EUE/SCREEN GEMS DEVELOPING ATLANTA COMPLEX
An existing soundstage is available for film and television series production and five other buildings on the property will be renovated. A new 37.500-foot soundstage will be ready in March 2011 and plans are also in place to develop office space, a mill shop, and lighting and grip facilities.
The Lakewood site was home to Smokey and the Bandit, which inspired other trucking films and its own sequels. EUE/Screen Gems currently houses the Rachael Ray show in New York City and offers a 50-acre studio complex in Wilmington, N.C.
Chief operating officer and co-owner of EUE/Screen Gems, Chris Cooney says the New York City, Wilmington and Atlanta facilities can together provide coastal, rural and urban settings, as well as the size and infrastructure needed to handle intense special effects for film, commercial and games. He adds that Atlanta offers a 30 percent tax credit to qualified production and post production expenditures. The credit is available not only to traditional motion picture projects such as feature films, television series, commercials and music videos, but also innovative new industries such as game development and animation.
Bill Thompson, deputy commissioner of the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office says the state is committed to growing its production business. “EUE/Screen Gems locating here helps us achieve that goal. The new facility will create more jobs for Georgians and increase our competitiveness as a state for film and television productions,” says Thompson.