There was only going to be one king of the jungle this weekend and Disney’s The Lion King announced itself to the world with a resounding roar. John Favreau’s live-action adaptation of the beloved early nineties children’s cartoon made $185 million in its US debut and $269.4 million overseas.
The movie, filmed in Athens in 2012, is being projected onto a billboard across from Gigi’s Cupcakes on Pulaski Street. It is part of a “Public Access” series by the entertainment company in which a select few of its movies are shown for free in the towns where they were filmed.
DreamHack, the premier gaming and digital lifestyle festival, today announced its agreement with American telecom company AT&T, who will take on a key role in DreamHack’s North American events, including the recent CORSAIR DreamHack Masters Dallas in June and the upcoming DreamHack Atlanta in November.
During the three-day festival, filmmakers from all over Georgia and some international films presented their work to local film lovers. On Tuesday, festival operators Laine Kirby Wood and Brent Lambert-Zaffino celebrated the winners along with benefactor Bill Grant.
In its 30th festival season, SMF presented 107 performances in 15 venues throughout Savannah, bringing in 625 artists and personnel from 25 countries. Total paid attendance for the festival was 29,065, 39% of which was made up of patrons from out of town.
The Georgia film office does not keep track of active productions on a daily or even monthly basis so there is no record of where the state was at a year ago. But Emily Murray, spokeswoman for the film office, said she considers 40 active productions busy so 46 is a solid number.
Athens Film Industry Meeting #2 at the Athens Chamber of Commerce -246 W. Hancock Ave (across from Creature Comforts) with Athens CC Chamber Director: David BradleyThe Mayor of Athens: Mayor Kelly Girtz
The first Savannah Film Alliance Honors Gala will recognize those that have made a difference in the region as it relates to entertainment. Bo discusses ways companies and organizations can get involved and support this important event. SavannahFilmAlliance.org
If you love music, mischief, and a memorable coming-of-age story, then you’re going to want to have Summer Night on your upcoming watch list. In his directorial debut, Big Little Lies actor Joseph Cross follows two best friends on the night leading up to their performance at a local music venue called The Alamo.
During the recent two-week Foundation Camp, 13- and 14-year-old participants got to try their hand at filmmaking under Rome International Film Festival Director Seth Ingram on the Georgia Highlands College campus.
The Suicide Squad should set up shop there sometime in September. It might be a contractual matter, but Gunn is obviously not going the way of his Hollywood compatriots, including ones also with Marvel.
When I see other millennials creating thought-provoking media and harvesting conversations around identity, I think that it could go in so many different ways. One thing I would encourage is to really just pay attention, not only to the creative side, but to the business side as well.
Skillshot Media announced Esports Summit 2019, a business-focused esports conference that will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center November 14 – 15, in the days leading up to the international gaming festival Dreamhack Atlanta 2019.
Crowd estimates at the festival in Byron range from 150,000 to 600,000 people. There were limited bathrooms, no showers, and it was hot. Temperatures surpassed 100 degrees. “My friend came from McRae with a truck full of watermelons and he made a killing,” Russell said.
The filming began Monday morning and will continue through Wednesday. The show will be shooting at 25 Technology Parkway and on Governors Lake Parkway.
Michael Hofstein is the owner of EuroPacific Films. His company produces films all over the world, yet he talks about why Atlanta is home.
In his new role, Bensussen will help enhance member service and organizational efficiency by overseeing key initiatives and helping teams work together for maximum effectiveness, in collaboration with SAG-AFTRA’s executive leadership and senior management teams. He will also serve as senior counsel for specialized matters.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that participants in the New York State Film Production and Post-Production Tax Credit Programs will see a “small reduction” in their tax credit, with the extra money going to a fund for job training and workforce development in the entertainment industry.
Stephanie Ryan-Showell, president of Pleasantville-based Weist-Barron-Ryan Casting, hinted at more blockbuster projects coming to Atlantic City, saying at least two other films with $200 million-plus budgets are considering the area.
