Georgia film, music & digital entertainment newsletter, Vol. 24, no. 2 (Spring 2008)

Film, Music & Digital Entertainment

Volume 24, Number 2

Spring 2008

The Family That Preys Wraps

New Incentives in Georgia

Photo credit: Chuck Hodes Photo credit: Office of the Governor

Tyler Perry's The Family

That Preys

recently wrapped

production in

Atlanta. Academy

Award-Winner

Kathy Bates and

Academy Award-

Nominee Alfre

Woodard star as

the matriarchs of

two very different

families being torn

apart by greed and scandal in the

Photo: (L-R) Sofia Vergara and Angela Bassett of Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns

contemporary drama. The sixth feature film by Perry

The Family... continued on page 8

Photo: Governor Sonny Perdue. First row: (L-R) Senator Mitch Seabaugh, Representative Butch Parrish, Representative Ron Stephens, Chris Klaus, Senator Greg Goggans, Phil Kent, Ric Reitz, Representative Rich Golick. Back Row (L-R): Revenue Commissioner Bart Graham, GDEcD Deputy Commissioner Bill Thompson, GDEcD Commissioner Ken Stewart, Robert Sauban and Dan Darling.

Governor Celebrates Georgia Music

Photo: (L-R) Chuck Leavell, Governor Sonny Perdue and First Lady Mary Perdue

The Governor and First Lady honored Georgia's GRAMMY winners and nominees at the Fourth Annual Celebrate Georgia Music Reception, held at the Governor's Mansion on March 19. This year, Georgians received nominations in over 50 categories.

Governor Sonny Perdue has signed into law the 2008 Entertainment Industry Investment Act (HB 1100). The legislation replaces incentives currently in use by offering a 20 percent tax credit for qualified productions, which are then eligible for an additional 10 percent tax credit if they include an animated Georgia promotional logo within the finished product.
"We know that our excellent talent base and outstanding locations make Georgia a very desirable place to film," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "This legislation puts in place the economic cornerstone that will encourage producers to convert that desire into action."
The signing ceremony took place at the studios of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), where the Governor was joined by Phil Kent, chairman and CEO of TBS, Inc. and over 100 attendees including legislators, industry leaders

Governor... continued on page 2

Incentives... continued on page 5

The Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment newsletter is a publication of the Georgia Department of Economic

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Development. Articles can be mailed to Brenda Brayton, Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment, Post Office Box 1776,

Atlanta, GA 30301, faxed to 404.962.4053 or sent electronically to bbrayton@georgia.org. Visit our website at www.georgia.org

or call 877.746.6842.

Locations Expo
Georgia's Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Division was recently awarded a First Place ribbon for Best Booth at the recent Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Locations Trade Show in Santa Monica, CA, held April 10-12, 2008. In attendance were team members Bill Thompson, Lee Thomas, Alison Fibben and Craig Dominey. The entire Film, Music & Digital Entertainment team contributed to the booth design, coordination and business development efforts.
During the show, the team identified many new film and television prospects and renewed relationships with previous customers. Visitors to the Georgia booth learned more about the state's diverse locations, incentives and production support.
AFCI Locations Trade Show is an annual event where directors, producers, studio executives and other industry decision makers learn more about shooting in a particular region, country or state. This year, 250 AFCI-member film commissions from over 30 countries attended the show.

Photo: (L-R) Craig Dominey and Bill Thompson

Governor... continued from page 1
Photo: (L-R) Commissioner Ken Stewart and GRAMMY Winner Jennifer Larmore
"We are here because of your outstanding accomplishments," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "And we, as a state, wanted to acknowledge the
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outstanding individuals and groups that make up the Georgia music scene, the artists, producers, technicians, songwriters and others who make Georgia one of the most diverse centers in the world for creating great music."
During the event, the Governor presented commendations to GRAMMY winners Jennifer Larmore and Toomp. Nominees who accepted commendations included: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra General Manager John Sparrow, Freddy Cole, Kendrick Dean and members of the gospel music group Karen Peck and New Rivers (Karen Peck Gooch, Susan Peck Jackson and Devin McGlamery.) Governor Perdue also surprised musician Chuck Leavell with a sculptural rendering of an eighth note from the Frabel Studio. The award was given in appreciation for Leavell's outstanding contributions to Georgia's music industry. Georgia music industry guests included Earl Klugh, Joel Katz, Jan Smith, Bob Whitfield, Eddie Owen, Diana DeGarmo, Sunshine Diaz, Cappriccieo Scates, Bruce Burch, Luther Randall, Parker Quiness, Otis Redding III, Karla Redding-Andrews, Moby, Dr. Bobbie Bailey, Big Jon Platt, along with many other artists, studio owners, producers and Recording Academy Governors.

