Filmmakers Give High Remarks

FILMMAKERS GIVE COASTAL GEORGIA HIGH MARKS

FOR FUTURE FILM PRODUCTION

ST. MARYS, GA—During a bi-state visit by filmmakers from as far away as California, Coastal Georgia Film Society board members showcased the area’s many noteworthy location possibilities f

or TV and movies, and filmmakers were impressed.

L-R: Florida State Film Commissioner Lucia Fishburne, St. Marys Mayor Bill Deloughy, County Commissioner David Rainer, Film Society Co-Founder Barbara Ryan, and Academy Award nominee Andy Abrahams Wilson during the recent filmmakers tour hosted by the Coastal Georgia Film Society.

Florida State Film Commissioner Lucia Fishburne joined the morning St. Marys tour of visiting film executives who were attending

 the Amelia Island 

Film Festival. Fishburne expressed appreciation for the local group’s efforts to promote South Georgia and North Florida as a dual destination for filmmakers seeking diversity of landscape as well as attractive economic incentives.

“Our industry is all about relationships,” Fishburne said. “I’d really like to see a long-term relationship between the two cities,” (speaking of St. Marys and Fernandina Beach). Fishburne went on to say that she was not aware of any other two states that are cooperating in this way.

The Coastal Georgia Film Society, along with area dignitaries, welcomed two sailings of the Cumberland Island Ferry on Friday. Guests were given a tour of the area’s film worthy locations and served up a generous helping of southern hospitality at several businesses throughout St. Marys’ Historic District.  They were then shown the new Film Society office and mini film museum and viewed the recently unveiled Coastal Georgia Film Society website—www.coastalgeorgiafilm.org, which will serve as a resource for filmmakers.

Several filmmakers, including an Emmy Award winner and an Academy Award nominee, expressed interest in the possibility of upcoming productions being filmed in and around St. Marys. Film Society Co-founder Barbara Ryan said the day could not have been more perfect.

“We accomplished our mission and that was to expose filmmakers to the values of filming in our area,” Ryan said. “Not only because of our diverse locations, but also because of the generous economic incentives that Georgia offers.”

Georgia has been referenced by national industry publications as one of the nation’s most attractive states when it comes to film incentives.

“Coastal Georgia has not, in the past, been a mecca for filmmaking,” Ryan said. “But that’s because we’ve never told anybody about what we have to offer.” 

Ryan and fellow Film Society board members are on a fast track to make up for lost time and capitalize on film industry opportunities that have added up to more than $900 million annually in years past.

“Just a sliver of that investment could make a difference in our economy,” Ryan said. “And the residual benefit of increased tourism that follows a popular film is priceless.”

For more information about the Coastal Georgia Film Society, visit www.coastalgeorgiafilm.org, or call 912-729-1103.

Filmmakers Tour Story in Times-Union

Link to article http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-02-27/story/filmmakers_tour_st_marys_georgia

Film Museum Seeks Memorabilia

FILM MEMORABILIA SOUGHT BY FILM SOCIETY 

FOR DOWNTOWN FILM MUSEUM

ST. MARYS, GA—Organizers of the St. Marys Film Society are working on developing a mini Film Museum in Downtown St. Marys and are reaching out to residents for ideas and contents for display.

To be housed at 300 Osborne Street in the Film Society office space provided by Joseph and Terra Lucent, the Film Museum will be an added attraction to St. Marys’ already impressive list of museums including the Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum, Orange Hall House Museum, the St. Marys Submarine Museum, and the display galleries at the Cumberland Island Visitors Center.

Vintage Hollywood items are already starting to line the walls of the Film Society office, but Donna Boyett, Film Society board member and benefactor of several displays, said there is much left to be done.

“We’re looking for anything of interest connected to the film industry, and that includes Hollywood, of course, but also items relating to television and video production,” Boyett said. “When the museum is complete, we’re confident it will not only be an asset for our city, but will also be an engaging experience that will help boost our share of tourism.”

Boyett said the donated and loaned props, old film reels, film tools (like old projectors), posters, scripts, and other types of memorabilia will comprise the museum’s exhibits. Film Society board members are working along with Express Scripts to build display areas as well.

Anyone who has an item they would like to donate or lend to the St. Marys Film Museum should call 912-729-1103.

Pick the Oscars

LOCAL “PICK THE OSCARS” CONTEST CALLS FOR ENTRIES

Winner could make film debut!

ST. MARYS, GA—Maybe no red carpet or annoying paparazzi, but this year Camden County residents have the opportunity to experience their own little bit of Hollywood in the “Pick the Oscars” Contest sponsored by Tribune-Georgian and Coastal Georgia Film Society.

Tribune-Georgian readers and other entrants will be asked to select their prediction of winners in eight major categories. The entrant with the most correct winners will receive a prize package that includes a walk-on part in the TV pilot CGAUX: Life Savers, a romantic stay in the Gable & Lombard Suite at The Goodbread House, dinner for 2 at Captain Seagle’s, gift certificate for Borrell Creek Landing, free movie passes, a professional photo session, Wild Horses-Wild Women gift certificate, dance lessons at Lisa Allen Danceworks, and photo features in local publications. In case of a tie, a coin toss will decide the winner.

To enter, simply clip and fill out one of the entry forms that will appear in upcoming Tribune-Georgian editions, or pick up an entry form at the Tribune-Georgian office. All entries must be postmarked by March 6^th. The Academy Award winners will be announced at the annual ceremony March 7. 

