CINELEASE

Cinelease opened Atlanta operations in 2007 with a vision, just 8,000 square feet of warehouse space in East Point, and only 1 employee. In just over a decade, Cinelease has become one of the most prominent employers in Georgia’s film industry as it serves statewide productions from Clayton, Gwinnett, and Newton Counties, and has nearly 60 full-time lighting and grip staff operating out of 200,000 square feet of space – highlighting its commitment to creating job opportunities and long-term investments in the state.

In 2011, as Georgia’s entertainment industry was emerging and attractive tax incentives repositioned the state, cities like Covington were poised to become key components to film and television. Cinelease was quick to respond, utilizing 45 years of industry experience to provide services to clients and, later, diversify into the Atlanta-based studio management division.

In partnership with Rahim Charania and Cary Goldman of Covington Media Holdings LLC, Cinelease took transformative steps in 2020, opening Cinelease Studios-Three Ring, a purpose-built film and television campus with 6 sound stages totaling 110,000 sq. ft., 60,000 sq.ft. of mill space, 12 office bungalows totaling 30,000 sq. ft., and an expansive wooded and developed backlot. The studio has been leased at 100% capacity since opening with clients including Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, and Skydance Media.

With demand for content at an industrywide high, Cinelease Studios-Three Ring is in phase 2 of development that will add 8 new sound stages totaling 144,000 sq. ft., 72,800 sq. ft. of additional mills, and 70,000 square feet of increased office space. Once completed in 2023, the campus will have 250,000 square feet of sound stages, 170,000 square of mill space, and 100,000 square feet of office support. “Cinelease has been a pioneer in Georgia’s entertainment industry. Our senior leadership had the foresight to see the potential in the state, and we are proud to have acted as a catalyst for the regional expansion of our industry”, said Gannon Murphy, General Manager of Cinelease Studios. “We can confidently say that investing in an expansion of this magnitude reinforces Cinelease’s commitment to making an impactful contribution to the workforce, tax base, and client experience in Georgia”.

The impact of Cinelease’s physical presence in Georgia has created a ripple effect of organic growth, both for the company and the local economy. “Production crews range from a handful to several hundred, but regardless of size, the local spend fuels Georgia’s economy”, says Jessa Grazioplene, Director of Studio Client Relations.

“As job creation for the state’s entertainment industry continues, our vertical growth expansion of our 572,000 square foot, purposebuilt studio reinforces our positive impact and ongoing commitment to calling Georgia our home.”