Georgia Hollywood Review November 2019

Georgia Hollywood Review November 2019

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Publisher/Founder/Editor-In-Chief: Miles K. Neiman

A Look to the Past, Present, and Future of Film and Television

Managing Editor: Jennifer Thompson

The Georgia Film industry is not simply an 11-billion-dollar industry. It is, rather, a mecca of creative talent. Men and women who are passionate, not only about creating works of art, but also giving 100% to each and every project that comes their way. The Georgia Hollywood Review is dedicated to capturing this talent and passion in the pages that follow. Look to each issue to discover the people, places, and things that make Georgia the leading state in the entertainment industry. A title that’s not only earned but should also be celebrated by all of us who enjoy the incredibly moving and inspiring medium of film and television.

post viewing dialogue, and the subjective take of the film, that make a filmmaker’s job incredibly exciting and satisfying.” In addition to the Marvel and Avengers stories that are being filmed in Georgia, there is no shortage of dramas, comedies, television series, and Indy films. Look for local actor Denitra Isler’s new movie, Just Mercy, with iconic superstar Jamie Foxx and Black Panther’s Michael B. Jordan. Also look for actor Chris Pratt, quietly shooting a project downtown with the current title Ghost Draft. In addition, Georgia is home to such productions as Dynasty, Ozark, and Stranger

Proofreader: Sloane Neiman

Magazine Designer: Brenda J. Oliver

Advertising Design: Sharon Jollay

Things, just to name a few. Thanks in advance for picking up our fine magazine and don’t hesitate to let us know about your project filming here in Georgia. Whether it be big or small, no vision of quality is too little for us to consider. Email us at myfilm@ georgiahollywoodreview.com. Finally, we invite you to like our Facebook page for updates and broadcasts of special screenings, as well as our Georgia Hollywood Review TV. Our host, Nadia Bilchik, has interviewed amazing personalities, such as President Nelson Mandela, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, and George Clooney. Now she is interviewing Georgia’s talent both above and below the line to help us tell stories about “a day in the life” of Georgia’s remarkable talent. For now, you can watch us on YouTube or our website, but look for us to come to your television screen soon. We will also cover award ceremonies for live interviews with Georgia celebrities at the Academy Awards, Grammy’s, Emmy’s, Sundance Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival, as well as our many Georgia Film Festivals. Until next issue, I wish you star studded nights and drama free days.

Powerhouses Ozzie Areu and partner Kim Leadford, featured on our cover, are two of the dynamic individuals making a difference in our strong and vibrant industry. Keep a watch on them in the headlines of the latest film, television, and music news in Georgia with their newest venture, Areu Bros. Studios. After recently acquiring Tyler Perry’s old property, they are positioned to make not only a big splash, but a difference in the fabric of the content available to us all. We will also cover Georgia’s strong and established music business. Look to next issue for us to expound more on this industry. In the meantime, read about Indy artist Stickz Greenz in our R&B section to add some color to your day. Greenz is not only a fearless and passionate artist, but an extremely prolific one as well. Also read about local director Deborah Riley Draper. Known for her 2012 film Versailles 73 , Deborah is now on the social justice warpath. Her latest films, Illegal Rose; Olympic Pride, American Prejudice; and Coffee Will Make You Black are sure to get us all thinking and discussing important social issues of today. And these discussions could not please her more, Deborah says. “A film should make us talk. It’s the

Photography: Aiva Genys Richie Arpino

Distribution: TGS Media

Advertising Sales: [email protected]

Sales Support: Beth Wroten

Georgia Hollywood Review TV Host: Nadia Bilchik

Videographer: Randy Harris

Contributing Writers Joanna Brooks Connor Judson Garrett Echo Montgomery Garrett Christopher Hall Tracey Hawkins Julie Herron Carson Jessica Holthaus Badour Michael J. Pallerino Mary Welch

Miles K. Neiman

about the cover

The Georgia Hollywood Review is published every other month by Georgia Hollywood Review, LLC. Reproductions in whole or in part, without expressed written permission of the publisher, are strictly prohibited. The Georgia Hollywood Review is not responsible for the content or claims of any advertising or editorial in this publication. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted. Copyright 2019. Send inquiries to 227 Sandy Springs Place, Suite D-288, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. For more information, contact [email protected].

Pictured: Ozzie Areu and Kim Leadford Photographer: Aiva Genys, AGpicture Photographer’s Assistant: Ethan Ramirez Location: Areu Bros Studios Hair: Paul Russo Makeup: Robin Burton

Deborah Riley Draper and Jasmine Guy MakeWaves with “Illegal Rose”

Georgiaʼs Denitra Isler Co-starswith Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan in “JustMercy”

Ozzie Areu andKim Leadford prepare to takeGeorgia’s Film, TV andMusic industry by stormwithAreu Bros. Studios

Atlantaʼs PC&E PropsUp the Film Industry

R&B Prince, Stickz Greenz Makes BeatsOriginal Again

CheckOut Georgia Hollywood Review TV with hostNadia Bilchik, for interviews with local celebrities and talent above and below the line!

Mark Stiemke and Crafty Apes Prepare to Produce 17Georgia Films

Child Actor Marco Schittone MakesHisMark

Hair by Paul Russo. Makeup by Robin Burton.

Visit our webpage: www.GeorgiaHollywoodReview.com

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CONTENTS

12 stunt woman Damita Jane Howard is Just Cool 14 casting Focused on the Big Picture 16 furry friends The Wild and Wooly Biz of Animal Casting 18 screenwriting+scripting Don Dudenhoeffer 20 location scouting Michael Woodruff at Eye Productions, Inc. 22 executive producer Mark Stiemke: The Connector 24 audio engineers Sound Confessions: Bob Miller 26 hair+makeup To Amy Elizabeth, Every Face is a Canvas 28 props RJR Props Creates Movie Magic 30 animatic storyboard The Godfather of Storyboard 31 industry groups Who is Going to Bat for Georgia’s Film Industry? 32 indie film Atlanta Filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper is One to Watch 34 blockbuster Just Mercy; Speaking to the Times 36 local studio Areu Bros; Changing the Complexion of the Entertainment Industry 38 celebrity actor & producer Terri Vaughn; Stronger Together

40 goodwill in film Mark Wofford of PC&E 42 sports+faith Full Count 44 child actor Marco’s World 46 biography Behind the Lens with Corine Dhondee 48 r&b Rapper Stickz Greenz

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CONTRIBUTORS

Photo by Kevin Garrett

Joanna Brooks has been an industry writer and producer in Atlanta since completing her M.F.A. in Film & Television in 2013. She has worked at corporate, broadcast, and digital production companies, and has been in Development at Crazy Legs Productions since 2016. In addition to contributing to the Georgia Hollywood Review , Joanna scripts choose-you-own-adventure games and her own feature screenplays.

Connor Judson Garrett , 2017 Edward Readicker-Henderson Travel Classics Award recipient, honed his craft as an advertising copywriter in Los Angeles. He is the author of two poetry books — Become The Fool and Life in Lyrics, a novel Falling Up in The City of Angels, and a co- authored mind-body self-help book The Longevity Game. His writing has appeared in Private Clubs Magazine, South Magazine, Hook & Barrel, Georgia Hollywood Review and ads for major brands such as Texas Pete, Green Mountain Gringo, and Ziprecruiter.

Echo Montgomery Garrett has written for more than 100 media outlets, including Delta Sky, Parade, ABC.com, AARP, The Atlanta Journal- Constitution, and Business Week . She’s the author of 20 books, including multi-award winning My Orange Duffel Bag: A Journey to Radical Change. Up next: a book called Unsung about growing up around Nashville’s Music Row with parents in the industry.