Films from all around the world including Australia, Ireland, Colombia, Germany, The U. K., and across The U.S. that have been vying for the coveted awards and cash prizes will be screened at Le Chat Noir in downtown Augusta over the three day festival weekend.
The Georgia Studio & Infrastructure Alliance, the state’s only organization dedicated solely to representing local investment in Georgia’s film and television production industry, announces a new leadership team that will steer the group through the next two years.
Film crews are once again setting up shop in the Chattahoochee Valley for a new feature film. “Electric Jesus” will be shot in Columbus and the movie’s director wants to get the community involved.
The film-makers believe that, while homegrown casts and crews are working instead on Hollywood and overseas productions, the increasing dominance of US online streaming platforms will drive up costs further and ensure that stars on whom they rely to attract crucial financing are even less available.
Now the actor Robert De Niro is jumping on board. A group of investors, including Mr. De Niro and his son, Raphael, are buying a five-acre parcel in Astoria, Queens, with plans to build a sprawling production and film studio.
“Amazon is proud to serve customers across Georgia and throughout the southeast region of the United States,” said Roy Perticucci, Vice President of Customer Fulfillment at Amazon. “Amazon has found an outstanding workforce, strong local support, and incredible customers in the state, and we look forward to creating 1,000 new, full-time jobs with industry leading pay and benefits on day one.”
Sony opted to open their latest Spider movie two days ahead of the midweek national holiday in the US. Their six-day haul through Sunday was the studio’s biggest ever, and the three-day take of $93.1 million is the second biggest ever for an Independence Day frame after 2011’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($97.8 million.)
Peach Maria Productions will be shooting an esports reality television show in the greater-Atlanta area this summer (2019) and is currently seeking amateur gamers to be cast as part of the episodic series. Application deadline is Friday, July 19 at 11:59pm.
The Gwinnett Place Mall has been in decline over the last few years. The once-bustling shopping center is now riddled with vacant storefronts and shuttered doors.
11Alive’s The A-Scene found several posts on Paul Walter Hauser’s Instagram, who is no stranger to production in Georgia. He also starred in “Cobra Kai,” also filmed here in Georgia.
Special Events include a keynote speaker, networking lunch and the opportunity to recruit young aspiring people looking for jobs in the game industry. Come on out and meet developers from the southern part of Georgia and see what projects student have made.
In response to requests from both our professional and academic attendees, SIEGE is delighted to announce its first Game Research Conference (SIEGE2019R). The SIEGE Game Research Conference focuses on presenting research impacting the game industry.
Entertainment will be the focal point of this red carpet event. The Savannah Film Alliance (SFA) will invite its membership of filmmakers, musicians, and actors to show off their talents throughout the night.
Created by Jordan, Slutty Teenage Bounty Hunters centers on 16-year-old fraternal twin sisters Sterling (Maddie Phillips) and Blair (Anjelica Better Fellini) Wesley, who after joining forces with a veteran bounty hunter Bowser Simmons (Kadeem Hardison), dive into the world of bail skipping baddies.
Ten students at Columbus State University recently served as interns on the set of “The Long Night”, an action thriller produced by Randall Emmett and George Furla and starring Bruce Willis. Executive producer Alex Eckert worked with the university to place the students on the production.
Graduating professional actors from the prestigious drama school, LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) will perform in Atlanta this autumn, demonstrating their skills to industry professionals. The student led initiative will take place on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 October at the 7 Stages Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia.
The filming starts July 15, but people walking downtown might start seeing some changes before then. The film crew is making alterations from one end of Poplar Street all the way to the other.
Interest and activity in Savannah as a film location has slowed recently. While local leaders say it’s hard to pinpoint what’s contributing to the slowdown, the impact of Georgia House Bill 481 or Heartbeat Bill has been at least one factor with two productions announcing plans to film elsewhere.
“The way the class collaborates with others, it’s really a specialty class that needs to be offered in the summer so that the other classes can do their parts before the summer class ever begins,” said Davis. “Really, a television pilot class over nine weeks is, if you don’t have help, it’s not going to work.”
