Atlanta is a Georgia city with many historic buildings lining its Peachtree streets and southern charm on a platter! A stroll through the Fairlie Poplar Historic District will give you views of the Skyview Atlanta Ferris wheel and the 1897 Flatiron building. Visit downtown Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium, Piedmont Park, or Woodruff Park.
Atlanta is usually called "Hollywood of the South" because of its role in the film industry. It's a backdrop for many film and television projects. Most notably, the city appears in "Driving Miss Daisy," "Fried Green Tomatoes," and " Sweet Home Alabama." You might have also seen the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in "Hunger Games Catching Fire," the Porsche experience center in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," or the Jackson Street Bridge in "The Walking Dead."
Atlanta has the perfect filming location, whether you are working on a zombie movie that will take the mantle from "The Walking Dead" or flagging off a race competition show similar to the "Amazing Race." Browse Giggster's 1442 to get started.
Atlanta draws producers working on big-screen productions because of its ability to mirror international locations. Giggster can connect you with 1442 Atlanta film locations, whether your movie needs a backdrop that can pass for a Nigerian marketplace or a setting similar to Dan Aykroyd's office building in "Coming Up Rosie."
The Atlanta History Center is where you'll find the Swan House, a '20s residence once occupied by Edward Inman. You might have seen it featured in "The Hunger Games Catching Fire" as President Snow's mansion. Rent a historic home for your movie with a President Snow-type character!
Atlanta Civic Center appeared in "Captain America: Civil War," while you might have seen the Goat Farm Arts Center in "Hunger Games: Catching Fire." Book a theater or performing arts space to film riveting scenes for your movie.
Atlanta University Center and Clark Atlanta University have hosted numerous productions, including "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." A school location is the best backdrop for educational videos, documentary interviews, and commercials.
"The Walking Dead set up shop in Senoia, GA, where the show constructed set homes and other buildings along Main Street. Book an empty lot where you can build a fictional town for your production!
Exceptional Variety & Quality: Perhaps you are looking for a filming location like the Jackson Street Bridge, featured in the first season of "The Walking Dead," or Atlanta Marriott Marquis, which was one of the backdrops for "Hunger Games: Catching Fire." Giggster has varied production settings ready to help you produce the next movie that will dethrone "Captain America Civil War" or "Avengers: Infinity War," starting at $20/hour.
Hassle-Free Booking: Giggster's user-friendly interface gets you from searching for a filming location to booking it and calling the first shot in a few clicks!
24-Hour Free Cancellation Policy: Production delays are every producer's worst nightmare, but life can get in the way of sticking to your booking. Cancel 24 hours beforehand without a charge.
Platform Protections: Imagine filming at the Georgia Aquarium or Porsche Experience Center, and accidental damage happens. Book our The Real Bando backed by optional liability insurance, covering cancellations and injuries.
"Tyler Perry's Temptation," "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," and "Vampire Diaries" have Atlanta in their credits. The Jackson Street Bridge appeared in an iconic billboard poster advertising "The Walking Dead," you might have seen Castleberry Hill in "Ant-Man & The Wasp." Before adding your project to the long list of productions with Atlanta in their credits, weigh the pros and cons of choosing the Georgian metropolis as a filming location.
Advantages
Atlanta has many history-rich buildings around town, including the Swan House and the Fox Theatre. They can add historical value to your project, whether as part of your establishing sequences or as dialogue references.
There's plenty to do around the city, from visiting the Georgia Aquarium to attending an event helmed by the Agnes Scott College marching band. It references different ways to depict life in Atlanta for a documentary or TV special.
Atlanta has an incredible food scene marked by top chefs serving Southern comfort foods to upscale dining establishments offering gourmet dishes. It offers plenty of catering options, making the city one of the best places to film a food documentary.
Disadvantages
Downtown Atlanta has heavy rush hour traffic; when searching for a filming location, pick a space away from the congested areas.
The summer heat makes outdoor shoots uncomfortable. If you must film outside, get cooling systems and tents, and protect equipment from the conditions.
Industrial activities and traffic contribute to the city's poor air quality; consider this when looking for spaces to film outdoors.
The Atlanta History Center, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Jackson Street Bridge, and Swan House have appeared on the screen. They display the city's diversity as a production setting. Giggster can connect you with a Georgian terrace or filming location that mirrors the Atlanta Motor Speedway!
Museums and Galleries – Film Establishing Shots. The High Museum of Art and Wheat Street Towers appeared in "Black Panther," serving as the best references for using galleries as film backdrops.
Parks – On-Screen Gatherings. Woodruff Park was the backdrop for one scene in Captain America's Winter Soldier, and the Peace Monument, close to Piedmont Park, provided the backdrop for a scene in "Captain America: Infinity War." Parks and gardens are spacious enough to accommodate film crews, equipment, and various sets.
