These guidelines along with guidance from the CDC and OSHA should be used, in conjunction with labor and employment best practices, to establish internal policies and procedures that will apply to production sets and related activities as we settle into the “new normal.”
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today issued a disappointing decision in SAG-AFTRA’s fight against age discrimination in the entertainment industry. The Court affirmed a trial court’s earlier decision preventing enforcement of Assembly Bill 1687 (“AB 1687”) as unconstitutional.
“We’re getting a lot of inquires. In the last month it’s really picked up a lot, and we have had one actual in-person scout come in last week looking to shoot probably toward the end of the summer,” said Beth Nelson, executive director of the Savannah Regional Film Commission. “It was really fun to have somebody here on the ground, looking at our locations.”
Even at the high school level, governing bodies more traditionally focused on sports are testing the waters with e-sports. In Georgia, where I am, the Georgia High School Association has begun their overreach into e-sports.
A very delicate comeback for a show dependent upon romantic storylines served up in steamy close-ups. After trying to mute intimate encounters, writers and producers understood quickly that the show would not be the same.
Owner and story artist, Mark Simon (aka the Godfather of Storyboarding), pioneered long distance storyboarding with productions by making use of the latest storyboarding software.
DreamHack, the premier gaming lifestyle festival, announces the launch of a new tournament series featuring Fortnite. The series — entitled DreamHack Open Featuring Fortnite — will kick off in July and consists of monthly online tournaments for the EU, NA East, and NA West Fortnite servers through all of 2020, and will be broadcast live on Twitch.
Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that the major motion picture, television, and streaming companies plan to bring back and hire an estimated 40,000 production workers, who will be employed on an expected seventy-five production projects that will invest over $2 billion into the Georgia economy during the next eighteen months.
Kids have had a lot more time on their hands lately, which probably means a number of them have turned to video games to help pass some of it. Their popularity is growing even more, and now, you may start seeing more video games in schools.
After more than 40 years as an actor, Sheri Mann Stewart had finally taken the plunge to launch her own production company. A week after she wrapped shooting her first film for Mann Woman Productions, Atlanta went on pandemic lockdown.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Health made the announcement on Wednesday, with L.A. Department of Public Health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer adding that the County Department of Public Health would also release safety guidelines on Thursday for film productions. Gyms, movie theaters, campgrounds, hotels and museums will also receive guidelines and be allowed to open.
CNN Films has acquired the North American broadcast rights to Mary Wharton’s Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President, a feature rockumentary about the U.S. president’s passion for music, which helped propel him from Georgia to the White House.
The Guidelines set forth a detailed set of science-based protocols serving as a path for Employers to uphold their responsibility of providing safe workplaces in a pre-vaccine, Covid-19 world. The Guidelines serve as an essential and necessary element of a return to work for the Unions and Guilds representing film and television casts and crews.
Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Georgia has received its 12th Shovel Award – its 11th consecutive such award – recognizing the state’s excellence in attracting investment and creating jobs. Georgia’s Silver Shovel Award is presented by Area Development, the leading executive magazine covering corporate site selection and relocation.
Accel Entertainment, Inc., a leading distributed gaming operator, announced that it has agreed to acquire Tom’s Amusement Company, Inc., a Southeastern US amusement operator and Master Licensee in the state of Georgia led by Emily Dunn.
Thanks to their tireless work during this unprecedented pandemic, our industry now has a roadmap that will make it safe for hundreds of thousands of production workers throughout the United States to begin returning to work.
A united music community including top artists, managers, major and independent record companies, songwriters and publishers, and affiliated organizations publicly released a letter supporting the long running campaign to repeal section 50-A of New York’s Civil Rights Law.
We are currently living in an unprecedented era around music creation and touring. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all business has been forced to become remote, making it difficult for artists to maintain their usual level of activity.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that Mark Jaronski, a 25-year travel and tourism industry leader and veteran Disney marketing executive, will lead Explore Georgia, the state tourism office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
When I was in high school, the best way I could describe myself was as a parent’s worst nightmare: I didn’t care about my education, didn’t do homework, and was known to sleep in class. My SAT score was so bad that I still don’t know how I did! My very frustrated mom threw that letter in the trash.
“There are already a range of productions which have been able to continue during the shutdown and these guidelines offer a clear sign that the rest of the industry is positioning itself to resume activity too,” says Screen Producers Association CEO, Matt Deaner.
Since its launch in 2017, DEC has committed to advancing and strengthening the creative industry. 2020 has been challenging because of COVID-19; however, they will not waiver in their commitment to providing chances for the creative community to connect, collaborate, and create projects in film, music, and digital entertainment.