Tracey M. Hawkins has been a contributing editor and writer for various print publications, such as The Thirty-A Review, American Contemporary Art, and Frontier Airlines magazines; as well as award-winning websites, galleries, novelists, private artistic institutions, and individual artists. She has an extensive background in the fine arts, having served as a collegiate Professor of Art History, as well as a collections consultant, curator, and artists’ representative. traceymhawkins.com and skrybes.com

Julie Herron Carson , an Atlanta native, has over 30 years of public relations and feature writing expertise. Her specialties include media relations, newsletters, website writing, and cause-related marketing, as well as feature writing for The Thirty-A Review magazine and Atlanta ShowGuide . Julie is a graduate of the University of Georgia and lives in northeast Atlanta with her husband and teenage son.

Jessica Holthaus Badour From veteran communications specialist to preeminent food safety professional, Jessica Holthaus Badour has built a successful and diversified career developing compelling means of sharing information while engaging the public on essential issues. She is currently working full-time for the Georgia Department of Agriculture while freelancing in her spare time. www. linkedin.com/in/jessicaholthausbadour

Michael J. Pallerino is an award-winning writer who has written for a number of national B2C and B2B publications. When he is not lost in his writing, music and binge watching, Michael can be reached at [email protected].

Mary Welch is a veteran writer and editor who has worked for a number of publications, including the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Travelgirl Magazine, and biography.com . In her spare time she enjoys traveling with her son, Grady, and tries to fix up her 100-year-old home in Virginia-Highland. www.marywelchwriter.com Atlanta Woman, Business to Business, Car Business Today

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STUNT WOMAN

Damita Jane Howard is Just Cool By Tr ac ey Hawk i ns

A tlanta-based Damita Jane Howard is cool, chill, incredibly humble, and a necessity in her unique profession. For over ten years, she has leapt and fallen and jumped and taken punches (fake and real) from celebrities on the sets of some very well-known movies and TV shows. You have seen her impressive work as a professional stuntwoman in Avengers: Infinity War , Avengers: Endgame , Star, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Hunger Games, Whip It, Captain America, The Nice Guys, The Purge, The Originals, NCIS: New Orleans, and Selma as well as The Walking Dead, for which she has been the longest-running stunt-double (she is the stunt Michonne!). That you never knew you were watching Damita speaks volumes about her talent and passion for this rare and difficult profession. A Compton, California native, Howard has a fascinating background that includes a bachelor’s degree

in criminal justice from Clark Atlanta University and two master’s degrees in applied social sciences and historic preservation; all while a roller derby girl. Playing with the Atlanta Rollergirls at the national level led to Howard’s first role in stunts. Whip It director Drew Barrymore needed someone to skate for the character of Rosa Sparks, played by Eve, the rapper/actress in the film. Howard shot as Eve’s stunt-double for six weeks, 12-plus hours a day, and asked the stunt coordinator to help her get into stunts. He called all of the stunt coordinators in Georgia and gave her glowing recommendations. Howard has always been athletic, and she’s been hooked on the crazy skills, strength, and adrenaline involved in stunt work ever since. Because of her roller derby girl background, Howard excels at getting beat up and returning punches. She can take a punch or kick, jump through fire, leap out of cars, and still get up every time. She was trained in fire-work,

and she is currently training with the President of the Atlanta Black Rodeo Association, Keith Roberts. When not working on set, she now trains three to five days a week in western horse riding, running barrels, roping, and training both horses and other riders. Roberts is also teaching Damita how to be a ranch hand in preparation for owning her own ranch someday. She currently has two beloved quarter horses, Shadow and Blue Magic. Every day for Howard is fun; she gets to play both on-set and off. When she’s not working, she’s training. In addition to riding horses, training includes things like skating, martial arts practice, swimming, practicing fight choreography, and scuba diving. Howard was gracious enough to take some time out of her packed schedule to talk with us about her work in the industry.

