InTucker Magazine

From the Mayor -March 2021

HBO. Disney. Netflix. FOX. New Line Cinema.

These studios make some of the most entertaining and compelling shows and movies around. And you know what else they all have in common? Tucker.

That’s right, our Tucker, Georgia has been featured as the backdrop for Emmy-winning shows, Oscar-winning movies and other critically acclaimed works. A-list actors ranging from Jason Bateman to Jennifer Aniston have used our Tucker Recreation Center. A couple years ago, scenes from an episode of “Ozark” were shot in the business right next to mine. I even got Laura Linney to stop by and say hello to my office manager who, as it turns out, is a huge fan.

I bring all this up for a few reasons. First, hosting these kinds of productions is a great boost to any city’s reputation. Here in Tucker, I like to think we wear our film history as a badge of honor. Anytime you watch “I, Tonya” or stream “Stranger Things”, you’re not just watching some fictional town, you’re proudly watching Tucker. Second, the film industry has a significant economic impact. Whether it’s Mark-Paul Gosselaar ducking into Local 7 in between takes or a local caterer being called on for craft services, our businesses are making money thanks to these productions. Lastly, I bring this up now because we are seeing a noticeable increase in the number of film permits being processed by our partners at the DeKalb Entertainment Commission. After taking a hit due to the pandemic, the film industry is back! That means hundreds of our Tucker friends and neighbors who work in the industry are going back to work. And that is great news!

Film scouts are out in our community, looking for new and interesting places to shoot. Maybe you’re like me and you’ve gotten a call about your home or business. The folks at the DeKalb Entertainment Commission are available to help walk you through the steps of being a part of one of these productions. You can read up on all their efforts to sell DeKalb County as a film destination at www.dekalbentertainment.com. You’ll also find that these productions aren’t just big time TV shows and movies. They are commercials, music videos, small independent films, and other forms of digital entertainment, including video games design and engineering; all of these are making an impact on our local economy.

So, welcome back film industry. Tucker is open for business and ready for our close-up!