Film Studios – Interior Scenes. "42," the Jackie Robinson biopic, filmed interior scenes at an Atlanta Film Studio, while Pinewood Studios hosted the team working on "Captain America Infinity War" for a few scenes. Studios are versatile filming locations, and most have pre-built sets.
Malls – Teen Movies. "Stranger Things" filmed several scenes at the Gwinnett Place Mall, showing how a shopping center can provide a memorable backdrop when filming teen movies.
Theaters – Movie Buildings. In Captain America: Civil War, the Atlanta Civic Center stood for the Center for Infectious Diseases; this shows how to use theaters and playhouses in your project.
Pre-production determines how the shoot will turn out, and your goal is to make it successful. Giggster has multiple of listings in Atlanta, making finding the best filming location much more straightforward. Once you have the perfect movie backdrop, use these tips to keep your production on schedule.
Apply for Film Permits Early – If you are filming at a location similar to Piedmont Park, Swan House, or Clark Atlanta University Center, you'll need a film permit. Apply early and work with the Office of Transportation, the city's film permitting office, to meet all requirements ahead of schedule.
Go on a Location Recce – A pre-filming visit determines location suitability, aesthetics, logistics, lighting, sound, and the permissions you'll need to film at the venue. Giggster simplifies the process; you can browse thousands of filming locations in Atlanta and contact property owners to schedule site visits.
Get Local Support – Work with the community and local businesses, whether you are a resident or visiting, to produce your movie, documentary, or music video. They'll provide insider insights and help you fast-track different production processes.
Have a Shooting Schedule – Use a schedule for your day-long music video shoot or multi-week feature film production. Outline which scenes you plan on filming each day, with a breakdown of the shooting locations and who should be present.
Working on any screen project will set you back, but you can reduce production costs with different approaches; these ideas can lower your filming budget:
Film interior scenes in a studio.
"Captain America Civil War," "Spider-Man," and "Hunger Games Catching Fire" filmed several scenes in film studios. It's the best option when you want total control over the set when filming a project over several weeks or months. Studios also offer film equipment and technical assistance as part of the rental package.
Film in a pre-built set.
Most studios have pre-built sets with everything you need to film different scenes. Using a pre-built set is more affordable than constructing a set from scratch or making expensive adjustments to a filming location.
Can you rent equipment?
Film equipment takes up a chunk of the production budget, next to talent and venue rental costs. Renting is the most budget-friendly option, allowing you to use the latest cameras, sound, and lighting gear without making costly investments.
Start your pre-production by browsing Giggster's app for curated listings in Atlanta to find the best filming location for your project.
When people think of touring memorable filming locations, their minds immediately go to New York and Los Angeles, two powerhouse cities that have long stood as the hub of culture and film. But there’s another booming movie metropolis destined to join that vanguard: Atlanta.
Imbued with history and culture and abound with year-round sunshine, sprawling landscapes, and lush greenery, filmmakers far and wide have cultivated the Big Peach for some of the biggest blockbusters in cinema, having functioned as the go-to locale for more than 250 films—and many more projects in counting. To that end, Giggster researched Atlanta filming locations and highlighted 10 places (addresses included) across the city from famous movies you can visit on a cinematic pilgrimage.
While a large share of the filmmaking done in Atlanta has taken place in the 21st century and on working studio lots that can’t be visited, there are still some notable locations you can tour right now. President Snow’s towering mansion as seen in the “Hunger Games” films, the newly developed fairgrounds that once acted as a backdrop in “Smokey and the Bandit,” and the Beverly Hills mansion where the survivors of “Zombieland” sheltered from the undead are among the countless sites waiting to be explored.
Read on to discover 10 significant filming locations you can tour in Atlanta today.
- Location: Morehouse College and Atlanta University
Based on director Spike Lee’s own experience as a Morehouse student, “School Daze” is an indelible example of Black cinema. Set against the backdrop of Morehouse College, the film utilizes lighting to frame the fictional Mission College like it’s a character in the film. The surrounding grounds look lush and inviting, but despite this, the film focuses on the conflict between the characters and within themselves. Despite the film’s enduring legacy, Lee was actually asked by Morehouse College officials to resume filming elsewhere, as they feared the film would shine a negative light on the historically Black school.
