There are a lot of movies and TV shows being filmed in metro Atlanta right now. In fact, there have been a lot of productions in Atlanta since the state instituted new tax incentives in 2008.
But it's not the only "camera-ready" city in Georgia. Here is a look at some of the others.
Athens
Recent highlights from Athens' Hollywood career include "A Walk in the Woods," "The Spectacular Now" and "Trouble with the Curve" (starring Clint Eastwood, Justin Timberlake and Amy Adams). The city has also attracted country music stars on video shoots, such as Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldrean and Dierks Bentley.
Surrounding areas have also gotten a piece of the action, according to the Banner-Herald: The "Goosebumps" adaptation starring Jack Black filmed in Madison; and "In Dubious Battle," starring Robert Duvall and Ed Harris, which filmed in Bostwick.
But it's Athens' attractiveness as a reality series setting that has given it the most recent regular exposure: CMT's "Party Down South" (exactly what it sounds like) filmed its second season in the college town, after originally settling on Pensacola, Fla. That community wasn't happy about the prospective "damage" to their image; and the decision to move to Athens prompted similar introspection from its officials.
Columbus
In the summer of 2013, "Need for Speed," an automotive thriller adapted from a video game series, brought its flaming cars to the Fountain City.
"The Green Berets," "We Were Soldiers," "The Fighting Temptations" and "Lawless" were all shot in the city, too, according to the Ledger-Enquirer. "The Homesman," directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones, was filmed in nearby Westville.
Columbus is home to Fort Benning, making it attractive to military-themed productions — even those not filmed locally, as when "Fury," starring Brad Pitt, was screened specially for soldiers at the base. Pitt and his cast mates also made an appearance.
Macon
Jackie Robinson biopic "42" filmed in the Macon area, as did "Need for Speed" and YA adaptation "The Fifth Wave" — recent additions to a history of productions in central Georgia that include "Wise Blood," "My Cousin Vinny" and "Fried Green Tomatoes," according to WMAZ.
Savannah
Everyone knows about "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," adapted from a book of the same name, both stories deeply about the city itself (and also introducing The Lady Chablis to the world).
But according to the Savannah Morning News, it has through the years played host to "Gator," starring Burt Reynolds, "The Great Santini," "Something to Talk About," starring Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid — and "Forrest Gump," starring Tom Hanks. (The bench from which Hanks' character narrates the majority of the film was actually a prop, though the Chippewa Square in which it sat is still available to tourists.)
Other productions, according to the Morning News, include "The Last Song," starring Miley Cyrus, "The Conspirator," starring James McAvoy, and "Magic Mike XXL," starring Channing Tatum.
Senoia
"The Walking Dead," one of the most popular shows on TV, has always been linked with Georgia. (Its initial promo materials and pilot referenced the iconic skyline view from the Jackson Street Bridge.) But its home base is actually down in central Georgia, in Senoia. The town received the attention well, according to the Telegraph, including "Walking Dead" locations on a tour of the different spots around town that have made it on-screen.
The Woodbury Shoppe, a licensed merchandise store whose name is a reference to a location from the series, even opened on Main Street.
"We have people come here from all over the world,” assistant manager Rebecca Rice told the Telegraph. "We’ve had them here from South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Ireland. It’s really impacted the town. It’s taken everything to a crazy level. (The show) has an intense fan base. ‘The Walking Dead’ has put this town on the map."
About the Author
