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Savannah’s Georgia Tech campus could be converted into a major film studio

(wjcl.com)

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is considering a proposal to turn Savannah’s Georgia Tech campus into a major film production studio.

Jeffrey Stepakoff, executive director of the Georgia Film Academy said, “Savannah has an amazing film business, an amazing film industry. Why? Great locations, great crew, great people. That being said, Savannah is missing a few key components.”

One of those missing components, according to Stepakoff, is purpose built sound stages. Stepakoff said the Hostess City needs “sound stages that can be used for television productions, for example, that can house major motion pictures.”

According to Savannah’s Regional Film Commission, in 2019 the film industry contributed $266 million to the local economy. Some believe this project would only build upon that economic benefit, by increasing production opportunities.

“The Georgia Film Academy is delighted to see this project coming to fruition. We’re very excited to see who may be interested in developing sound stages for this region,” Stepakoff said.

By: Brooke Butler

Continue Reading at wjcl.com

Cost of COVID: Film crews return to Macon after pandemic pause

(13wmaz.com)

MACON, Ga. — Movie crews have returned to Macon after the new coronavirus halted production for several months.

The film industry is booming again in Georgia with 50 productions currently working in the state, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

“There’s so many filming in Atlanta right now there’s not space for anyone to move and we want to take advantage of that,” said Aaron Buzza, vice president of development for Visit Macon and the county’s prime contact for the film industry.

By: Liz Fabian

Continue reading at 13wmaz.com

Film shootings resume in City of Destiny with a bang

(thehindu.com)

After a lull due to the COVID-19, film locations in the city of destiny are abuzz with activity. Several movie production units have been busy shooting in the city for the last two months.

Visakhapatnam has been one of the most sought after film destinations for many film makers. A number of movies from the bygone era, including ‘Maro Charithra’ starring Kamal Hassan, Chiranjeevi’s ‘Abhilasha,’ Balakrishna’s ‘Narasimha Naidu’ till the recent Sai Dharam Tej starrer ‘Solo Brathuke So Better’, showcased the beauty of Vizag. After being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, film shootings, which were completely stopped for nearly 10 months, have now resumed with a bang.

Actor Sundeep Kishan starrer ‘Rowdy Baby’ is being canned at Visalakshi Nagar, Bheemili and many other locations since December 2020. The fight sequences of actor Ravi Teja’s upcoming flick ‘Khiladi’ was shot at Vizag Port last week. Actor Karthikeya and Lavanya Tripathi’s ‘Chavu Kaburu Challaga’ is being filmed at Rama Krishna Beach for the last couple of days. Similarly, Director Ajay Bhupathi is filming some of the scenes for his ‘Maha Samudram’, starring Sharwanand, in the city.

By: Harish Gilai

Continue Reading at thehindu.com

New faith-based film studio opens in Tempe

(fox10phoenix.com)

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona film industry has been trying to grow for years, and on Saturday morning, it got a shot in the arm as a new studio opened its doors.

JC Films, a family-friendly and faith-based studio, has set up a new location in Tempe and plans to shoot up to a dozen films in Arizona next year.

“Our goal is to do between 6 to 12 films here next year in Phoenix,” said Jason Campbell, president of JC Films. “We just want to be a hub … for people of faith to get together and make family-friendly content.”

Before the unveiling, actor Dean Cain was already shooting scenes for Jason Campbell’s film “Forgiven.”

“Telling a lot of personal stories, and no story is too small,” said Cain.

For many years, industry leaders have tried to jump start the film industry in the state. There have been moments like when the Transformers franchise filmed scenes on Arizona highways in 2016, but legislation has stalled every year at the Arizona State Capitol to create tax incentives.

By: Steve Nielsen

Continue Reading at fox10phoenix.com

Moviegoers’ Confidence To Return To Cinemas During Covid Hits Record Level – NRG Poll

(deadline.com)

EXCLUSIVE: Even though the domestic box office remains in a funk due to the pandemic, moviegoers’ confidence has hit a record high near 50%, according to recent data by NRG. The recent upbeat attitude to return to the cinema outpaced poll results from the fall, which was the last time confidence was at a notable level during Covid.

Prior to the September-November period, the last time the confidence level of moviegoers was “very or somewhat comfortable” with being in theaters was on March 15-16, right before major exhibition closed down due to Covid-19 safety guidelines.

According to exhibition reports, 47% of 5,900 U.S./Canada movie theaters are open. States that are the most open include Mississippi and Utah (both 80%), Arizona (77%), Alabama (70%) and Georgia (70%).

By: Anthony D’Alessandro

Continue Reading at deadline.com