Visions 2015 Rockdale News Special Section | Page 16

movies in rockdale

action!!
Filming brings major economic impact to Rockdale
By john ruch

W

ith metro Atlanta now known as
"Hollywood South" for a bevy of
major movie and TV show productions, Rockdale is among the places reaping the financial rewards-and gaining a bit of
glamor along the way.
In the past five years, about 40 different productions have
filmed here, pumping an estimated $20 million in the local
economy, according to the Conyers Rockdale Economic Development Council.
Some stay briefly, like the
new supernatural adventure
show "Constantine" that filmed
here over the summer and
premiered this week on NBC.
But the big impact comes from
long-term productions that
plant roots and spend big on
wages, supplies and food.
"The Originals" is the bestknown example. With offices
in Olde Town-where it often
films-and massive studio space
elsewhere in Conyers, the
vampire series has spent at
least $2.5 million in Rockdale,
Richard Autry
according to CREDC. It's also
Superintendent
given part of Olde Town a
long-term cosmetics job, with
facades and storefronts altered to look like the show's New
Orleans setting.
Major movies often base themselves in local studio space as
well, a trend that started in 2010 with the action film "Fast Five."
“Selma,” the Oprah Winfrey produced Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. biopic, filmed scenes inside Rockdale's courthouse. HBO’s
“Bessie,” starring Queen Latifah, filmed a homecoming scene in
Olde Town. “Alvin and the Chipmunks” has been shooting in

“We don’t want
to do this top
down,” he said. “I
don’t want to tell
schools or school
families what
their school
needs to be. ”

—

Continued on page 23
16 ROCKDALENEWS.COM l Visions 2015

Top to bottom:
The late Paul Walker at Las Flores
Restaurant in 2010.
/ Homecoming
scene for "Bessie,"
starring Queen Latifah, shot in 2014.
/ "Vampire Diaries"
scene in Olde Town
/ "Joyful Noise"
homecoming scene,
starring Queen Latifah, shot in 2011.