The safety recommendations come as states across the country are beginning to reopen and physical business locations are starting to welcome customers through their doors once again after the coronavirus pandemic shut down many U.S. regions and severely shuttered the international live concert and events industry.
The Motion Picture Association strongly commends the United States Copyright Office for its very thorough report on section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
The president of Pinewood Atlanta Studios – one of the largest studio complex outside of Hollywood – told WABE’s “Morning Edition” it’s time to get back to work and resume production. The studio is based in Fayetteville and sits on 700 acres.
Women directors’ fortunes continue to be on the rise, not just in TV but also on film. Despite the shutdown, several have found homes for their work on streaming services. Most of those, including several high budget productions that had a 2020 release date, have been pushed forward to next year.
You may remember the DeKalb Entertainment Commission worked with C4 Atlanta to push out the Creative Community Survey. We have the results back in a huge excel spreadsheet with over 1K respondents and their comments.
Small businesses have always pivoted and always will. For us, at this time, it wasn’t just pivoting, it was twirling, whirling, back-flipping, but we’re ready for you! We appreciate that touring the way we have will take a little longer to get back to, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep you entertained and excited for all the #GeorgiaFilm that has been and will certainly return.
Since mid-March active film and television productions working in the Savannah region were suspended in response to the health and safety orders surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. As we slowly work to reopen the region to production, our highest priority is the safety of our crew members, talent, vendors, location owners, and others involved in film and television production.
For studios that have been idle, following are 8 KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR A RE-START PLAN that can be used by the production team and/or reviewed with the studio owner.
Governor Brian P. Kemp announced a filming “best practices” guide for Georgia that offers guidance for Georgia’s thriving film and television industries to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 when productions resume in Georgia.
This week we continue our COVID-19 update virtual meetings, starting with a roundtable discussion focused on Georgia’s travel and tourism industry on Wednesday, May 27. On Thursday, May 28, join us to hear from Dr. Toomey, Commissioner of Georgia Department of Public Health, who will share updates and future plans from the public health sector.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released its Notorious Markets report, which identifies markets around the world that engage in and facilitate online piracy. USTR also today released its Special 301 Report, which is an annual review of the state of intellectual property rights protection and enforcement globally.
No premieres. No red carpets. No press junkets at the Four Seasons and other hotels. No promotional tours around the globe to open a movie. Major films having to push their release deep into the Fall or even 2021. What’s a publicist to do with clients sitting at home?
“MomoCon is about building community, and while we will miss interacting with fans IRL, we’re excited to announce this official MomoCon online community where fans can interact over Memorial Day Weekend and throughout the year,” said MomoCon founder Jessica Merriman.
Award-winning comic book and game writer Paul Jenkins keynotes CIMFest with “Creating a Successful Game Franchise”. Join him to look at what goes into creating not just a successful game, but a successful IP that can exist in many media forms.
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, two young professionals from Atlanta, GA created a product to help businesses return to work safer and smarter. Andy Halpern and Adam Harris Engelhard were childhood best friends who both saw their respective businesses come to a halt when the economy shut down in mid-March.
Featuring GSEC members Laura Dames, WarnerMedia Studios; Ryan Millsap, Blackhall Studios; and Frank Patterson, Pinewood Atlanta Studios. Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber, will moderate the discussion.
WarnerMedia, an AT&T company, today announced the establishment of a COVID-19 relief fund that will provide Atlanta-based artistic and cultural institutions with resources needed to elevate storytelling and continue creating during these challenging times.
Filmmaker Taylor Ri’chard of 3rd Fathom Films announced that Gravitas Ventures will release his latest horror thriller, “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” nationwide on Video on Demand, DVD, cable, and video streaming platforms on June 2, 2020.
Peter Bowden is President and CEO of VisitColumbusGA and the Columbus Film Commission. In this video he discusses the unique location of Columbus and why the community came together to create a film fund to help defray expenses associated with going outside Atlanta.
First, let me start off by saying that Georgia’s film industry is stronger than ever. The industry continues to break records. In fiscal year 2019, the 391 film and television productions that shot here spent $2.9 billion in Georgia, supported 3,040 motion picture and television industry businesses, and delivered $9.2 billion in total wages.
We are still months away from cameras rolling — studios’ most optimistic projections are for July-August production restarts, and the more realistic ones are aiming to be up and running by September. California is still under a stay-at-home order, which currently expires on May 15.
While film production is temporarily paused during COVID-19, Georgia’s film workforce has been able to use their talents to find work and provide critical help during the pandemic.
Due to Covid-19 The Savannah State University Indie Film Fest will hold its 6th annual film festival digitally on May 6 and 7 via SSU Indie Film Festival Facebook page and from its Youtube Channel. A live festival will be scheduled at a later date for the fall.
