Walker County has been named one of 16 “Camera Ready Communities” in Georgia, signifying a streamlined process for giving access to film and television crews.
The list was created by the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. The film office hopes the designation will encourage more productions to shoot in the state.
Under the designation, each county must have a liaison to work as a point person for interested production companies, according to a news release. Ringgold city councilman and actor Randall Franks, who played Officer Randy Goode in the TV series “In the Heat of the Night,” will serve as Walker County’s liaison.
Bibb, Carroll, Chatham, Coweta, DeKalb, Dougherty, Emanuel, Floyd, Fulton, Hall, Houston, Lowndes, Morgan, Newton and Wilkes counties also were named to the list.
State Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, said any time a film company inquires about filming in Georgia, the film office will give them the list of communities ready for a close-up.
Mullis has pushed for bringing more films to Georgia and called the film industry “crucial for economic development.” He and Franks already have been cataloging sites that could be used in filming, he said.
“The most unlikely place could be that special place,” he said.
During fiscal year 2010, more than 348 productions shot in Georgia, accounting for about $1.33 billion in economic impact, according to the state film office.
Earlier this year, a film crew set up shop in Chickamauga to film scenes with “Twilight” actor Robert Pattinson for an upcoming movie called “Water for Elephants.”
Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell said she hopes more films will follow.
“When a production company gets ready to make a movie, they’ll see Walker County is a Camera Ready Community,” she said.