for hungry families around the world in just two hours PC&E’s work with Illegal Rose is one of many instances of their assistance of worthwhile vision. It is an excellent example how great things can be produced when people work together in mutual support. Illegal Rose premiered at the BronzeLens Film Festival in their Cinema and Social Justice Sunday Screening.
Today PC&E’s services include providing production equipment: lighting and grip, camera and lenses, generators, sales and expendables, and three sound stages.
For inquiries about their production services or volunteer opportunities, PC&E can be reached through their website, pce-atlanta.com.
Mark Wofford
Photography by Aiva Genys AGpicture
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