Independent films become cream of the crop during Hollywood shutdown

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    ATLANTA, GA (WGCL ) — The Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a major surge in independent film projects being produced in Georgia.

And due to the lack content circulating, these indie films are also reaching a wider audience. Producing these projects requires a much smaller cast which helps lessen the exposure to Covid-19.

Georgia is a major player in Hollywood…

Film incentives helped lure hundreds of productions in recent years, but the film and TV business has been shut down since COVID-19 hit in mid-March.

That means no big budget movie competition, giving smaller projects their turn to shine.

“You’re going to see a lot of independent film companies really rise to this occasion,” says Atlanta resident and filmmaker Taylor Ri’chard.

Shooting independent films like his recently released horror flick has several advantages during the pandemic when safety is a grave concern.

“Because you’re going to have less people on set,” he says.

Ri’chard’s movie “Hallowed be thy Name” was shot outdoors all over Georgia, unlike on big movie sets where you have hundreds of people working in tight spaces.

“It’s natural for me to do a horror film I’m from Louisiana we are from the land of voodoo and magic and witches and werewolves, and so I grew up with that folklore.”

With a limited budget, independent films also rely on smaller crew to get a project done.

“For some people you’re going to see a lot of different ways of creativity come out and getting films done,” he says.

Viewers are running out of content on streaming services, and instead they are turning their eyes towards fresh content, which in the past was harder to sift through with Hollywood blockbusters stealing the headlines.

Taylor’s movie “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” can be seen nationwide on Video on Demand and video streaming platforms.

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