Atlanta filmmaking turns red Georgia clay into winter wonderlands of white

This story was originally published by ArtsATL.

In the film world, the versatile landscape of the Peach State can serve as anywhere in the country — even when the script calls for a winter wonderland.

Thanks to the post-production magic of visual special effects, red clay in our state can be blanketed with expanses of snow, and even snowy mountains are possible for film scripts and scenes that call for them.

Atlanta-based location scout Jen Farris, a 14-year veteran of film and TV, explained the process of visualizing how red can turn into white for a holiday film, as well as what she’s looking for if snow is in the script. “If a production is going to add visual effects to an actual location, I am at least sending them into a place with the ‘bones,’” she said.

Atlanta-based location scout Jen Farris. (Photo by Rashawn Cash)

She noted that Georgia’s mountains are ideal for special effect winter snow to fall down upon — and they make a convincing winter vista.

“I would scout locations such as Stone Mountain or Arabia Mountain — both in DeKalb County — and find a position on the mountain that showcases the best peaks or the best landings [for characters to stand upon] . . . or where the director would do an amazing wide shot of the mountain.”

Farris then snaps photos of these areas and presents the best options to the production team to help them achieve the final vision. While she hasn’t scouted an all-holiday film, she did scout the film Dirty Grandpa, which has winter scenes during the holiday season.

“My task was to identify every location I was assigned to find that had evergreens on-site,” she said. “No falling leaves . . . in December . . . in Georgia!”

When asked to consider her all-time favorite holiday film, regardless of location, Farris doesn’t miss a beat: “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

The 1946 classic was shot at RKO Radio Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, and on RKO’s ranch in Encino, illustrating how winter snow conditions can pop up anywhere in the movies — snowy or not.

Local holiday watch list

Here is a list of five recent Georgia films to make your season more festive, some of them covering up the clay with blankets of winter white. Curl up with some popcorn and a Coke and see if you recognize the landscape — and watch for the peach logo at the end.

• “Dashing Through the Snow” (2023) Disney. A comedy/fantasy, starring Ludacris and filmed in Atlanta — streaming on Disney+.
• “Christmas With Jerks” (2023) Good Deed Entertainment. A comedy/romance that is Georgia cast, funded and filmed — streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu and Tubi.
• “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” (2022) Marvel Studios Special Presentation. An action/adventure produced at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia — streaming on Disney+.
• “The Holiday Dating Guide” (2022) Lifetime Movie Network. A comedy/drama/romance shot in Tifton, Georgia — streaming on Lifetime.
• “Charlie’s Christmas Wish” (2020) Bondit LLC and Talking Rock Studios. A drama/family film, filmed in Cherokee County, Georgia (Canton, Ball Ground and Ellijay) — streaming on Starz.

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Carol Badaracco Padgett is an Atlanta freelance writer who specializes in film and television coverage. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, her work has appeared in publications nationwide.

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