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STUNT WOMAN

WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING A FEMALE STUNT PROFESSIONAL, AND HAS IT CHANGED FOR YOU OVER THE YEARS? We are no different than stuntmen, except sometimes we get paid less for the same work. And we often do stunts without pads/protection because our wardrobes are too skimpy to allow for it. These are facts about the profession that audiences probably simply don’t think about or realize. Men are usually the stunt coordinators in this industry and it is still very much a male-dominated profession. However, in Atlanta, we are lucky to have a couple of rare women who are stunt coordinators. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT SO FAR, AND WHY? I don’t really have a favorite project. My favorite projects are ones where I get to work with extremely talented, veteran stunt performers. I don’t always get to have one-on-one conversations with them, but there’s always an opportunity to watch, listen, and learn. I am always learning and challenging myself. I want to be constantly expanding my skill set. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW OR ASPIRING STUNTS PROFESSIONALS? Figure out what areas of stunts you want to work in and start training as soon as possible. Become as close to an expert as you can. Market yourself over social media. Never accept a job doing something you aren’t amazing at--that’s the fastest way to get black-listed. WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW? I recently produced and starred in my first short: titled Stuntwoman. It was written and directed by a super-talented woman named Stacie Davis. It’s currently doing very well on the indie film festival circuit and I’m very proud to say that it screened at Artemis Film Festival in Los Angeles. Artemis is the “Women In Action” festival--a big deal for stuntwomen. More information about Artemis can be found at: www. artemisfilmfestival.com .

When she’s not working, she’s training. In addition to riding horses, training includes things like skating, martial arts practice, swimming, practicing fight choreography, and scuba diving.

For a comprehensive look at Howard’s film and television credits, visit her IMDB page at: www.imdb.com/name/nm3180152

Photography courtesy of Robin Henson

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CASTING

Focused on the Big Picture Jen Kelley and Rita Harrell gave themselves the lead roles as partners in Big Picture Casting By Echo Mont gome r y Ga r re t t

F inding the right business partner is like the challenge of casting the right talent — on steroids. When Jen Kelley saw room in the Atlanta market for a new casting agency in 2011, she immediately thought of her colleague from the People Store, one of the top talent agencies in the Southeast where she had worked for fourteen years. Kelley knew her work style and ethics aligned with Rita Harrell’s. New Hampshire native Kelley drove across the country to Los Angeles immediately after college graduation, determined to be a sitcom writer. She got her start in the industry as an assistant in the youth division of a talent agency. She moved to Atlanta in 1996 to become an artist but eventually felt the pull of becoming a talent agent again and joined The People Store, Inc. For several years, Harrell lived in New York City where she worked in casting for theatrical organizations such as The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, the New York Theater Workshop and the Williamstown Theater Festival. She freelanced in casting on various television and movie projects and worked in FOX Television’s east coast casting office before returning to her hometown of Atlanta with her husband Scott. When Kelley reached out, Harrell had left the talent agency for five years to start her family, and she was ready to jump back in the game. The duo co-founded Big Picture Casting. Their office in downtown Decatur offers a studio where they tape auditions, and the agency has gotten so busy that they recently promoted their one employee Kimberley Thomas to an associate position. “Tax incentives were just kicking in, and the volume of work was starting to change here,” says Kelley. “I kept hearing from clients that they wanted more casting options.” The pair dove in. Says Kelley, co-author of The Actor’s Guide for Kids , “We’re one of the few casting directors in town who do it all: film, television, commercial and voice over.” She also notes that, “Each year has its own flavor. Some years have been busier with film and television. This year’s been busy for commercials.”

adding, “We both have a really good sense of humor. We keep things lighthearted when it gets stressful.” And although each have their strengths, they’ve learned to play all the roles needed to lead a successful casting agency. Since they started their agency, the number of talent agencies has quadrupled. “A lot more actors are moving here, and the talent pool has grown significantly,” says Kelley. One of the duo’s biggest casting jobs was the Tom Cruise movie American Made. “That was a challenging one, because we had so many roles to fill with different nationalities,” says Harrell. Big Picture frequently works with Adult Swim and cast four seasons of the Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell series. Says Kelley, “That show is quirky and weird. It’s a challenge sometimes finding the right person for it, but it’s a lot of fun.” Still there are challenges. “One of the toughest things about being a casting director is balancing your schedule,” says Kelley. “It’s often feast or famine. You never know when your next job is coming.” Like many businesses, Big Picture relies heavily on word-of-mouth and gets a lot of repeat business. “Word of mouth is crucial — especially in the film and television world,” says Harrell. As for the type of roles that are going to actors in Georgia, Kelley says the business is changing but there is “still a way to go. Producers often want a star name in the role of a series lead and that still usually gets cast out of LA or NYC. We are seeing local actors getting more and more recurring, guest star, and supporting roles” Harrell attributes some of their success to their strong sense of talent and good taste.