Legend has it that while lost in the swampy wilderness of Northwest Florida for seven days and nights, Cebe Tate was attacked by gnawing insects, starved, got bitten by a snake and was driven to madness before finding his way out and collapsing to his death near the town of Carrabelle.
On June 21, 2019 at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Pharaoh’s Conclave delivered another standout event for the gaming community, the 3rd annual GA High School eSPORTS Invitational.
Kids Video Connection, with support from the DeKalb Entertainment Commission, will host its Children’s Film Festival Family Day on June 29 at Emory University. The event includes workshops on the film industry for kids and their parents, plus a showcase of youth-produced films.
This teen-led initiative will include a screenwriters competition, film screenings, and interactive workshops, as well as activations leading up to the event throughout the fall to engage youth from across metro-Atlanta and around the globe.
The compromise and the conference report does not specifically list a $31 million commitment toward the film and production grant program in fiscal 2019-20 that was in the budgets of the House and Gov. Roy Cooper.
Fans of “Gone With the Wind” gone wild! At least, that’s what we expect might happen once news catches on that one of the homes that inspired this epic award-winning 1939 film has gone up for auction—and for a potential pittance, with a starting bid of $1 million.
June’s been an exceptionally busy month for film and television production in Atlanta. We’ve got a full house of movies, shows, and everything in between. Here’s what we saw and where we saw it.
“We have made the decision to tell this compelling story — based on real people and events — in the locations where it actually took place, which is in and around Atlanta. As is always the case, we worked closely with our production partners to determine how and where to shoot this film, in order to best reflect authenticity in the storytelling.”
Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos, in a lengthy sit-down with Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries, covered a host of topics, including talent agencies producing content, Disney’s streaming outlook and Netflix’s M&A future.
A new Amazon series entitled ‘The Underground Railround’ is set to film in Savannah this August. And casting is scheduled for this weekend.
Clint Eastwood is set to start filming this summer his latest film, “Richard Jewell.” The movie is about the security guard who was initially accused in a pipe-bombing that rocked Atlanta’s 1996 Summer Olympics.
Peter Bowden, President and CEO of Visit Columbus, “We are thrilled with the participation of local businesses showing their commitment and collective engagement toward this growing segment of our economy. We generated several leads at the event and look to continue the positive momentum as we head into the last half of 2019 and 2020. ”
“My original goal was to work in movies, but that was back when they were only being shot in California and it was kinda hard to get out there at that point,” said Reynolds.
Award-winning actors Terri J. Vaughn and Keith David hosted BronzeLens’ official film selections announcement on Facebook Live, revealing a diverse slate of national and international filmmakers originating from eleven countries, representing almost 100 projects.
The comedy is a sequel to Eddie Murphy’s 1988 hit that grossed nearly $300 million at the worldwide box office. Variety reports Murphy is expected to again star, alongside Jermaine Fowler, with an expected August 2020 release date.
After careful honing and polishing, your sequence is now practically a katana of visual storytelling. But right before you export, a pang of doubt makes you pause. Does that locked-off clip clash with the handheld footage next to it?
The four projects include “Besa,” featuring Palminteri; a tragic romance called “The Atlantic City Story,” starring Jessica Hecht; a thriller called “Emergence,” set in Kearny, New Jersey, and “Gimme Liberty,” a prequel to the 2014 film “Gimme Shelter” that tells the story of Kathy DiFiore, a New Jersey woman who founded an organization to help homeless women and pregnant teens.
“There’s a lot of people, there’s a lot of things that are… lot of moving parts. But of course, this is my second time being in Georgia. Columbus has been amazing; the people are super friendly.”
The studio’s expansion into New Mexico comes as part of its 10-year venture with Garcia Realty and Development to redevelop an empty free-span warehouse in Albuquerque into facilities that will house two sound stages and offices.