Photo: Gregg Bishop
Dance of the Dead Premieres
The Georgia-lensed feature Dance of the Dead premiered to Atlanta audiences during the recent Atlanta Film Festival. The horror/adventure is set on the night of the high school prom when the dead rise to eat the living and the only people who can stop them are the losers who couldn't get dates to the dance. The film stars Jared Kusnitz, Greyson Chadwick, Justin Welborn and Chandler Darby.
Prior to the premiere, Dance of the Dead's

director Gregg Bishop said, "I was born and raised in Georgia and we shot this entire film here. Getting away from Hollywood and making my movies in my hometown allows us to work with very enthusiastic crews and shoot in locations that have never before been captured on film."
Dance of the Dead was filmed in Rome, Georgia with local cast and crew. The film's world premiere was at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Dance of the Dead was selected from a record number of entries for a midnight premiere screening. It opened to three consecutive sell outs.
Dance of the Dead is Bishop's second feature film and the second movie he has shot on location in Georgia. His first film, The Other Side was filmed in and around Atlanta and released theatrically in 2007, after premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival and winning the grand jury award for best picture at the Shriekfest Film Festival.

Atlanta Fest at Stone Mountain

Juneteenth Debuts in Atlanta

Stone Mountain Park will host the 2008 Atlanta Fest featuring Casting Crowns, TobyMac, Jeremy Camp, BarlowGirl, Sanctus Real, Big Daddy Weave, Shane, and Shan, Phil Joel, Echoing Angels and Building 429. The festival will run from Thursday, June 19th through Saturday, June 21, 2008. More than 40 artists are scheduled to perform on four stages during the three-day event.
Since its inception in 1986, Atlanta Fest has been held at three different Atlantaarea venues, including Stone Mountain Park in 2000. Based upon feedback from Atlanta Fest individuals, families and church youth group attendees, the event has returned to Stone Mountain Park in order to provide the option of camping out at the festival. Atlanta Fest features all musical styles including rock, pop, metal, rap & hip hop, praise and worship. Please call 1.800.783.8839 or visit www.AtlantaFest.com for details.

The first annual Juneteenth Atlanta Film Showcase will take place Thursday and Friday, June 19th and June 20th. Narrative features, documentaries, shorts, animation and television productions on film, video and digital media which celebrate the diversity, strength and survival of African Americans will be featured.
The schedule of events for the Juneteenth Atlanta Film Showcase is available online at www.juneteenthatlanta.com.
RIFF Call For Entries
Call for entries: looking for excellent experimental, fantastic features, amazing animation, super shorts and dynamic documentaries. The Fifth Annual Rome International Film Festival (RIFF), September 4-7, 2008 is accepting entries for submissions until June 15, 2008. The festival website is www.riff.tv.
RIFF is a partner of The International Film Festival Submission System (BrigitFest) on the Web at Withoutabox.com and prefers paperless entries. Withoutabox provides online entry to major film festivals throughout the U.S. and in Europe with one master entry form.

