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.
"The Hate You Give" filmed many of their scenes in Southwest Atlanta, utilizing the culture and small businesses of the local community.
Barbara Zagrodnik has always been on the front lines of the growing film community in Augusta. With each production in Augusta, Barbara sees the impact on crew depth, location logistics, and overall community development...
Veteran Jason Benton started Great Dane Production Services in 2016 to help “solve problems” encountered by production companies filming in the state. His company, which employs 12 employees, provides air quality testing...
For Boise Cascade, a wholesale distributor of building materials for residential and commercial construction markets, Georgia’s film industry is a consistent and reliable channel for the company that fills gaps during...
In a Savannah movie theatre 22 years ago, a four-year-old girl sat, entranced, watching the blockbuster Titanic with her mother. It was an event that would make a lasting impression on her life and career.
“It was the...
Macon native, Alan Rawkins, started Gentleman Grips to supply trucking and grip equipment for productions in Georgia. Founded in 1988, the company has grown from one truck to six 40-foot trucks and five truckloads of...
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...
Merritt Sullivan was a trained horticulturalist and loved everything about plants. But a few years after college, she was frustrated by the limited opportunities in nurseries and landscaping.
Theresa Daniel retired from teaching in Monroe County and was looking for her “second act.” She found it as an actress in over 75 productions that have filmed in Georgia. Theresa got her start as an extra in an...
Set lighting technician Colin Luke moved to Georgia from Louisiana to join the thriving film industry in the state. As a skilled lighting technician, Colin works with the director of photography to light sets and...
Jantzen Winnig, a Covington native, grew up with a passion for filmmaking. He also was very fortunate to have constant productions filming in his backyard of Newton County. This allowed him to meet many directors and...
Daniel Deckebach started working in restaurants to supplement income, but he found greater economic opportunities as a grip in Atlanta’s film community. By happenstance, he served crew members in a restaurant in East...
Location Manager Matt Chamberlin knows firsthand the economic impact a film production can have on a local economy.
"Most people are happy to have us in town," he says. "We can have a serious financial impact on a...
The Netflix original crime drama, Ozark, was filmed right here in Georgia. See what the cast has to say about filming in this beautiful state.
Synopsis:
When a money-laundering job with a Mexican drug cartel goes awry...
Kayla Thomas thinks we could all use a little more humor in our lives.
What inspired her to get involved in the film? “It really started when I was in Georgia College my sophomore year. We had a film class and learned...
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...
A sound mixer and boom operator with 18 credits to his name, Moses Conrad Norman got into the movie industry as a direct result of going through the Georgia Film Academy’s program. He took various classes which he says...
The major motion picture, “Wash Me in the River,” began filming in Waycross, and the whole town got in on the action. The charm of the southern Georgian town attracted the film’s producers for the film starring Robert De...
Jason Hanline always knew he wanted to be a filmmaker in some way.
From binging his favorite movies to making his own low-budget pieces, he has had a passion for film since he was a kid. But when it came time for...
Barnesville artist, Andrew Henry, found a way to marry his passion for visual arts and Georgia film. He worked on the set of HBO’s “Sharp Objects,” painting many of the murals in Barnesville which served as the fictional...
Former Miss Cobb County, Lace Larrabee got an opportunity of a lifetime: to act in a TV series filmed in Atlanta. Ironically, the series was about pageants, so Lace was a perfect fit. But the experience ignited a passion...
Chad Embree is an artist and lifetime resident of Rome. He’s also an ambitious entrepreneur who used his social media marketing skills to snag a coveted job in Georgia’s film industry for himself and his employees.
Read...
WaterMan Spring Water in Athens has been delivering water to film crews throughout Georgia. Founder Greg Reece used to work for the city of Athens but now has shifted to working full time for his small business that...
BPS Companies of East Point reinvented itself during the recession to cater to the growing entertainment industry in Georgia. The 64-year-old company with 95 employees initially focused on auto parts distribution and...