The Recording Academy recently announced its newly elected Board of Trustees, voted upon at the organization’s annual spring Board of Trustees meeting in late May. Managing partner of Placement Music and Georgia Music Partners VP of Legislative Affairs, Tammy Hurt will serve as Vice Chair, and Record producer Harvey Mason Jr. has been elected as the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
We know that registration and orientation can be a whirlwind, after all there’s a lot to know about background work. We’ve got you covered with all the information you need to book a job and be successful at Central Casting.
Since announcing the Columbus Film Fund at Sundance, dozens of prospects have reached out to consider the area for their film. Several films are in negotiations. This, combined with unprecedented activity in the gaming and music sector have created incredible momentum for the region.
It was a winning idea that has put Enterprise and Lishers at the heart of Georgia’s film and production television opportunities.
“Indigenous communities in Canada are rich with unique stories, and organizations like imagineNATIVE, The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) and Wapikoni Mobile are vital to ensuring these voices are heard,” said Stéphane Cardin, Director of Public Policy, Netflix Canada.
Georgia is now the leading state in the country for film production, status that has been boosted by the state’s film tax credit. How much of Savannah’s success is due to this incentive?
”Compared to Hungary and Saudi Arabia,” a veteran publicist wrote me last week, after I’d urged a boycott of Georgia, “Atlanta is a pipsqueak.” So should we remove ourselves from Hungary, Saudi Arabia, maybe even China, and every other state that doesn’t support basic human rights?
A financial planning conference was not the place I expected to encounter unbridled esports enthusiasm, but the reach of competitive video games is growing.
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission said the tax credit created 5,000 full-time equivalent jobs and generated nearly $700 million in economic impact.
Two previously successful franchises opened their most recent titles this past weekend – and failed. One of them – Universal/Illumination’s The Secret Life of Pets 2 – technically became a franchise with this sequel and, apparently, went fine, taking the top of the North American (the US and Canada) box office with $47.1 million.
An application to establish a television- and film-related charter high school in Fayette County was unanimously turned down by the Board of Education on May 20.
Delivering on Georgia’s ongoing mission in becoming a primary destination for the film and television industry, producers Randall Emmett and George Furla of Emmett Furla Oasis have begun shooting its upcoming full-length theatrical film, “The Long Night,” starring Bruce Willis, in Columbus, Georgia.
The 24-hour-a-day event was jam-packed with pro esports tournaments, collegiate and high school esports matches, world famous LAN party, music concerts, cosplay championship, panels, art gallery, arcade, virtual reality, expo and more; sponsored by Monster, Chipotle, Corsair, Twitch.
“We’ll get them excited in an industry that is different from music. It’s different from athletics. And it’s something that they can do even without a college degree,” says College Park Councilmember Ambrose Clay who worked very closely with the Artist Spotlight to get the camp established in the Tri-Cities area.
Abrams said she pushed the crowd to recognize that their window for action is not just a few months but a few years because of the expected legal battle. Next year’s legislative election and the 2022 race for statewide seats, she told them, could upend Georgia’s political dynamic.
“Living and working in Columbus, it’s easy to see the natural beauty and creative culture of our workforce. The Entertainment 100 event provides an outlet to show productions that Columbus is committed to their success in every way.”
Ariel Kaplan, a native Atlantan, got her first job as a prop master because of her knowledge of the city’s geography and businesses.
Ashley Miller got his start as a screenwriter on the TV series Andromedaand as a co-writer on Agent Cody Banks. He’s gone on to co-write comic book blockbusters like Thor and X-Men: First Class.
Laurence Fishburne will direct the documentary as part of a series his company “Information Matrix” is doing. The series will highlight other counties across the nation.
“Well, I think he should come and visit downtown Columbus,” Elyse Callahan said, “because it’s one of the prettier parts of Columbus. The RiverWalk is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been and I think it’s definitely worth seeing.”
When you took the time to visit EUE/Screen Gems several years ago, it was clear that you understand not only what it means to be a business owner, but that you also value opportunity and jobs for hard-working Georgians around the state.