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Photo credit: Jared Bailey

Athens in Austin at SXSW

Several Athens music businesses and governmental agencies teamed up to sponsor the 6th Annual Athens in Austin showcase on March 12th at South By Southwest (SXSW). The Austin, Texas music festival is the world's largest annual music industry convention and showcase. Over 1200 SXSW registrants and other invited guests attended the showcase that featured performances from eight Athens bands.
The Athens in Austin showcase was organized by AthFest Music and Arts Festival, Flagpole Magazine, Athens Music.net and Michelle Roche Media Relations. The event was supported by the Athens Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Athens Downtown Development Authority, Athens Mayor's Community Fund, Georgia Music Hall of Fame and the University of Georgia Music Business Program. The Georgia Department of Economic Development's Film, Music & Digital Entertainment division also served as a sponsor with deputy commissioner Bill Thompson and music

Madeline
Photo: (L-R) Diego Catalan, Madeline Adams, Laura Carter and Famous Darnell
promotion specialist Brenda Brayton in attendance at the event.
The showcase featured Clay Leverett, Bloodkin, Madeline, We Versus the Shark, Elf Power, Modern Skirts, Dead Confederate and Dark Meat.

Guillotine Goes Gospel

Gospel Music Channel and writer/producer Wayne Johnson have turned to Guillotine

Post to deliver several world premiere promos

and interstitials over the past few months.

Johnson worked with owner/ editor Michael

Koepenick and staff editor Christo Harris to

customize graphics and create Front Row Live

promos and interstitials for artists Marvin Sapp,

J. Moss, and the Dallas based cross-over pop

band The Afters.

Additionally, the 2008 Atlanta Film Festival

Short Form Audience Award winner Mexican in

the Closet was conformed and color corrected

by Guillotine Post. As a sponsor of the Atlanta

Film Festival, Guillotine hosted the festival's

Closing Night. Over 300 people attended the

closing night celebration at Guillotine Post.

During the event revelers screened Chuck

Moore's films Mexican In The Closet and

When Life Gives You Lemons as well as an in-

Photo: Guillotine assistant editor Andrew Swinney

progress rough cut of the documentary Basically

Frightened The Musical Madness of Colonel Bruce Hampton in the edit suites upstairs, while party guests

spread throughout Guillotine's Midtown studios. Visit www.guillotinepost.com for additional details.

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Photo credit: TM & 2008 Peachtree TV. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.

Photo: Brutha
Dupri & Peachtree TV Present Brutha
In the high-stakes world of the urban music industry, five brothers with a knack for laying down R&B tracks travel to Atlanta to shoot for the big time. Peachtree TV is along for the ride in the original special Jermaine Dupri Presents: Brutha. The show follows the tight-knit family as they prepare to audition for Dupri, president of Island Urban and owner of So So Def, in a showcase

before a live audience. The one-hour original special aired on Peachtree TV in late March.
"Off the heels of our successful original series Dallas Austin's DRUMROLL: SWD, Peachtree TV has again attracted a leader in the pop culture arena to create outstanding, Atlanta-originated programming especially for our audience," said Jonathan Katz, senior vice president/general manager of Peachtree TV. "We are excited to be working with Jermaine Dupri as we introduce viewers to Brutha."
Jermaine Dupri Presents: Brutha is executive produced by Shakir Stewart, Donny "Drano" Harrell and James Dubose, with Ri-Karlo Handy serving as co-executive producer. Peachtree TV is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s local Atlanta broadcast platform.

Incentives... from page 1
Photo: Governor Sonny Perdue

and members of the entertainment industry. "The new incentives will put Georgia
among the top five states in the U.S. in terms of financial competitiveness for entertainment projects," said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). "We expect to see an increase in the number of industry jobs and overall economic impact for the state in the coming years."
The 2005 Entertainment Industry Investment Act (HB 539), signed by Governor Perdue, led to film, television and video game companies contributing $475 million to Georgia's economy in 2006, up from $124 million in 2004. From 2005-2007 the economic impact of entertainment productions exceeded $1.17 billion. Film activity has since decreased as other states, regions and nations boost their competitive packages.
"The 2008 Entertainment Industry Investment Act (HB 1100) will return Georgia to its rightful place of prominence in all major entertainment industry

segments," stated Bill Thompson, deputy commissioner of the Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, a division of GDEcD. "We expect a significant increase in film and television projects, and Georgia will be the most competitive state in the country for video game productions. Georgia is one of the few states whose entertainment incentives support the video game industry."
The Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, formerly known as the Film, Video & Music Office, conducts business development, sales, marketing and promotional activities in order to attract entertainment projects and businesses to the state. Since its inception in 1973, over 575 major motion pictures, independent films, television series, pilots and television movies have filmed in Georgia generating over $5 billion for the state's economy.
For information on the 2008 Georgia Entertainment Investment Act, please visit www.georgia.org/entertainmentindustry or call 404.962.4052.

