Newton has become hotbed for filming

In 1978, a film crew member adjusts the camera before a scene of “The Dukes of Hazzard” is shot in Covington. Special | City of Covington

Newton has become hotbed for television, film production

By TAYLOR BECK

tbeck@covnews.com

Ahotbed for the film industry and a tourist destination, Covington and Newton County is the “Hollywood of the South.”

Since “A Man Called Peter” in 1954, Newton County has been the site of more than 165 television and film productions. The most notable are television series “The Dukes of Hazzard” filmed in Covington for one season in 1978; “In the Heat of the Night” filmed from 1988-1995; and “Vampire Diaries,” from 2009-2017.

Three productions filmed in Newton County have won Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress, “My Cousin Vinny;” Best Short Film, “The Accountant;” and Best Original Song, “Selma.”

Covington Regional Visitor Information Center Coordinator Ron Carter said the success of projects filmed in Newton County created an influx of tourism growth that has only multiplied over the last 10 years.

“Tourism has most definitely grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years,” he said. “We saw a great increase during the filming of ‘In the Heat of the Night’ but nothing like we’ve seen for ‘Vampire Diaries.’”

Carter said Covington projected to have 70,000 tourists visit the area in 2021 compared to only 20,400 guests in 2011.

“Of those, approximately 80% are film tourists, and of that 80%, around 75-80% are ‘Vampire Diaries’ fans,” Carter said. “The success of the most recent series ‘Sweet Magnolias’ on Netflix will surely provide another influx of guests to Covington.”

So many visitors translates to tax revenue for the county. Carter said the Georgia Department of Economic Development & US Travel Association estimated direct tourist spending in 2019 for Covington/Newton County to be almost $130 million and estimates 2019 local tax revenues from film tourism to be $3.7 million.

“This results in each Newton County property owner received $268 in household tax relief (2019),” Carter said. “The earliest data (for comparison) I have is from 2010 with numbers being direct tourist spending of $67 million; tax revenues $1.87 million; $112 in household tax relief.”

The financial benefit of filming is one of the biggest reasons why so much filming takes place in Newton County — because county and city leaders pursue those projects.

“Covington was the first Camera Ready Community in Georgia, which means we have streamlined the filming permit process and make it as easy as possible for producers, location scouts and production companies to film here,” Carter said. “We see the tremendous benefits

of filming and the financial impact it makes on our community through tourism. Film tourism is not an immediate return on investment but we’ve seen, with previous programs, that the longevity is definitely there.”

With the rise in filming and tourism, the Newton County Chamber of Commerce successfully trademarked the nickname “Hollywood of the South” in 2012.

As result of the area’s film industry boom, multiple studios have been built and operate in Newton County.

In late 2020, Cinelease Studios-Three Ring began operating on 160 acres on Georgia Hwy. 142 two miles north of I-20 in Covington. There is more than 110,000 square feet of sound stage space, 60,000 square feet of stage support space, 30,000 square feet of office space, and an additional 110 acres for location filming.

Triple Horse Studios operates on Technology Drive in Covington. It includes sound stages, scenic operations, camera, lighting and grip equipment departments as well as a post-production division with screening rooms, editorial, sound, foley, visual effects, color grade and finishing, according to information on its website.

SEEING STARS

While many might think filming could cause endless interruptions for local merchants and the community’s residents, Carter said it isn’t as bad as it used to be.

“When I went to college, it was during ‘In the Heat of the Night,’ so I didn’t get to see good bit of that,” he said. “When they would [film in certain locations], it was definitely more interruption to the community than what it is now. When they would do a shot then, they would close pretty much a whole street for quite a while. Now, for “The Vampire Diaries” and “Originals,” when they would do a shot, they may close the street for about 15-20 minutes, then reset with everything back open again.”

Carter said the only time film crews completely shut down a location is typically for a flashback or period piece. In fact, he pointed to one production that required the Square to be shut down in order to cover the area with dirt.

But in another instance, for the 2019 film “Doctor Sleep,” Carter said the production crew did something “unheard of” to close the Square.

“They were keeping everything so secretive that they actually came in and paid every store owner to shut the entire Square down for three whole days,” he said.

Carter said he enjoyed getting to watch filming around the county. The first shoot he ever witnessed was in Covington for “The Dukes of Hazzard.” He said they used his grandmother’s property to drive across for a scene. Carter remembered getting to stay home from school that day and meeting all of the actors.

Today, he says “The Vampire Diaries” was his favorite show to be filmed in the county.

“And that’s only because I’m working here now,” he said. “It is just being able to see people everyday coming into our community because of the show. I tell people I’ve got the best job in Newton County. I get to see our beautiful town through new eyes everyday. And I’m talking thousands of people coming through here, from every corner of the globe they come and visit us.”

A scene from television series “In the Heat of the Night” is filmed in Covington during the late 1980s,

early 1990s. Special | City of Covington