- Location: 659 Peachtree St NE
Made of brick and marble and adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows and crystal chandeliers, there is no place like the Georgian Terrace. Used as a filming location for such movies as “The Change-Up,” “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” and “Identity Theft,” among others, this grand hotel, built in 1911, has seen its fair share of famous guests over the years. It famously hosted a gala premiere party in 1939 to celebrate the unveiling of “Gone with the Wind,” an event that essentially put the hotel on the map. The venue also has a storied history of attracting well-known visitors, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, former President Calvin Coolidge, and Walt Disney.The Truck Rodeo in ‘Smokey and the Bandit’
- Location: Lakewood Fairgrounds
One of the most noteworthy movies to be filmed in Atlanta was the 1977 hit “Smokey and the Bandit.” The backdrop to some of the film’s centerpieces is the Lakewood Fairgrounds, originally built in 1916. After being a popular location for Atlanta’s Southwest for decades, the fairgrounds shut down for many years. Now, the fairgrounds have been transformed into EU Screen Gems Studios Atlanta, which has seen the likes of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” working out of the studio lot. It may not have the same charm that was found in “Smokey and the Bandit,” but the new studio has at least refurbished most of the building’s glorious mission revival architecture style.
- Location: The Swan House, 130 W Paces Ferry Rd NW
Featured prominently in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay - Part 2” as the mansion of villain President Snow, the Edward Inman “Swan” House was designed by architect Philip Trammel Shutze in 1928. In the “Hunger Games” franchise, the Swan House is almost as imposing as the character who inhabits it. Its daunting staircase leading up to the house makes the location look bigger than it is, almost like Snow himself. The Swan House was purchased in 1966 by the Atlanta Historical Society and restored to its original state, allowing the mansion to emulate the look and feel of the 1920s.
- Location: 1197 Avon Ave SW
If you’re a fan of Tyler Perry, you’ll recognize 1197 Avon Ave SW right away. Home to the seminal character Madea, this remarkable house is located in the heart of Atlanta. Madea’s house is almost as big of a character as she is, so it’s unsurprising that her home has become just as notable. Although it is one of the city’s historical landmarks that doesn’t allow tours inside, Atlanta Movie Tours stops in front of the house as part of its “Heritage Tour” and even lets tourists take photos out front. It looks relatively the same since Madea was first introduced to us in 1999, with its green accents and wrap-around porch visible from the street.
- Location: 5335 Northside Drive NW
This futuristic building is featured in the 2016 film “The Nice Guys,” as the home of an adult film star whose death the main characters are investigating. In reality, 5335 Northside Drive NW belongs to record producer Dallas Austin, who has been known to rent out his mansion for $25,000 per month, with artists like Justin Bieber and Lenny Kravitz as previous guests. The 5,578 square-foot house was built in 2003 by architect Michael Czyzs and has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, but its biggest draw is definitely its infinity pool, which is visible from inside the house.
Where MLK Jr. accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in ‘Selma’- Location: Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, 30 Atlanta Street SE
Originally built as a post office in 1910, the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art isn’t actually where Martin Luther King Jr. accepted his Nobel Peace Prize. He actually accepted it in Oslo, Norway, but that doesn’t deter from the history or meaning of the building. Although it didn’t officially become an art museum in 1990, it’s currently the “only Metropolitan-Atlanta fine arts museum focusing on American Art.” The Marietta Cobb Museum of Art is also a nonprofit organization, whose goal is to “build community through art.” The building fits perfectly in the period in which “Selma” takes place, with the giant building’s architecture—namely the frontal white pillars—transporting you back to the civil rights struggle of the 1960s.
- Location: 1605 Troy Smith Rd
While he’s now known as a master of science fiction, director Denis Villeneuve began his Hollywood career with more intense films. The Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman starrer “Prisoners” is one such project, which employs this gas station as the location where Gyllenhaal’s detective character orders his men to haul off a suspected murderer in the pouring rain. In the film, the gas station is bathed in darkness; the only light sources are from overhead street lights and police cars shining blue and red. While the location won’t look the same in real life, it will feel similar, especially at night. Plus, the neighboring woods are sure to intensify the real-life scare factor.
- Location: 490 W Paces Ferry Road NW
One of the most memorable elements of “Zombieland” is Bill Murray, along with his mansion. In “Zombieland,” the main characters travel to Beverly Hills and take refuge in the estate, but in reality, it resides in Atlanta. This also isn’t Murray’s actual home. In fact, the mansion wasn’t built until 2008, a year before the movie was released. Red carpeting drapes the staircases, and chandeliers hang from the ceilings in the film, providing the characters a luxurious hideaway. The impressive theater room remains untouched to this day, decked out with lush red chairs and carpet. The mansion still stands in all its glory, and its exteriors, which weren’t truly highlighted in the film, are almost more impressive than what’s inside.
- Location: Porsche Experience Center, One Porsche Dr
First appearing in “Captain America: Civil War,” the Porsche Experience Center has appeared in many Marvel films as the location for the Avengers headquarters. The building’s stunning glass windows and dome-like structure can’t be missed, with the Porsche logo having been swapped out for a giant typographic capital “A” in the films. There’s no doubt that this has become a popular Atlanta tourist attraction, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe being bigger than ever. Fans are in luck, as there are opportunities to dine at the facility and even stay in accommodations that overlook the amazing architecture of the Porsche Experience Center.
