Georgia Entertainment recently released the names of the 200 Most Influential of Georgia’s Creative Industries. The individuals are highlighted in the bi-annual printed publication – Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal. See the digital version. Our 200 Spotlight series showcases many of those that were included.
By Carol Badaracco Padgett, Senior Writer
Christina O’Shea-Daly, Vice President, Great Point Studios
With more than 3,500 hours of programming under her belt, production executive Christina O’Shea-Daly’s entertainment-world experience runs deep. And it includes major U.S. and international outlets such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Showtime, Syfy, Lifetime, Hallmark, Sky, BBC, Starz, Netflix, and Hulu.
Interestingly, O’Shea-Daly began her career straight out of college – at a top level – working for well-known producers Robert Halmi Sr. and Jr.
She describes the fortuitous and formative opportunity this way: “Like many students, I had no idea what I wanted to do when I graduated. After two weeks at what was then RHI Entertainment, the largest television producer and distributor across the globe, I knew I had found my people and what I wanted to do with my career. It was a fast-paced, intensely creative place to work. I was able to thrive in the open-door culture with both Robert Halmi Sr. and Jr., a place where we were all involved. They shared their knowledge and passion for the industry and gave you a chance to learn and grow. And that’s something Robert Jr. is still doing [today as CEO of Great Point Studios].”
O’Shea-Daly’s expertise includes managing full production cycles from conception through delivery. Her cultivated skills and innate talents include multi-project planning, development, execution within budget and on deadline, casting, talent management, and strong technical know-how in all facets of production. Throughout the process of sharpening all these skills, she has amassed a notable network and forged strong creative relationships with A-list talent and producers around the world, as well.
But it’s Georgia – where she’s based for a solid portion of her work each year – that she’s taking special note of today.
“Great locations. Easy to get around. Modern infrastructure. It’s an easy flight from
NY and LA, [and]with the largest airport in the country [it]makes travel from all areas across the globe accessible,” O’Shea-Daly says when asked what she loves about Georgia. “Our stages are only 30 minutes from Midtown and the airport. And of course, that famous Southern Charm!”
The Peach State’s creative and entertainment industries sit well with her, too: the support of the local Film Office, a talented crew base, diverse locations, the strong local film community, and how all the studios combined make Georgia a go-to place for production.
Then she emphasizes, “And the robust tax credit makes Georgia appealing to [film]producers.”
O’Shea-Daly is also passionate about bringing jobs to Georgia, and to helping the Creative Economy thrive. “Our studios are located in Douglasville, 30 minutes from Midtown,” she notes. “Douglasville offers great hotels, shopping, and locations … and has been the location [of]many large features including The Hunger Games. The opening of our Lionsgate Studios in Douglasville brings one of the largest, most prolific production companies to the area, making it one of their home branches. With every project comes hundreds of crew and talent to an area, helping create and build the local economy.”
A middle school and high school project near Great Point Studios’ Yonkers, New York, location is something O’Shea-Daly hopes to replicate in Georgia.
“[We] plan to follow suit at all of our locations, and we want to help open the doors to students that might not be in the right place or know the right people,” she says. “It can be a hard industry to crack, and we will offer support and training in the trades, lighting, electric, grip, all the behind-the-scenes crafts.”
Ever working from a solid plan, O’Shea-Daly adds, “We have had amazing support from IATSE, Syracuse and many others to see this [educational opportunity]come to fruition.”
Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal
