Five entertainment pros size up Atlanta’s future in film

This story was originally published by ArtsATL.

Atlanta has cemented itself as an entertainment industry hub bolstered by some of the most creative thinkers in film.

Five notable film-industry pros who work in metro Atlanta were asked to comment on the present and future of the local scene. Here’s what they say about the specific areas of stunt work, finance, government support, casting and music.

Chris Brewster, stunt coordinator and second unit director

Before he got into stunt work, Brewster was a world-champion martial artist, traveling internationally and appearing on live TV.

Back in 2006, “my team competed on ‘America’s Got Talent’ and started getting calls to work on TV and film,” he said. “I knew immediately that this was the path for me.”

Brewster’s interest in storytelling helped propel him into his most recent role: second unit director for the 2023 comedy-horror film “Renfield” directed by Chris McKay and starring Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Hoult and Awkwafina.

Training and networking in the stunt world is “tricky,” Brewster said. “With no actual stunt agencies, it is hard to make a name and reputation as a new stunt performer. Some places, like Joining All Movement and Southeast Movie & Stunt House, are owned and operated by top-level stunt coordinators and performers.” Both Atlanta gyms are dedicated to training stunt professionals.

“You want to make sure you are learning from people who know how to be successful in the industry, especially in matters that regard your safety,” Brewster said.

Jon Gosier, co-founder and CEO of FilmHedge

Gosier started FilmHedge in 2020 to overcome a problem he saw in film financing: the lack of trust that investors have in filmmakers to manage their money. Gosier and Josh Harris, his partner and co-founder, now finance film and TV projects with up to $10 million per production.

Credit: Courtesy of Jon Gosier

Credit: Courtesy of Jon Gosier

Georgia is an “envious position,” Gosier said. “More productions happen here than Los Angeles and New York combined. However, Georgia should not take for granted the fact that it’s currently the king of the hill. Other states are aggressively working to replicate the tax credit incentives we have â€" states like Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas. As Georgians, we have to be proactive.”

As a company founded in Atlanta, FilmHedge is “doing its part to bring more business to the state. Ninety-five percent of the films we finance are from other states or other countries. We encourage them to shoot in Georgia,” Gosier said.

Plans to expand FilmHedge are already in the works.

“The hard part for many filmmakers is just getting into production. So we’re thinking about what resources we can offer to get them there in the first place,” he said. “But at the end of the day, we must protect investors to keep them earning and satisfied â€" and then they’ll keep financing films.”

Mark Fincannon, casting director at Fincannon & Associates

From working as an extra straight out of college in 1983′s “Stroker Ace” with Burt Reynolds to working alongside his brother, Craig Fincannon, to cast extras for Stephen King’s 1984 film, “Firestarter,” Fincannon has learned firsthand how to navigate the film industry.

Credit: Courtesy of Mark Fincannon

Credit: Courtesy of Mark Fincannon

Today, their casting company, Fincannon & Associates, is nearly synonymous with film in the South.

The company, which has handled casting for hundreds of films and TV shows, has recently been working on the film “Northern Lights.” With shooting in Thomasville in southern Georgia, the film is based on the true story of a small-town football team in Alaska that plays on frozen ground and rocks until a stranger steps in to help.

Fincannon said he and his brother gravitate toward stories about people meeting other people’s needs. “We don’t care about flashy and shiny,” he said. “Just tell us what you need, and we’ll work and let the shiny stuff come forward naturally.”

LaRonda Sutton, owner of Entertainment.gov

Sutton was founding director of the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film & Entertainment before starting her current company, Entertainment.gov, in 2016. She has played a major role in Atlanta becoming one of the top three media capitals in the country, alongside with Los Angeles and New York.

Credit: Courtesy of LaRonda Sutton

Credit: Courtesy of LaRonda Sutton

She sees four strategic tiers that Georgia has and must continue to focus on when it comes to filmmaking.

“The first was to attract business with the tax incentive. The second was to train the workforce here. And then the third tier was building the infrastructure. Sound stages, catering, transportation and all the businesses necessary to motion picture production are now here in Georgia,” she said.

“The final tier is creating, finding and growing our content creation feed here in Georgia: focusing on Georgia stories, nurturing Georgia-based film production companies and ensuring they have the support they need in terms of financing, agents (and getting) their products into the marketplace. That really gets us there.”

Brian Brasher, co-owner of Pitch Hammer Music

Music is in Brasher’s blood â€" and music licensing, scoring and syncing for all forms of media are in his brain. Brasher, a founder and one-time guitarist for rock band Creed, now runs Pitch Hammer Music, along with Veigar Margeirsson, his Iceland-based partner, film score composer and producer. They also own a production music library and music licensing service.

“Atlanta’s rich music history has always been a great music scene for all genres, and the music community here is absolutely amazing,” Brasher said. “There are so many artists and great friends here â€" music producers Dallas Austin, Tricky Stewart, Butch Walker, Jermaine Dupri, John Hopkins, Collective Soul â€" and the list goes on.”

Pitch Hammer’s services include custom scoring, when film or TV show wants to hire a composer to create specific music. It also offers “libraries of professional production music that a film editor can go through in their search of any genre of music they want.”

Brasher said his friendship with Patrick Avard at Level 77 Music, another Atlanta-based production music library, surprises some. “People will say, ‘But you are competitors.’ That’s true, but there’s plenty of business for everybody here,” he said. “Friendships and collaborations lead to good opportunities for everyone.”

Brasher and Avard spearhead Atlanta’s SyncSouth networking event, which takes place on the fourth Monday every month at F&B restaurant in Buckhead.

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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 Oz Magazine and other publications.

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