72 WINTER 2019 MOVIEMAKER.COM
SMALL CITIES
AND TOWNS
1
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Savannah Historic District, with its
oak-shaded parks and Spanish moss
looming over cobblestone streets, is like step-
ping into the past even before a film crew has
performed their wizardry. It’s no wonder the
upcoming Civil War-themed drama Emperor
settled there after scouting all over the South.
In search of a period fort in good condition,
co-writer and director Mark Amin says
Savannah didn’t disappoint: “We found
Fort Jackson in Savannah, which we could
cheat as Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia, so
we thought we’d found the perfect location.
We also found a period plantation with slave
shacks, which is really hard to find.”
“The shoot was 28 days long, with at least
10 filming locations; one Savannah location
that was particularly memorable was a road
next to a lake, where the road was separated
from the lake by a few trees and you could see
the lake through the trees—all very beauti-
ful,” Amin recalls. “There was also the road
leading up to Wormsloe plantation, which is
now a state historic site, where trees arch over
the road to create a tunnel effect.” Amin also
praises the GA tax credit, Savannah’s individu-
al tax credit on top of it, as well as local crews:
“Our first A.D. was especially good—I started
calling him ‘Jedi’ by the end of the shoot.”
Given that it’s reportedly set around the
turn of the century, it’s not surprising that
Disney chose Savannah to film its upcoming
live-action Lady and the Tramp. (The film
is rumored to be the first that will debut on
Disney’s yet-to-be-unveiled streaming site
in 2019.) The upcoming Will Smith vs.
Will Smith sci-fi film Gemini Man also filmed
in Savannah’s Wright Square over the summer,
while the Sylvester Stallone-starring action
film Backtrace filmed on Hutchinson Island
earlier in the year. Having served as 2nd As-
sistant Director on Lady and the Tramp and
the Liam Hemsworth thriller Killerman,
Witt Lacy has kind words for Savannah as a
place to work and live. “The town is inviting
and the locations are gorgeous, and it wasn’t
long until I was met with Southern warmth
both in weather and heart” he says. “After
working a few gigs, I realized there was lots
of potential in Savannah.” As for constructive
criticism, Lacy says Savannah needs “more
film infrastructure, crew, and stage space to
accom-
modate
needs of larger
projects, or multiple
projects; the city is work-
ing to rectify those problems with
additional incentives and rebates. Savannah
has been growing into a viable, beautiful film-
ing location, but she still has growing to do.”2
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
In more ways than one New Orleans
continues to be a city on the mend. Thir-
teen years after floodwall failures led to dev-
astating flooding during Hurricane Katrina,
two gigantic new pump stations and barrier
gates were completed in 2018, representing
the culmination of over $14 billion worth of
post-Katrina repairs. Further down the prior-
ity ladder, but still important, 2018 saw the
city rebounding from its dip in film produc-
tion that followed the 2015 decision to plug a
budget cap with a cap on tax credits at $180
million per year. Adjustments made in 2017 in-
clude new incentives for the creation of good,
lasting employment for state residents and a
five percent credit for filming throughout the
state, outside of the New Orleans area.
“The legislative changes to the state’s tax
credit program re-established industry confi-
dence in Louisiana,” says Film New Orleans
Interim Director Carroll Morton. “The result
has been a boom for filming in New Orleans
with the city’s 15-plus years of building infra-
structure, studios and a deeply experienced
crew base attracting productions.” He goeson to
say that
the city is a
natural fit with
the film industry because
the latter “blends with our rich traditions in
music, food, and festivals. The end of 2018
is experiencing close to a record level of film
activity, and I’m happy to report there’s more
on the way for 2019.”3
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
Multiple Emmy wins for Netflix’s limited
series Godless this fall will only continue
to bolster Santa Fe’s reputation as a go-to
locale for thinking Westerns after the similarly
contemplative Hostiles, with Christian Bale,
also lensed here before opening to acclaim.
Add to that the Coen brothers Western anthol-
ogy, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and there’s
a trend forming. Even a simple cowhand can
appreciate a refundable tax credit of up to
30 percent and a small-budget-friendly lack of
minimum spend.
Santa Fe’s competitive incentives and proac-
tive, engaging Film Commission are only a
couple of reasons one might choose to call this
UNESCO-recognized area home; its high-cul-
ture delights such as the Santa Fe Opera
and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet are matched by
the natural architectural beauty of places like
Taos Pueblo, a Native American settlement at
the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
established 1,000 years ago. You can also visit
the San Geronimo Chapel, built in 1619 and