As part of the partnership, Twitch will become a centralised hub for streaming ESL and DreamHack competitions. The company will work directly with ESL and DreamHack to coordinate broadcast integrations and maximise sponsorships of some of the biggest esports tournaments going forward.
CIMFest 2020 is still on – online and free! Even with the current pandemic, we still want people to experience CIMFest this summer. The CIMFest officials and sponsors met to discuss how to make CIMFest 2020 Virtual.
The event offers a mix of interactive, live-streamed competitions and performances, plus pre-recorded content from entertainers, athletes, and other personalities. Performers include Grammy Award-winning artist Lil Jon, Super Bowl champion Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski, and others still to be announced.
Attorney David A. Pierce, who writes a law column for MovieMaker and is the counsel for the Slamdance Film Festival, offered free legal advice Thursday to filmmakers struggling through COVID-19.
President Gabrielle Carteris gives an update on SAG-AFTRA’s COVID-19 Dues Program, which provides a dues payment extension and lets members request an installment plan during this global pandemic.
The website will help people make real-world sense of the bill and showcase solutions and opportunities for those in need, along with downloadable forms and other resources.
“What I’m hoping is that by paying for the groceries for these people who are just like my mother, my aunt, come from where I come from, so I’m hoping that other people will join in.”
Governor Brian P. Kemp and the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provided an overview of the funding allocated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Georgia has seen a 20 to 30% rise in e-sports, or competitive online gaming, since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Leo Buchieri, the director of gaming analytics and data reporting for Repable. That’s tens of thousands more people taking to the internet for entertainment.
The Bulldogs’ football coach pitched it recently to members of UGA’s marketing and promotions team. They liked the idea, and the whole thing came together in about a week.
This initial guide is provided as a resource from Prager Law to provide an overview of how the benefits may assist you, your family, and your business through this unprecedented period. There are an incredible number of benefits for businesses in the Stimulus Package I.
Last year, one of our VFX artists became a mom. She didn’t want to stop working, but between the commute, childcare, and the hours, it was going to be difficult to hold both jobs. It just didn’t add up. “Can I work from home?” she asked. Necessity.
William Goldman’s adage that “nobody knows anything” when it comes to what will work in a motion picture to make it a success, could just as well be applied today to what will become of the now-shuttered industry after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed.
On Monday, April 13, Embrace the Mess, a podcast and workshop series produced by reimagine/ATL will be released as a free resource for educators and anyone working with youth. The podcast is designed to break down the fears and boundaries that prohibit vulnerability and creativity between educators and students.
Our friend Erica Lumpert of Security Associates of Coastal Georgia shared the below article with their clients. Of course there’s a ton of content out there but this stood out and we wanted to share the article with our readers. Hat tip to Erica and her team.
DreamHack announced that, due to the ongoing health and safety concerns in the world, and the interest of the safety and health of our players and staff, DreamHack Masters has been rescheduled and will move to an online format to fulfill our promise of bringing the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) community the world’s best CS:GO action.
The beginning of the Georgia Livestreaming Network has seen some amazing successes, including 7,500 views of the Georgia State University esports tournament we helped organize and promote.
Acclaimed FIFA streamer Castro joined with fundraising platform Softgiving to raise more than $200k in a 28-hour, online charity streaming event for three charities.
From keeping Georgians safe and healthy to delivering support for frontline workers and remaining ever-vigilant to the need for economic recovery and planning strategies, Governor Kemp will highlight current action and communicate what is next for Georgia as we all work to overcome this global challenge together.
The ongoing COVID-19 crisis is a threat to the entire global economy, including creative industries. In the United States alone, the film, television, and streaming industry supports 2.5 million jobs and 93,000 small businesses – 87 percent of which employ fewer than 10 people.
He worked with Sundance winners Jesse Garcia and Jess Weixler on a well-received independent film called Periphery. He also wrote, directed, and produced an original film called The Shifting.
In Georgia, about 51,000 people are employed in the film industry, according to Marie Hodge Gordon, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
The Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF), presented by WarnerMedia, announced that the 44th annual event will now take place from Thursday, September 17 – Sunday, September 27, 2020.
Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), released the following statement on House passage of the CARES Act, the stimulus package passed by the Senate earlier this week to address the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
As part of this mission, the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is actively working to identify manufacturers and distributors across the state who have in their inventory, or could produce, distribute, or store critical health care supplies that are already limited in supply or may become scarce in the weeks ahead.
The men – Tyler Mercer, 24, and Chris Caldwell, 23 – call themselves Killer Instinct for online video gaming purposes, and they were at Newnan Esports on March 21 playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Six teams were competing, though the other teams were playing from homes nearby.
