Behind the screen: Five entertainment professionals on the future of film

Set aside the term “Hollywood of the South.” Atlanta — and Georgia on a larger scale — is an entertainment hub with a flavor all its own, bolstered by some of the industry’s most creative thinkers in film. 

Here, five notable Atlanta-based film industry professionals share their perspectives on what the future looks like for our local film industry. Better still, they share insight on how they’re navigating its many facets, proclivities and opportunities in 2023 and beyond. 

Chris Brewster, Stunt Coordinator, 2nd Unit Director

Before he got into stunts, Brewster was a world champion martial artist, traveling internationally and doing live TV shows. “My team competed on America’s Got Talent and started getting calls to work on TV and film,” he says. “I knew immediately that this was the path for me. I got my SAG-AFTRA card in 2003 and sprinted into a job as a stunt performer.”

Brewster’s love for storytelling helped propel the athlete into his most recent role: second unit director of the film Renfield, directed by Chris McKay.

On local training and networking for stunt professionals

“Training and networking for the stunt world has always been tricky. And with no actual stunt agencies, it is hard to make a name and reputation as a new stunt performer. Some places, like Joining All Movement and Southeast Movie and Stunt House, are owned and operated by top-level stunt coordinators and performers. You want to make sure you are learning from people who know how to be successful in the industry, especially in matters that regard your safety.

“I’m moving more into second unit directing and producing now; I love every element of storytelling and moviemaking.”

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Jon Gosier, Founder, FilmHedge

Gosier started FilmHedge in February 2020 to overcome a problem in film finance: Investors don’t trust filmmakers to manage their money. So Gosier and his partner, Josh Harris, finance film and TV with up to $10 million per production. 

On developments in the creative economy

“Our state is in an envious position; more productions happen here than Los Angeles and New York combined. However, Georgia should not take for granted the fact that it’s currently the king of the hill. Other states are aggressively working to replicate the tax credit incentives we have — states like Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas. As Georgians, we have to be proactive. … more protective of the value we’ve created here.

“It’s remarkable how little people in Europe knew of Georgia’s contributions to film. As a locally founded company, FilmHedge is doing its part to bring more business to the state. Ninety-five percent of the films we finance are from other states or other countries. We encourage them to shoot in Georgia. [We’re] one of the few companies here that independently greenlight and finance productions, and that brings productions and business to the state.”

Future plans for FilmHedge 

“The hard part for many filmmakers is just getting into production. So we’re thinking about what resources we can offer to get them there in the first place. But, at the end of the day, we must protect investors to keep them earning and satisfied — and then they’ll keep financing films.”  

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Mark Fincannon, Casting Director, Fincannon & Associates

From working as an extra straight out of college in 1983’s Stroker Ace, starring Burt Reynolds, to working alongside his brother, Craig, to cast Stephen King’s first film, Firestarter, Fincannon learned firsthand how to navigate the film industry. Today, Fincannon & Associates is nearly synonymous with film in the South.

Upcoming projects

“[Around the] writers’ strike, I’m working on Northern Lights. [The film, shot in Thomasville, Georgia], is about a football team out of Alaska in a little town of 4,000. It’s a town where the kids were stuck inside playing video games, and the parents were struggling to get them to go outside. And so they created a football team that plays on the frozen tundra. 

“ESPN heard about this team and did a story, and a mother in Jacksonville, Florida, saw these boys falling down, playing in the rocks — and since she and other parents had just put an AstroTurf field in Jacksonville that same year, through a grant, she was also able to get AstroTurf installed in Barrow. And then the team won state, and the school attained the highest student GPA in the state, all from getting these kids outside and interested in something. 

“[I gravitate toward stories where people] meet other people’s needs. My brother Craig and I are North Carolina boys, and the state seal there says ‘to be rather than to seem.’  We don’t care about flashy and shiny; just tell us what you need, and we’ll work and let the shiny stuff come forward naturally.”

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LaRonda Sutton, Owner, Entertainment.gov

Sutton and her consulting firm are behind Atlanta’s place as one of the top three official media capitals in the nation — along with Los Angeles and New York — for streamlined, effective operations of film productions in the city and the state. Simply put, her work has helped make and keep the film business booming. Sutton’s professional endeavors also include film production. 

Top developments affecting Georgia filmmaking in 2023 

“There are four tiers we focus on when you think about the strategy around our industry. The first was to attract business with the tax incentive. The second was to train the workforce here. And then the third tier was building the infrastructure — sound stages, catering, transportation and all the businesses necessary to motion picture production are now here in Georgia.

“The final tier is creating, finding and growing our content creation feed here in Georgia. Focusing on Georgia stories, nurturing Georgia-based film production companies and ensuring they have the support they need in terms of financing, agents [and getting] their products into the marketplace. That really gets us there.”

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Brian Brasher, Co-Owner, Pitch Hammer Music

Music is in Brian Brasher’s blood — and music licensing and scoring in TV and film and syncing for all forms of media are the focus of his mix. One of the founders and one-time guitarist for rock band Creed, Brasher now runs Pitch Hammer along with his Iceland-based partner, film score composer and producer Veigar Margeirsson. They also own another noted production music library and music licensing space.

On the art of film composition, licensing and sync in Atlanta

“Atlanta’s rich music history has always been a great music scene for all genres, and the music community here is absolutely amazing. There are so many artists and great friends here — music producers Dallas Austin, Tricky Stewart, Butch Walker, Jermaine Dupri, John Hopkins, Collective Soul — and the list goes on.”

Pitch Hammer’s plans for the future and Atlanta

“In addition to custom scoring, where a composer is hired to score a film or TV show, our services include libraries of professional production music that a film editor can go through in their search of any genre of music they want. They have options for full access to our libraries at an affordable cost for situations where they need a very large volume of music for TV shows, commercials [or gaming]. Or there are options for the editor who needs to find just a few tracks in the library that fit the emotion of the visuals and the scene.

“Of my close friendship and networking with Patrick Avard at Level 77, another Atlanta-based production music library, people will say, ‘But you are competitors.’ That’s true, but there’s plenty of business for everybody here. Friendships and collaborations lead to good opportunities for everyone.” 

Brasher and Avard spearhead Atlanta’s SyncSouth networking event, held on the fourth Monday every month at F&B restaurant in Buckhead.

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