With our regular SIEGE hotel undergoing renovations, we had thought we would put SIEGE on hiatus for 2019. However, a number of you have asked that we move forward with it, and KSU has made a great offer to host us.
The DeKalb Entertainment Commission and film industry veteran and producer Linda Burns will give students the answers needed to begin their journey into the world of TV & Film.
Entertainment industry leaders have been divided over how to take action over the abortion law. Many have taken a wait-and-see approach, as the law will not go into effect until at least 2020 and could face a lengthy court battle, thwarting its implementation.
Erin Bethea is owner/producer of Argentum Entertainment. Erin is highly accomplished in the industry and since moving back to Georgia with her producing partner, she has dedicated her time to networking and advising others.
Right now they are making their own special cards that go in those slots, but we can imagine that aftermarket (NVIDIA!!!) will likely find a way to build for that slot as well.
A top Hollywood producer is adding more ammo to the industry’s fight against the onslaught of anti-abortion legislation.
Godzilla: King of Monsters stomped into theaters this weekend with $179 million in global receipts. Its US take of $49 million, while good enough for first place, wasn’t exactly earth-shattering.
It’s been a busy month for film and television production in Georgia this May. Here’s what we saw, where it shot, and how to spot it in your neighborhood.
Greg has decades of experience working on major studio productions with credits that include Avengers: Infinity War, Zombieland 2, Grimm TV series, Gremlins 2, Fight Club, Sleep Hollow, American Horror Story and others.
I can hardly remember a movie I’ve enjoyed more. Booksmart is 104 minutes of heartwarming friendship, of playfulness, of strength, of jokes that land quickly and with a resounding punch.
The nominations for the 2019 CMT Awards, which focus on country music videos, have been announced, and lots of Georgians are among them. Here’s a quick rundown
If you are a SAG-AFTRA member who flies for work or pleasure within the United States, starting in October 2020, you will need a new ID to be able to board a plane
“The response on the ground has been incredibly gratifying,” Chernin, CEO of the Chernin Group, said. “On the ‘Fear Street’ set, a number of women staff have given incredible feedback. Departments like the camera people on ‘P-Valley’ are starting a crowdfunding campaign to give to the ACLU as we have.”
“I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. Right now we are watching it very carefully,” Iger told Reuters.
Disney’s Aladdin got all of its wishes and soared off to a $114.3 million start over Memorial Day weekend in the US. With that figure, it earned the fifth highest opening ever for the beginning of the summer holiday.
The SCAD Savannah Film Festival is seeking diverse short films — about the South, set in the South, or directed by Southern filmmakers — exploring a variety of themes and perspectives that best represent the voices from the South
“Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we’ll continue to film there, while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, we’d rethink our entire investment in Georgia.”
We’ve learned that actress Mikaela Hoover (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Emma Roberts (We’re the Millers) have just been cast to star in Netflix’s upcoming romantic comedy “Holidate,” produced by McG’s Wonderland Productions, and have just touched down in Atlanta to shoot for the next few weeks.
“SCAD’s nearly 4,000 fashion graduates are now design leaders at Anthropologie, Marc Jacob, Kenneth Cole, Kate Spade, Abercrombie, Chanel, Lily Pulitzer, and just about every other major brand,” said SCAD President & Founder, Paula Wallace.
From the former stay-at-home mom who now has a steady job as a zombie to the farm boy who was a paid extra on “Stranger Things” and now leads movie tours, to the once sleepy, postcard-perfect town of Senoia, which has served as a giant set for “The Walking Dead,” so many Georgia workers, property owners and service industries rely on film and television income that the region.
Similar to San Diego Comic-Con and Dragon Con─held in Atlanta during Labor Day weekend─MomoCon focuses on Japanese and American animation, gaming and comics. The event also features celebrity panels and attendees participating in cosplay.
Hundreds of producers, writers, designers, and industry leaders are set to descend on Duluth in October for the annual Catalyst Content Festival (formerly ITVFest). A new tax incentive program would give them one more good reason to return and stay.