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
Frank Patterson, President and CEO, Trilith Studios
It’s quite possible that no other state besides Georgia could be the ideal home base for Trilith Studios’ top executive, Frank Patterson. The entrepreneur, higher education thought leader, film director, production company founder, and studio executive at the largest purpose-built film studio in North America is a force of creative business activity.
“The Peach State is regularly recognized as the best state in the nation in which to do business,” Patterson notes. “Our state’s focus on maintaining an excellent business environment has been critical to the success of our creative and entertainment industries. From strong bi-partisan leadership who are committed to finding policy solutions that keep Georgia top of mind, to a robust and diverse talent pool and a rich ecosystem of businesses, the Peach State is a great place for the film industry to call home.”
At Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia, Patterson’s energy has helped secure the production of films Avengers: Endgame, The Suicide Squad, TV miniseries WandaVision, and more.
Patterson’s reach extends further still. He is also co-founder of Pulse Evolution Corp., a tech company that produces hyper-realistic digital humans for live and virtual reality applications. And he also manages Trilith Ventures, a company that invests in early-stage content and technology startups. Dean Emeritus at Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts is another job he holds, where he teaches producing.
His contributions to the film industry and to the flourishing of Georgia’s Creative Economy are noticed and celebrated. The Hollywood Reporter, for instance, named Patterson one of the nation’s top mentors to a generation of Hollywood filmmakers.
All his business experiences combined help make the Trilith CEO especially qualified to assess the changes in Georgia’s film industry and its production capabilities over time.
“Georgia’s film industry is transforming from its historical role as a supply chain partner that provides excellent stages and crew, to now becoming a funder, creator, and producer of the very content made on our stages by the hard work of our crews,” Patterson states. “Essentially, Georgia is joining the value chain of the film industry, with writers, directors, producers, and capital partners who are significantly increasing the value of Georgia’s film industry for all Georgians.”
As an example, Patterson notes companies that recently opened doors in Atlanta, such as United Talent Agency and 3 Arts Entertainment. Others — Domain Capital, Bay Point Media, and Piedmont Capital among them – are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in content, he says.
“Combine this with our robust talent pipeline in higher education and our innovative primary schools and you have a clear picture of remarkable growth in a sustainable, clean, and high-wage industry,” Patterson states.
While his contributions to the film industry in Georgia are clear, his sights extend far past geographic borders. “I’ve tended to focus my research and creative activities at the intersection of artificial intelligence and immersive technologies, with an interest in digital human agency,” he says. “ One of my more memorable and impactful moments in this space came while I was at Pulse; I produced the immersive live production of Michael Jackson’s ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ at the Billboard Music Awards, which featured an original performance by a digital human likeness of the late Michael Jackson.”
Patterson’s greatest mentors are other business leaders who push him to delve more deeply into his well of creative pursuits – making him even more of a visionary force within Georgia’s creative industries.
“I’d be nowhere without the mentorship that’s been generously shared with me over the years — from my Uncle Oscar, who taught me to recognize my responsibility to future generations, and Dr. Michael Korpi [professor of film and digital media at Baylor University], who taught me to ‘see’ movies and how mass media impacts the world, to songwriter Mickey Newbury, who once challenged me to look deeper to find the truth at a moment when I needed to hear that message,” he closes.
