How Productions Work With Local Government
With the DeKalb Entertainment Commission
In this video we talk to the Executive Director of DeKalb Entertainment Commission Shelbia Jackson about everything the county government has to do to ensure smooth sailing for productions in one of the most filmed counties in Georgia.
What does the DeKalb Entertainment Commission Do?
The primary function of the DEC is to manage the film permitting system. They also help support the creative community through partnerships with organization to help cultivate the local film workforce.
Some of the organizations, events and programs she mentions are:
Scholarships for the Production Assistant Academy
Free Headshots
Mentor meetups
Producer workshops
Film industry resume writing
Filming in DeKalb
There have been a lot of productions that have made their way to DeKalb County. Some of which include the last two Jumanji movies, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, MacGuyver and Dynasty.
The last report in 2016 had about a $2 million economic impact from the film industry in DeKalb. However, Shelbia is certain that’s increased quite a bit. The number of productions has only gone up since then.
Even the locals are getting acclimated to all the shooting happening. Surprisingly, churches are very happy to loan out their parking lots as basecamps.
The Dark Ages
Before the commission was established Shelbia touches on how there were no processes in place when it came to filming in the county. She felt this was a risk to everyone involved including the county and the public.
She says that the film industry is accustomed to having a clear process so it was imperative that the county established something to keep things moving smoothly. This includes having 24 hours availability of some services and having dedicated staff specifically for dealing with productions.
Helping Location Managers
DEC has created a very useful tool for location managers. By visiting their website you can quickly browse through a database of every available filming location. Everything is searchable by whatever you might be looking for and includes images and addresses.
On the Horizon
Shelbia believes Georgia is the next big content creator and says that they’re keeping an eye on how to best support the local creative community. The current trend of bringing in above-the-line crew from outside the state and hiring only below-the-line crew in Georgia is something she’s wants to change.
Make sure you watch the full interview and comment below.
Hosted by: Sheena Wiley
Camera and Edit: Frank Anderson
Music: Substantial - Available on Apple Music and Spotify
