With Georgia’s TV and film industry growing, there’s increasing demand to find people in the state to fill crew positions like camera operators, lighting technicians and make-up artists.
But there’s also a growing need for professionals who can parallel park while driving 80 miles per hour.
Stuntwoman Amy Tomberlin Cheek is an instructor with Bobby Ore Motorsports who lives in south Florida.
But because Georgia started offering film tax incentives, her company opened a new school in Dawsonville at the Atlanta Motorsports Park in late April.
“Being in the film and television industry, you’re very attuned with tax incentives and where the money is,” Cheek said. “For us to end up in Georgia was very logical with all of the film and television going on there.”
She now commutes to teach at her school’s new branch. She shows Georgia residents stunt driving techniques like 180 degree spins and 90 degree slides.
People are signing up to learn how to pull off a Hollywood-style car chase, but also how to jump off skyscrapers as stunt performers.
Georgia Film Academy Executive Director Jeff Stepakoff spoke earlier this year on WABE’s Closer Look about the growing demand.
“When industry gets in touch with us and says, you know, ‘We’re going to need 75 painters in a few weeks,’ we can roll this course out; we can train those painters,” Stepakoff said.
The Georgia Film Academy launched in January with 200 students enrolled in its first semester.
http://news.wabe.org/post/georgia-stunt-driving-schools-meet-demand-film-industry
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