Georgia’s film industry is now ranked 3rd in the world.

With over 30 movies and TV shows currently filming in Georgia, it is hard to deny that Georgia has one of the biggest film industries in the world.

On Tuesday, SCAD held a panel discussion on the current state of the film industry in Georgia and many of the panelists agreed that are going well for the Peach State.

“The incentive program started in 2008 and it has been a landslide,” said Craig Miller from the Georgia Production Partnership.

From WSAV:

Miller says it’s resulted in the building of 13 film studios.  He says in 2015, 240 films, television programs and music videos were all produced in Georgia, putting the state behind only New York and Los Angeles in terms of the number of productions.

In comparison, Louisiana’s once thriving film industry is struggling to compete with Georgia. According to Louisiana Film Industry website, LouisianaEntertainment.gov, there are only five movies and TV shows filming in Louisiana.

Meanwhile, North Carolina, a state that used to be Georgia’s biggest competition, only features four TV shows and movies.

But, Georgia’s feature film industry may be in trouble. Recently, Australia granted a 40% tax incentive to feature films that decide to film in Queensland, Australia. Since that announcement, Marvel’s Thor and several other feature films are expected to film on the Gold Coast. It is important to keep in mind that Thor was supposed to film in Georgia.

Recent Georgia news:

• The Georgia Film Academy To Start Classes this January

• Why Georgia’s Film Industry is In Serious Trouble

• 31 TV Shows and Movies Filming in Georgia in November

What do you think of Georgia’s growing film industry? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!

A giant Pumpkin balloon bounces through Arizona terrifying children and ruining Halloween.

Halloween isn’t the same without candy, costumes and pumpkins. But, one pumpkin has gone wild in Peoria, Arizona.

According to multiple reports, a 25-foot tall, 350 pound inflatable pumpkin got on the loose “bouncing like a basketball”.

“I was so shocked to see that it was like bouncing like a basketball all the way down the road,” Patrick Sparkes with Big AZ Promotions, the pumpkin’s owner, told local 12News.

The pumpkin was to be used for a local party but, it broke free after storm winds. Following nearly hour long search, the pumpkin was found in a park. The pumpkin was later deflated.

This is not the first time an inflatable balloon got loose. Just a few days ago the JLENS blimp broke free of its tether in Maryland and floated all the way to Pennsylvania where it finally collapsed onto the ground.

I smell a movie idea…the rise of the haunted balloons.

Recent Halloween news:

• 8 Halloween Costumes Celebrities Wore that Offended Everyone

• Kid’s Pablo Escobar Halloween Costume Has the Internet Going Crazy

• ‘The Purge’ To Start This Halloween? FBI Warns Cops

• Women Nearly Goes Blind After Wearing Halloween Contact Lenses

What do you think of the Halloween pumpkin escape? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!

Internet is going crazy after seeing a kid version of Pablo Escobar.

Someone decided to dress up this little kid up as the notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, complete with a tacky Hawaiian shirt, parted curly hair, mustache, a tiny gun, and a briefcase full of money.

The adults at the party seem really entertained. Especially as the kid even fist bumps other adults. The website, Break, also found this pretty funny, posting the video on Facebook with the caption, “Little Pablo Escobar runs the biggest fun size Snickers cartel…”

However, as The Latin Times points out, many commenters found this extremely offensive. “I can’t wait to dress my children up in the most offensive, inappropriate costumes ever. I want at least 10 phone calls to Social Services questioning my parenting abilities,” writes one Facebook user.

“I do not think this is funny. Pablo Escobar is tied to murdering thousands people (many of them innocent),” writes another, who then binge-watches Netflix’s Narcos, to research the damage Escobar did the Columbian people.

Ultimately, this poor kid has NO idea what is going on and is probably extremely confused as to why everyone is laughing at him and his minature briefcase.

Recent Halloween news:

• ‘The Purge’ To Start This Halloween? FBI Warns Cops

• Women Nearly Goes Blind After Wearing Halloween Contact Lenses

• Burger King’s Halloween Whopper Will Turn Your Poop Green

What do you think? Should you put kids in offensive costumes? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!

Tom Hanks reveals his first movie role and his very first audition and it’s pretty amazing.

Before becoming an A-list actor, winning Academy Awards, and a house hold name across the world. Tom Hanks was a struggling actor just trying to make it. Since then, Tom Hanks has worked on some of the biggest movies of all times including Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump. 

Nowadays, Tom Hanks is busy promoting his new Oscar contending movie, Bridge of Spies and filming his new movie with Clint Eastwood, Sully. In a recent interview with BuzzFeed, Tom Hanks sat down and went through all of the movies he has made in his filmmaking career. One of the most interesting parts of the Tom Hanks interview occurred when Hanks revealed what it was like to audition for his first movie role.

