Atlanta Daily World

Largest Movie Studio in the Southeast Coming to Metro Atlanta

The redeveloper of complex projects like Atlantic Station and Aerotropolis Atlanta, Jacoby Development Inc., is planning to bring the largest movie studio in the southeast to the Atlanta metro area.

The company announced that it will redevelop more than 100 acres at the intersection of Interstate 85 and Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Gwinnett County into what it calls “a dynamic live, learn, work and play campus that will open a first phase early next year.”

Jacoby will leverage existing buildings on the site to bring 400,000 square feet of media studios to the burgeoning movie production market in Georgia.

"The dozen sound stages that we build first will be full from the day they open," said Jacoby Development Chairman Jim Jacoby. "The campus will be complemented by an arts and media education center in partnership with a leading higher education institution – plus a mix of housing, retail, hotel, office and entertainment to complement and support it."

Joel Wascher, communications director for the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District, expects the facility will bring high paying jobs and continued revitalization to the area.

He told WSB that besides its close proximity to Hartsfield Jackson Airport and other parts of the metro Atlanta area, it’s also the perfect location for a movie studio.

“It’s within a 30-mile radius of the Georgia mountains, Lake Lanier, the city of Atlanta, so it offers a lot of different opportunities and venues for filming,” Wascher said.

The redevelopment site is excess property at the OFS optical fiber manufacturing site in Norcross, formerly known as the Western Electric/AT&T/Lucent facility. Closing should take place by the end of this year. The site, fronting Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Interstate 85, boasts more available power than anywhere in the region beyond Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.

An existing 300,000 square foot building on the site is optimal for an education and innovation center. The site resides in an opportunity zone and is in the Gwinnett Village Tax Allocation District.

"The bones of this property are perfectly suited to a media-centric redevelopment," said California based architect Gary Bastien whose firm, Bastien and Associates, Inc. has designed movie and television studio projects for Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., CBS Studio Center, Sony, Viacom and Chapman University's School of Film and Television. "Georgia film and television production success is recognized in Southern California. The facility that Jacoby is building will be designed to Hollywood standards and will fill quickly."

Films produced in Gwinnett County in the past decade include “Identity Thief,” “Flight,” “Due Date” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” More than 200 digital media companies make their home in Gwinnett, as do more than 150 motion picture, video, and sounding recording businesses.

"The sale of OFS' excess land in Norcross will in no way disrupt our fiber production at the site or our high level of customer service," said Timothy Murray, CEO and Chairman of OFS.  "This transaction will increase our flexibility to expand production and invest in new capabilities as our customers require."

White House Seeks African-American Students For Its 2013 Internship Program

The White House is currently looking for African-American students for its 2013 White House Initiative’s Year-round Internship Program.

Open to undergraduate and graduate students, the program provides students with an opportunity to learn about African American-focused education policy, communications and outreach at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.

Interns will be responsible for collecting and compiling research and data on African American education, institutions and communities, as well as performing data entry and managing the office database.

Interns will also greet and escort visitors to meetings and participate in strategic planning and staff meetings and other Department policy briefings and meetings relevant to the work of the Initiative. Those interested in interning for the White house should also be prepared to respond to constituent inquiries verbally or in writing.

During the internships, students will have the opportunity to attend and possibly lead in the planning and management of meetings, briefings and other special events on the Hill, at the White House and in other federal agencies.

Those interested in applying for the 2013 White House Initiative’s Year-round Internship Program are encouraged to visit www.findinternships.com/2013/04/white-house-initiative-year-round-internship-program.html.

Film Adaptation of Black Panther, Marvel's First African-American Superhero, in the Works

Reports of Marvel Comics' Black Panther coming to theaters soon is being confirmed by MTV and plans to have Morris Chestnut play the role of the first African-American superhero are being confirmed by the actor himself.

"It's time to get familiar with the Black Panther character!" tweeted the "Boys N the Hood" and "Kick Ass 2" star.

Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and illustrator-co-plotter Jack Kirby, before the inception of the Black Panther Party, the Black Panther movie will not be part of what is being called the comic giant's "phase two" of movies in the host of Marvel movies to come out in the next two years starting with the Avengers 2, in 2015.

However, MTV reports there is a screenplay by Mark Bailey "that is apparently fantastic," according to the network's website.

The Black Panther's character was first introduced in the #52 issue of The Fantastic Four in July 1966.

The Black Panther's story begins in the African kingdom of Wakanda where he is from. He married Strom from the X-Men, who also came from Africa. His nemesis was villain Ulysses Klaw, the Master of Sound.

After the arrival of the Black Panther came other African-American superheroes. The Falcon in 1969 and Luke Cage Hero For Hire in 1972.

The Falcon will make its big screen debut in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which will also hit screens soon.

‘Love and Hip-Hop’ Creator Mona Scott-Young Overcomes Backlash

(AP) — Mona Scott-Young used to wake up in cold sweat at night, wondering if she made the right decision to leave her list of high-profile hip-hop clients to branch off and create reality television shows.