Casting Call

FILM SOCIETY CASTING CALL DRAWS ASPIRING STARS

 

ST. MARYS, GA—More than 100 acting hopefuls showed up Saturday at J’s Restaurant & British Pub to audition for upcoming film productions in Coastal Georgia. Tom Hayden, producer of the TV pilot CGAUX: Life Savers, was pleased with the turnout and the collection of talent.

 

“The casting call went well,” Hayden said. “The next step will be a ‘call back’ for those who we think can contribute to the TV pilot.”

 

Hayden and co-writer of the CGAUX: Life Savers TV pilot Mark Hildebrand (both of M-5 Films) joined local panelists Lisa Allen and Doug Vaught to screen auditions from applicants who ranged in age from 21 to the 80s. All applicants will be placed in the Coastal Georgia Film Society databank to reference for future film productions.

 

Talents included those with no acting experience, community theater actors, and professional actors as well. More often than not, when asked why an applicant showed up at the audition, the reply was, “We just want to be part of the excitement.”

 

Coming from Folkston, Woodbine, Fernandina Beach and beyond, many waited for hours to have their shot at cinematic fame. Coastal Georgia Film Society board members and volunteers were impressed by the patience of the group.

 

“We consider our first casting call a huge success,” said Doug Vaught, Chairman of Coastal Georgia Film Society. “There were many actors from the Amelia Community Theater and also several former CAP (Camden Area Players) at the casting call. Even those who are not called back for the TV pilot will be considered for future projects.”

 

The next project for Coastal Georgia Film Society is the hosting of film professionals whose films are featured in this week’s Amelia Island Film Festival. Filmmakers and film industry leaders including Florida’s state film commissioner will take the Cumberland Sound Ferry to St. Marys this Friday, be escorted on a locations tour, treated to mini-receptions at various downtown businesses, and then an afternoon wrap-up reception at the Riverview Hotel.

 

Those interested in learning more about Coastal Georgia Film Society can visit their website www.CoastalGeorgiaFilm.org which will go live Friday, February 26, 2010.

FILM SCREENING

FILM SOCIETY TO HOST FILM SCREENING

FEBRUARY 19 IN ST. MARYS

“MAN FROM PLAINS”

FREE TO PUBLIC

 

ST. MARYS, GA—“An extraordinary film about an extraordinary man…” That’s what Larry King said about Man From Plains, the film that Coastal Georgia Film Society will be screening as an event appetizer for the Amelia Island Film Festival which takes place the week after the St. Marys screening.

Biografilm winner of the Venice Film Festival and an official selection of the Toronto Film Festival, Man from Plains has been hailed as an “illuminating, candid, and intimate portrait” of our nation’s 39th president who hails from Plains, Georgia.

Event organizer Barbara Ryan said it is fitting that the first event of the newly named Coastal Georgia Film Society honors someone who has made us all proud to call Georgia home.

“Man from Plains was given the highest rating—four stars—that is awarded by such esteemed newspapers as the San Francisco Chronicle,” Ryan said. “Through the generosity of our big brother organization, the Amelia Island Film Festival, we are able to make this showing free to the public.” The film will be shown again the following week during the Amelia Island Film Festival.

Tony McAdoo, president of Amelia Island Film Festival hopes to create enough interest that Camden County residents will come by car or take the Cumberland Sound Ferry to enjoy the many films that the Festival on the south side of the river will be offering February 26-28.

“Amelia Island and Coastal Georgia are bridged by a common love of movies and we feel that co-promoting our events is a win-win scenario for everyone,” McAdoo said.

The 7:00 p.m. February 19^th screening in St. Marys at the Ward L. Hernandez Economic Building, 400 Osborne Street, is free to the public and will be preceded by an open reception at the St. Marys Visitors Center, 406 Osborne Street. As there are a limited number of seats available for the screening, the Coastal Georgia Film Society is asking those who wish to attend the screening and the reception to call 912-882-4000 for reservations.

FILM SOCIETY REVISES NAME

FILM SOCIETY REVISES NAME TO INCORPORATE BROADER AREA


ST. MARYS, GA—In an effort to more closely reflect their inclusive mission of “promoting film production throughout Coastal Georgia,” the St. Marys Film Society has changed its name to Coastal Georgia Film Society. According to Film Society Chair Doug Vaught, the board voted unanimously to make the name change during their recent board meeting.

“The new name, ‘Coastal Georgia Film Society,’ more accurately portrays our intentions to promote the entire region to filmmakers,” Vaught said. “And that means including some of our area’s greatest cinematic assets like the Okefenokee Swamp.”

Vaught went on to say, “Linking the film society to Georgia’s state efforts in luring filmmaking is being fast-tracked. The time to make decisions affecting long-term strategies is now.”

David Keating, Executive Director of the Camden County Joint Development Authority, supports the efforts of the film society in promoting the region as a great place for television and film production. “The State reports the economic impact of television and film production in Georgia was more than $900 Million last year. If we are successful in attracting just a small market share of that production activity, then it would yield big dividends for the community,” Keating said. “We are working with our state and local partners, including the film society, to promote the unique natural resources and economic assets of the area. Camden County is a great place for business, including television and film production.”

According to industry statistics, for every $1 spent in the promotion of filmmaking on a local basis, $7 is returned to the local economy.

The Coastal Georgia Film Society is located at 300 Osborne Street in St. Marys where Society organizers are setting up a mini film museum to be developed into an additional attraction for the area.

For more information, call 912-729-1103.