When hosting auditions involving SAG-AFTRA members, it is the responsibility of the hosting party to provide a safe environment for the performing of auditions.
Moonshine Post and Bare Knuckles Creative have teamed up to offer end-to-end remote post workflows for color, edit, and sound during these difficult times. Additionally, some color and edit sessions are streamable when applicable for collaboration needs.
Hollywood has already lost $7 billion, according to most estimates. It could lose another $10 billion over the next few months if theaters stay closed.
In total, Netflix, Warner Bros. Television Group, Disney TV Studios and Apple have collectively halted production on nearly 100 series, movies, and pilots.
Frazier Deeter’s Sabrina Serafin interviews Jodi Daniels of Red Clover Advisors. They discuss the unique data security challenges working from home may present to companies.
PenPaperWrite is a creative community that helps writers—whether an aspiring writer or a pro—get ideas out of their heads and onto paper.
The Columbus Film Office, a division of Visit Columbus GA, today announced the launch of FocusFilmColumbusGA.com, a website serving as an information hub for local business owners and entertainment executives.
Once again, the coronavirus extended its lethal tentacles into the box office in the US and pretty much in every other market.
Nearly 100 business owners and entertainment professionals from Columbus and around the state attended the Focus Film Columbus GA event last week at the River Center for the Performing Arts. The quarterly events connect entertainment professionals, artists and local businesses.
“In addition to bringing worldwide audiences to Georgia again in 2019, we also saw a record-breaking $2.9 billion spent right here in our state – and that is economic development in action,” said GDEcD Chief Operating Officer Bert Brantley.
Global Box Office Continues Climb to $42.2 Billion; Digital Drives 14 percent Overall Growth in Global Home/Mobile Entertainment to $58.8 Billion
Reeve-Rabb said she attended the Sundance Film Festival premiere of the film, and was touched by the moment a number of SCAD faculty, students and alumni names came across the screen during the credits.
Now in its fourth decade, the Atlanta Film Festival—one of only two-dozen Academy Award qualifying festivals in the U.S. – is the area’s preeminent celebration of cinema.
“We are very well set up to work remotely,” showrunner Angela Kang tells The Hollywood Reporter about how the coronavirus has impacted work on the AMC zombie series.
Two months after state auditors highlighted shortfalls in Georgia’s Film Tax Credit program, lawmakers have approved a bill that would tighten the requirements for the incentive.
Following President Trump’s order for businesses and schools to participate in social distancing in light of safety practices against the coronavirus pandemic, several TV and film productions throughout Georgia have been temporarily suspended.
Melissa Sanders is the CEO of Tadpole Communications and part of the Georgia Entertainment PR Alliance. She talks to us about the integration of entertainment and how gaming, music and film collided in Georgia.
Drew Sawyer is CEO of Moonshine Post, a leading post production company based in Atlanta Georgia. Recently he spoke with us about connecting and collaborating with other professionals at events like the Georgia Entertainment 100 events.
Daren Tang of Singapore today won the nomination to be the next Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The following is a statement from Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin.
No Film School has been closely following the coronavirus and its impact on the population, film industry and industry events. Last week, SXSW was cancelled for the first time in 34 years.
The Atlanta Film Festival is honored to announce the Finalists in the 2020 Screenplay Competition. Chosen from just shy of 1,300 submissions, these screenplays represent those moving forward from our feature film, television pilot, and short film categories.
Always subject to change and often set before filming begins, here is the latest info on release dates for projects that filmed in Georgia. From Explore Georgia.
The South Georgia Film Festival set the scene Saturday both for movies made by national filmmakers and a meeting about the state of small town cinematography.
Disney and Pixar’s youthful fantasy flick Onward was the top finisher in this weekend’s exciting box office race. It opened wide in the US at 4,310 locations and took in a relatively healthy $40 million from its showings over the three-day Friday through Sunday period.
Okay, fine: Quentin Tarantino wrote, directed and produced Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. But if you’re an aspiring moviemaker, you may not want to emulate him.
Your safety is paramount. Whether it’s assuring that a set, studio or broadcast station is supplying members with ample soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers, or working with productions which need to temporarily halt shooting due to concerns about exposure to the virus, your union has your back in advocating for a safe and healthy work environment.
It is the fifth semi-annual collegiate PantherLAN Esports Tournament, and the first time the tournament will last more than one day. The competition takes place March 28-29 at the University Club of Georgia State Stadium.
I spend the time in-between projects building my equipment and services company, The Savannah Location Company, developing content as a writer/producer, and working with students in our local schools as a certified special educator.
Georgia’s lucrative tax incentives for movie and television productions could soon expand to homegrown music recordings and international broadcasts of the 2026 World Cup as part of a bill that cleared a House committee on Monday.