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GDX2008 at SCAD

The Savannah College of Art and DesignAtlanta (SCAD) hosted the fourth annual

Game Developers eXchange (GDX) April 10-11. The

conference spotlighted alternative gaming and

emerging modes of design, production and

distribution. GDX offered game developers,

educators, students and those who share a passion

for interactive entertainment the opportunity to

hear experts with behind-the-scenes knowledge

about the gaming industry. Matthew Maloney, animation professor and
academic director of the animation program at

Photo: (L-R) Asante Bradford, Scott Steinberg, Claire Almon, Chris Rickwood

SCAD-Atlanta, said, "We're breaking away from the practices of today's multi-faceted game industry.

constricted classification of gaming simply as `digital Participants chose from a variety of sessions in

first-person shooters for teenage males.' We were

which professionals shared what goes into the

proud to have representatives from virtually every

creation of games.

aspect of the games community involved in this

GDX attendees experienced roundtable

two-day event."

discussions, interactive gaming workshops, a Georgia

GDX2008 emphasized emerging models of play,

Film, Music & Digital Entertainment reception and

design, production and distribution. It provided

SCAD's annual student exhibition of interactive and

conference attendees with insight into the varied

game design artwork "Entelechy 2008".

AthFest Announces Headliners

Selling Georgia at Sundance 2008

AthFest opens June 18 with headlining artists that include the 17-piece rock collective Dark Meat and pop darlings Modern Skirts. The festival will close June 22 with a 7:00 p.m. performance by reggae collective Dubconscious.
For the past 11 years, this annual music and arts festival held in historic downtown Athens, GA has showcased local, regional and nationally recognized Athens-based talent. Over 150 bands and artists will perform during the course of the weekend, with most performances free of charge to the public.
The 2008 festival will feature performances by Dead Confederate, Twin Tigers, Cinemechanica, We Vs. the Shark, Centro-matic, A. Armada, Pegasuses XL, Elf Power, Contraband, Venice is Sinking, Velveteen Pink, Folklore, Don Chambers + GOAT, Bloodkin and Ken Will Morton. AthFest includes a juried artisan market, the Flagpole Music Awards show, KidsFest and more. For performance schedules and information, visit www.athfest.com.
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As a part of Georgia's marketing efforts directed toward attracting independent filmmakers to the state, Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office deputy commissioner Bill Thompson, senior location specialist Lee Thomas and project manager Alison Fibben represented the state at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival held in Park City, Utah. The festival, which ran from January 17 through January 27, annually provides a forum and marketplace for independently produced feature films, documentaries and film shorts from around the world.
This year, the Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office hosted a Wednesday evening networking reception at Caf Terigo that included Los Angelesbased producers, Georgia production personnel attending the festival, as well as Sundance filmmakers. In addition to the networking reception, there were opportunities to meet filmmakers at post-screening receptions, seminars and panel discussions. Discussion topics included the emerging technologies, marketing and the challenges of funding and distribution.

Photo credit: Tony Phipps for WireImage

2008 at Doppler

Casting Crowns
Photo: (L-R) Chris Huffman, Melodee DeVevo, Mark Hall, Megan Garrett, Hector Cervantes, Juan DeVevo and Andrew Williams
Casting Crowns Top Dove Awards
The 39th Annual Dove Awards were presented live on April 23rd from the Grand Ole Opry House and broadcast nationwide on the Gospel Music Channel. Georgia artists were nominated in a number of categories.
Multi-platinum artist, Casting Crowns brought home seven trophies between the band and lead singer, the top nominee of the night, Mark Hall. The Gospel Music Association selected McDonough, Georgia's Casting Crowns as Group of the Year for the fourth year in a row.
Georgian Mac Powell won two Dove Awards. He received one award for his work on "Glory Revealed," the Special Event Album of the Year, and a second Dove for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for "By His Wounds."
The complete list of winners is available at www.doveawards.com.
Get Listed in the SourceBook!
Over 1200 companies and individuals involved in Georgia's music industry list in the Georgia Music Production SourceBook. This resource guide is distributed instate and around the country by the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office. The web site where the SourceBook is published electronically, www.ozonline.tv, receives over 4 million page-views a year.
The deadline for the 2008/2009 Georgia Music Production SourceBook is July 25, 2008. You can go online to fill out a listing form at www.ozonline.tv.