Rita Harrell, Jen Kelley and Kimberly Thomas

Both partners, members of the Casting Society of America, have their different roles. Harrell jokes that she’s the technological end of the partnership — “the IT department,” — while Kelley says, “I’m the organized one. I like to do scheduling and get out and see live theater and keep my eyes peeled for new talent.” They both admit to being detail oriented perfectionists, which is essential to casting, says Harrell,

“We have a good vocabulary for giving direction,” she says. “We take the vision of the director, the production company or the ad agency and communicate that to the actors, so they can produce what they need to do to win the role.” Because so much new talent is coming into the market, says Kelley, “Everyone has to up their game.”

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FURRY FRIENDS The Wild and Wooly Biz of Animal Casting

The top dog in animal casting in Georgia reveals the latest trends and why business is booming By Echo Mont gome r y Ga r re t t

G reg Tresan of Animal Casting Atlanta takes a break after unloading his precious cargo on a film set to talk about his favorite subject: the business of providing animals and other critters for films, TV, commercials, and print. The California native was first introduced to the film industry via dog training thanks to his partnership with Jumpin’ Jess, a frisbee-loving Australian Shepherd that he trained and competed with all over the country. “She was a great frisbee dog, and we wound up doing half-time shows for the NFL and performing at MLB stadiums,” says Tresan, who runs Animal Casting with his wife and business partner Carol. In Ball Ground, the couple operates a 15-acre ranch, which has a full-service commercial training and boarding facility. Says Carol,

summer. It was a real challenge to do that safely for the human and the spiders.” He worked closely with the American Humane Association and production on the elaborate set up. Tresan has built trust by being budget conscious. “I got asked for flamingos recently,” he says. “I told the client flamingos are extremely delicate, not local. It would be very difficult and probably not worth the cost. Everything comes down to budget, the safety of the animal, and the crew.” He observes animals’ popularity trends. “We joke that the writers must all eat lunch together and look at the same demographics,” he says. “Lately, rats are in. Sometimes goats or bunnies are in.” The most difficult animal to work with is cats. He says, “One in 100 can make a film dog. With cats, it’s more like one in 1,000.” However he and his wife managed to train Ziva, a cat that they love. Says Carol, “She was rescued by Spider Man from a burning bodega.” Tresan works with a variety of animals and says, “My favorite animal to work with is an animal that has some sense of what’s going on, is compliant and helps make the day go smoothly. Every animal has its own personality.” He thrives on challenges. On the movie Prisoners , he had to create a safety stunt vest for a dog that was supposed to be yanked off the ground and look like it had been strung up by an actor. He used the same technology for a similar stunt for Widows . “People reacted strongly to those scenes, because it looked so real, but the dog was perfectly safe,” he says. “I always like it when we get a chance to do groundbreaking stuff. On a Comedy Central show, we had to dress a chicken in a tuxedo and teach it to play the piano. We had to come up with some interesting ways to get a chicken to do that.” Some of his castings have become unlikely breakout stars. “The rat in Avengers: Endgame has a significant role and did something that made it the unsung hero of the film,” he says. “Entire blog posts have been written about that rat and he’s all over the Internet.” The animal lover predicts that his company’s star will continue to rise: “The film industry in Georgia has exploded with more and more studios investing in our state.”

“He calls me the chief executive officer in charge of increasing the herd. I like horses, sheep, and cows. He prefers dogs.” Knowing the Atlanta Olympics were coming, Tresan started the company — originally called Dogworks — in 1993. The couple now have eleven dogs that work in the business and more than 2,000 in their >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52

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