Savannah finally lands first TV series; announcement coming soon (Atlanta: city hall, hotel)

[Airforceguy]

It will be interesting to see what series is coming to Savannah...

Savannah's hunt for a TV series is now bearing fruit.
Savannah Economic Development Executive Director Trip Tollison broke the news to WTOC exclusively.
"We are hoping to announce the series in about two to three weeks. There is a lot of work on the ground right now. The production company is not ready to announce right now, but we have an exciting television series, and at some point, we'll be able to dive into that and share it with the world. It will be our first one, so we are all excited," said Tollison.
Tollison wouldn't name the TV show, or network, but this will mean long-term jobs for many in the film industry in Savannah. He spoke to filmmakers, casting directors and others on Thursday about the state of the film office at the Savannah Film Alliance meeting. A TV series will also mean people coming to Savannah can take advantage of the new moving expense reimbursement, announced a few weeks ago.
Tollison also mentioned a couple of reality shows are being discussed for Savannah at the moment, but nothing concrete.
We'll keep you posted as details are announced.

Savannah finally lands first TV series; announcement coming soon - WTOC-TV: Savannah, Beaufort, SC, News, Weather & Sports

[Newsboy]

I was waiting to hear what the actual series IS before posting something on this. At any rate, it's not the first TV series set nor filmed in Savannah. Several have been set here (including "The Have and Have Nots" currently on OWN) and at least one was partly shot here, the HORRIBLE 1990s WB drama "Savannah."

https://youtu.be/5uPTM0V1I5g

https://youtu.be/GZFdGbdrIUk

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

I was waiting to hear what the actual series IS before posting something on this. At any rate, it's not the first TV series set nor filmed in Savannah. Several have been set here (including "The Have and Have Nots" currently on OWN) and at least one was partly shot here, the HORRIBLE 1990s WB drama "Savannah."

https://youtu.be/5uPTM0V1I5g

https://youtu.be/GZFdGbdrIUk

OMG that show was horrible! I had a friend from Savannah that was totally humiliated by it.

[DanielAvery]

I recall tuning out of Savannah after about thirty seconds. The opening shot was focused on a Georgia license plate attached to a limousine...with "Clayton" county clearly on the bottom of it. "Strike One!" I said. The focus pulled backwards to show the limos arriving at a mansion where a wedding was being held. Mountains could be seen in the background. "Strike Two!" I said. A character was seen looking out a window that had no screen in it. "Strike three!" I said and turned it off, realizing the producers (filming in Lilburn, GA) were not going to mess around with silly notions like continuity or attention to details.

Not that The Haves and the Have Nots (also filmed in Atlanta area) is much better, though to be fair they don't mention Savannah very much. At least they don't have characters driving around on mountainous roads or exiting high-rise office buildings. The Cryer mansion (on HAHN) does not look like Old Savannah money (more like nouveau-riche Alpharetta), and there is a decided lack of Live Oaks. Still, they use establishing shots of Savannah landmarks on occasion. Later on, for some reason they did a photoshop/matte-painting thing and turned City Hall into a hotel. I don't think they've ever actually filmed scenes with the cast down here, though. I believe Savannah actually did come down to do some location scenes when Atlanta was a mess because of the 1996 Olympics.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by DanielAvery

I recall tuning out of Savannah after about thirty seconds. The opening shot was focused on a Georgia license plate attached to a limousine...with "Clayton" county clearly on the bottom of it. "Strike One!" I said. The focus pulled backwards to show the limos arriving at a mansion where a wedding was being held. Mountains could be seen in the background. "Strike Two!" I said. A character was seen looking out a window that had no screen in it. "Strike three!" I said and turned it off, realizing the producers (filming in Lilburn, GA) were not going to mess around with silly notions like continuity or attention to details.

Not that The Haves and the Have Nots (also filmed in Atlanta area) is much better, though to be fair they don't mention Savannah very much. At least they don't have characters driving around on mountainous roads or exiting high-rise office buildings. The Cryer mansion (on HAHN) does not look like Old Savannah money (more like nouveau-riche Alpharetta), and there is a decided lack of Live Oaks. Still, they use establishing shots of Savannah landmarks on occasion. Later on, for some reason they did a photoshop/matte-painting thing and turned City Hall into a hotel. I don't think they've ever actually filmed scenes with the cast down here, though. I believe Savannah actually did come down to do some location scenes when Atlanta was a mess because of the 1996 Olympics.

... you forgot to mention the accents.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by DanielAvery

I recall tuning out of Savannah after about thirty seconds. The opening shot was focused on a Georgia license plate attached to a limousine...with "Clayton" county clearly on the bottom of it. "Strike One!" I said. The focus pulled backwards to show the limos arriving at a mansion where a wedding was being held. Mountains could be seen in the background. "Strike Two!" I said. A character was seen looking out a window that had no screen in it. "Strike three!" I said and turned it off, realizing the producers (filming in Lilburn, GA) were not going to mess around with silly notions like continuity or attention to details.