From :

The very first movie I made, I didn’t even know the process of being cast. I was in New York and I was just an actor who was trying to bounce around, and I went to some audition and it was by Lansbury–Beruh — they were the guys that were producing, among other things, Godspell. I went up to their office and they had all these posters for Broadway shows and I thought, Wow. These are really big heavy hitters. The audition was for a low-budget horror movie called He Knows You’re Alone — actually, the script I read was called The Uninvited. And I did this kind of general audition and they said, “OK, you’ll be in the movie. We don’t know who you’re going to play, but you’ll be in the movie.” And I said, “Is that how it works? Just like that?”

Tom Hanks then breaks down what it was like filming the low budget horror movie. Ultimately, it was nothing like what he sees nowadays.

I ended up having two days on it — we shot it out in the wintertime in Staten Island — and we were all in one Winnebago and stuff like that. But I kept looking for the equipment and I didn’t realize that that was the camera because it was so small. I was like, Where’s Busby Berkeley sitting on a big massive thing with blimps over it trying to keep it quiet?Instead, it was this very small Aeroflex. And I couldn’t believe it. … I was more confused than anything.

You can read the full interview with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg .

Tom Hanks is currently filming his new movie Sully in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia. Sully stars Tom Hanks as Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and his life before and after the heroic crash landing along the Hudson River in New York City. If you can’t remember, Sullenberger was a piloting US Airways Flight 1549 when it struck a flock of birds. He then performed an emergency landing in New York City’s Hudson River.

Recent Tom Hanks news:

• Clint Eastwood’s ‘Sully’ Starring Tom Hanks Open Casting Call in Atlanta

• Tom Hanks to Start Filming Dan Brown’s ‘Inferno’ this April

• Tom Hanks Audition for ‘Forrest Gump’ is Amazing [VIDEO]

What do you think of Tom Hanks’ first audition? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!

Former Tommy Hilfiger model dies after jumping off a bridge in California.

Actor and model Sam Sarpong Jr. died on Monday in Pasadena, California of an apparent suicide. The British-American TV actor and model who worked on MTV’s Yo Mama for three seasons, he was only 40 years old.

Us Weekly reports that a representative from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner – Coroner has confirmed that Sarpong died after jumping off a bridge.

Sarpong’s rep provided the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter:

It is with great sadness that the family of Samuel Sarpong, Jr. must share the news that Sam has passed away. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation and no additional details are known at this time. Information about final arrangements will be forthcoming. The family appreciates the thoughts prayers and other expressions of sympathy, and request their privacy be respected at this extremely difficult time. Samuel Sarpong Jr. is survived by his father Samuel Sarpong Sr., and his sister June Sarpong. Sam Sarpong was 40 years old. Sam Passed away on Monday, October 27, 2015 at 3:50 p.m. in Pasadena Ca.

Sarpong started his career as a model for major fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and walking in shows for Versace, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana.

He recently worked on the new FX series American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, which premieres early 2016. But, Sarpong has worked on several other major movies including the 2003 box office hit movie Love Don’t Cost a A Thing. 

Rest in Peace Sam Sarpong Jr.

Recent Hollywood deaths:

• Michael Jackson’s Death is Getting Turned into a TV Series

• Lamar Odom’s Near Death Experience Boosts Kardashian’s Likes by 300%

• ‘Jem and the Holograms’ Director Targeted with Death Threats

What do you think of Sam Sarpong’s suicide? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!

The Georgia Film Academy will open their doors in less than three months.

Recently, Gov. Nathan Deal announced his plans to establish the Georgia Film Academy to help support the growing demand of Georgia’s growing film industry. Now, the Georgia’s Governor plans to support Georgia’s growing film industry are beocming a reality as the Film Academy will be located at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia.

According to The Citizen, the Georgia Film Academy will start their first classes in January 2016.

From The Citizen:

The new film academy will open its doors in January and, according to Executive Director Jeff Stepakoff, the intent is to offer for-credit courses in conjunction with the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) along with continuing education course work.

“There is tremendous support and interest in the film academy,” said Stepakoff, a professor of film and television writing at Kennesaw State University, who has been involved in producing, writing and content creation for both television and motion pictures.

Pinewood Atlanta Studios is planning on working with the Georgia Film Academy to create a 15,000 sq. ft. soundstage building. The location of the soundstage is currently unknown, but plans suggest it will be located in the legendary Pinewood Atlanta Studios.

Pinewood Atlanta Studios will become the first industry partner with the Georgia Film Academy, Board of Regents, University School System of Georgia and Technical College School System of Georgia, according to Stepakoff.

“The intent is to have pilot classes with our academic partners (USG and TCSG) in January for the spring semester,” Stepakoff noted. “The intent is to offer courses for credit and those for continuing education.”

To sign up for classes be sure to stay tuned for updates here.

Source: The Citizen

Recent Georgia Film Academy news:

• How the Georgia Film Academy will Transform Georgia’s Film Industry

• Marvel’s Movie Studio To Host the Georgia Film Academy

• Georgia Governor Plans to Create Georgia Film Academy

• Film Academy Launches New Free Program for Georgia’s Growing Film Industry

What do you think of the Georgia Film Academy? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!