Georgia Film Stories
Georgia is one of the top film-production centers in the world, thanks to the Georgians, small businesses and engaged communities that work together to create the best climate for storytellers to succeed.
In fact, the best stories in the business are the personal stories of the Georgians who work behind the scenes — whether it’s the production that has spurred new investment in a local community, the small business that has expanded to serve the industry, or the Georgian who has obtained professional training to become a crewmember on a set. Collaborating with industry partners and Georgia’s “camera ready” contacts, the Georgia Film Office is cataloging stories in Georgia’s film industry from across the state to tell the story of how “Georgia Film Works!” Submit your own Georgia Film success story.
Small Business Stories
Small business stories spotlight the local small businesses that serve Georgia’s film industry.
Production Stories
Production stories spotlight the impact specific movie productions have had in local Georgia communities.
Georgian Stories
Georgian stories spotlight individuals working in Georgia’s film industry.
Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy is a collaborative effort between the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia to support the workforce in Georgia’s film industry. It is affiliated with more than 25 campuses across the state and connects Georgia students with production employment.
Andrea McDougal and her husband Christpher are the owners of McDougal Movie Medics, which staff productions with certified emergency medical professionals. Before starting their own business, Andrea worked with Grady EMS...
There are Hollywood family dynasties that everyone knows: the Barrymores, the Clooneys, the Coppolas. They've been making movie magic for generations. But there are other families that no one would recognize who've been...
Filming under the Gold Dome! "The Walking Dead" transformed the Georgia State Capitol into a dystopian museum, making it the first production set of its kind. Governor Nathan Deal even dropped by the set.
What started in front of the camera for Chris Birdsong has ignited a successful career behind the camera years later. Well, if being dragged to sets by your mother to be an extra counts, then that’s exactly what Chris...
Joy Merle of Sandy Springs started her catering company, Finding Flavor, out of her mother’s kitchen. When she lost her biggest customer in 2015, she turned to film productions to find more clients. “I sent out about 200...
It was a rough time for C&C Draperies, a decades-old family business in Tucker.
About a decade ago, the housing market and changing times had crumbled the old business model.
“Nobody does residential draperies anymore...
Growing up in Savannah, Lawson Bruen loved two things: the movies and the outdoors. He dreamed of working in the film industry and of becoming an environmental scientist.
Now 34, Lawson has accomplished the first with...
Georgia’s film industry is growing so fast, that Cinema Greens has had to expand multiple times. Started in 2013 in Hampton, the company dresses set, production sound stages, and event spaces with plants and decorative...
Janice Scott found her way to working in film through church. A devout member of World Changer Church, she was able to network with congregants who worked in film to become a stand-in actor. Janice has worked on...
Trenton Tye grew up in Southwest Georgia focused on becoming a blacksmith.
As a child, he became fascinated with the trade while on a field trip to a Civil War site. Trenton now has his own business, Purgatory...
Makeup artist, Travis Pates, has witnessed firsthand the explosive growth of the film industry in Georgia. And with this growth comes greater experiences and responsibilities for those in Georgia film production industry...
When he entered the University of Georgia as a freshman, Kyle Hamlin had decided opera was his future.
"I thought I wanted to be an opera singer," he says. "I realized that was not the path for me, so I switched to...
Terri Morales-Davis became a background actor out of curiosity. Now it's a longtime avocation that stretches the family budget.
"It pays for the little extras," says the stay-at-home mother. "It's like a paid hobby."
...
Writer, actor and voice/dialect coach Kristina Reiersgard was in Savannah to produce a new independent film. To find extra work, she posted her credentials on the Savannah Regional Film Commission website and shortly...
Georgia.org Content: Terrance Williams is an employee with IndieGrip in Augusta who has benefited from the thriving film industry in the area of the state between Atlanta and Savannah. Until recently, Terrance had been...
Greg Fischer grew up in Atlanta, but when he and his wife fell in love with rehabbing old houses, a friend suggested they move to where the action is - Macon.
What started out as custom rugs for one film production, quickly grew to supplying the flooring and carpet for over 20 productions. Dalton based and family-owned Myers Carpet continues to meet the flooring needs of...
Gwinnett Place Mall is transformed into an abandoned mall in "The Darkest Minds," where crew and actors spent days filming scenes for the series.
Erika Crawford Gordon of Rome is a Registered Nurse with Northside Hospital who found a way to make extra income as a babysitter on production sets for TV and film. With this new revenue opportunity, Erika has been able...
The television series "Brockmire" used the Rome Braves stadium in Rome to film season three of the popular series.
Atlanta Eats has been filming Atlanta's most delicious, interesting and one-of- a-kind restaurants for a decade. We take the approach that just because content is local, doesn't mean it can't be high quality and gorgeous...
Dallas resident and electrical contractor Rick Harris started Harris Diversified as an electrical equipment rental company catering to the film industry. What began as a family operation, quickly grew to 14 full time...
Brandon Marsh was determined to develop his passion for film into a career path in his hometown of Columbus. But it wasn’t until the newly opened Georgia Film Academy began offering classes through Columbus State that he...
Nelson Burke has always been known as the “Engineer Guy,” supplying plastics-material for customers in the automotive and home-building industry. Then the film industry changed everything in his business. He now supports...