Not that The Haves and the Have Nots (also filmed in Atlanta area) is much better, though to be fair they don't mention Savannah very much. At least they don't have characters driving around on mountainous roads or exiting high-rise office buildings. The Cryer mansion (on HAHN) does not look like Old Savannah money (more like nouveau-riche Alpharetta), and there is a decided lack of Live Oaks. Still, they use establishing shots of Savannah landmarks on occasion. Later on, for some reason they did a photoshop/matte-painting thing and turned City Hall into a hotel. I don't think they've ever actually filmed scenes with the cast down here, though. I believe Savannah actually did come down to do some location scenes when Atlanta was a mess because of the 1996 Olympics.

Funny post! We certainly think alike; gaffes in film like that drive me crazy as well. I never did get over the arid hills of Southern California looming over the grounds of Tara. I walked out on A Time to Kill because of all the hideous Southern stereotypes in it that Hollywood loves to employ.

[DanielAvery]

... you forgot to mention the accents.

Horrible. Absolutely horrible. I had to go into seclusion. :-)

For that reason, I overlook the absence of accents from most of the Have Nots cast. Better not to attempt it, than to attempt it and FAIL MISERABLY. I think the lack of accents from most of these supposedly-Savannahian characters adds to the "this could be happening anywhere" feel, rather than making Savannah a part of the show's personality/point of view. Kathryn (supposedly a very wealthy, old-money woman whose family has been prominent in Savannah for over a century) is a prominent oversight, but neither of her kids nor her husband seem to have a Savannah accent, either.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by DanielAvery

Horrible. Absolutely horrible. I had to go into seclusion. :-)

For that reason, I overlook the absence of accents from most of the Have Nots cast. Better not to attempt it, than to attempt it and FAIL MISERABLY. I think the lack of accents from most of these supposedly-Savannahian characters adds to the "this could be happening anywhere" feel, rather than making Savannah a part of the show's personality/point of view. Kathryn (supposedly a very wealthy, old-money woman whose family has been prominent in Savannah for over a century) is a prominent oversight, but neither of her kids nor her husband seem to have a Savannah accent, either.

What exactly is a "Savannah accent" anyway? You hardly hear any anymore, and just as likely to hear people talking in foreign languages walking around the streets. I pay attention to this quite often, and even on the local TV news, when interviewing people in the community you'd be hard pressed to pick out any strong discernible accent. I think Mayor Eddie DeLoach probably has the most quintessentially "Savannah" accent among local elected officials, and if you listen it's very mild. Nobody ever talked like these idiot Southern accents some in Hollywood have tried to imitate through the years.

If you want to hear some very good (discernible but light) Southern accents, watch "The Walking Dead." The character of Maggie is about the best I've ever heard, along with Rick of course. And both speak British English in real life.

[DanielAvery]

Their advantage has to be getting to hang around the Georgians who work on the crew and listen to and emulate their accents.

That is why the prospect of a show actually being filmed in Savannah and set here might break the spate of really bad, Hollywood-voice-coach accents we hear on TV.

As for the 'real' Savannah accent, I have noticed since moving here to South Florida that people consider it a parlor game to figure out where you're from by your accent (if you have a noticeable one) since so many people are not originally from this area. I have no inclination to lose my accent, and a lot of people find it...interesting ("I open my mouth, and a buttered biscuit falls out," the saying goes). People can tell I'm not from Atlanta, and they often suggest Jacksonville and Charleston, but I've had at least three or four people correctly guess I'm from Savannah only by my accent. So there is something there, I'm just too close to the subject to know what the difference is.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by DanielAvery

Their advantage has to be getting to hang around the Georgians who work on the crew and listen to and emulate their accents.

That is why the prospect of a show actually being filmed in Savannah and set here might break the spate of really bad, Hollywood-voice-coach accents we hear on TV.

As for the 'real' Savannah accent, I have noticed since moving here to South Florida that people consider it a parlor game to figure out where you're from by your accent (if you have a noticeable one) since so many people are not originally from this area. I have no inclination to lose my accent, and a lot of people find it...interesting ("I open my mouth, and a buttered biscuit falls out," the saying goes). People can tell I'm not from Atlanta, and they often suggest Jacksonville and Charleston, but I've had at least three or four people correctly guess I'm from Savannah only by my accent. So there is something there, I'm just too close to the subject to know what the difference is.

If I had a dollar every time somebody asked "Where are you from?" And I said "Atlanta." And they said "How come you don't have an accent?"