Doppler Studios has been working on a variety of audio projects. Tyler Perry Studios has been recording ADR for their House of Payne television series with Doppler's John St. Denis. Supervisor Jim Sedlak oversees the various cast members on the looping sessions.
Another recent looping job was for Mama I Want to Sing, an upcoming theatrical release starring Atlanta R&B star Ciara, who came to studio A for ADR work on the film for Louisiana Media Services in multiple sessions, with St. Denis engineering. St. Denis also worked with Cybill Shepherd, doing ADR for the Showtime series The L Word and former President Jimmy Carter, reading his latest audio book "A Remarkable Mother." President Carter's 2007 "Sunday Mornings in Plains," also recorded at Doppler, received a 2007 GRAMMY Nomination.
Doppler engineer Shawn Coleman continues to mix in 5:1 Surround for the Adult Swim series Squidbillies. Show writer/producers are Jim Fortier and Dave Willis.
McGary PSA Nominated for Emmy
Kristen McGary has been nominated for a 2008 Southeast Regional Emmy Award through the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences Southeast in the category of Outstanding Achievement Excellence: Director Short Form.
The nomination is for directing the Public Service Announcement The Intruder Within shot in cooperation with Women in Film and Television Atlanta for The Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Previous wins for this PSA include a CINE Golden Eagle Award and The Accolade.
The 34th Annual Gala of the Southeastern Emmy Awards will be held June 21, 2008 at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead, Atlanta. The nominations and event information are posted at www.natassoutheast.tv.

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Film, Music & Digital Entertainment

Photo: (L-R) Chris Burns, Tichina Arnold, Michael Rooker, Ralph Wilcox, Gabe Wardell and Beverly Todd
AFF Opens with Baker
The Atlanta Film Festival (AFF) opened on April 10th in Midtown Atlanta's Regal Atlantic Station with the World Premiere of The Lena Baker Story, the debut film by producer, writer and director Ralph Wilcox, starring Tichina Arnold, Beverly Todd, Peter Coyote and Michael Rooker.
"This world premiere screening marks the arrival

Photo credit: Rick Diamond

of another major force to the growing roster of Georgia-based powerhouse producers," said Atlanta Film Festival executive director Gabriel Wardell. "What Ralph Wilcox has built in Southwest Georgia is nothing short of remarkable. It's like Field of Dreams, where others saw a cotton field, Ralph Wilcox envisioned a film studio."
The Lena Baker Story is the inaugural feature production from Colquitt, Georgia's JokaraMicheaux Film, Television and Music Production Studio, a 22,000 square foot studio production facility that opened in 2006.The film recounts the true story of Lena Baker, the first and only woman sentenced to die in the electric chair in Georgia. Baker was posthumously pardoned in 2005.
Wilcox, Arnold, Todd, Rooker and Burns attended the premiere and participated in a post-screening Q & A. The event was followed by an Opening Night celebration at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center.

The Family... continued from page 1
chronicles the inner workings of two families, one upper-crust and the other working class, which become inextricably linked by scandal. The film is scheduled to open on September 12.
The fifth feature from Tyler Perry Studios, Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns opened nationwide in March. The Atlanta-lensed romantic drama stars Angela Bassett, Rick Fox, Margaret Avery, Frankie

Faison, Jenifer Lewis, Lance Gross, Sofia Vergara and Tyler Perry.
Based on the stage production of the same name, Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns tells the story of family and the possibility of second chances. The film was produced, written and directed by Perry and produced by Reuben Cannon.

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