This was not a good week for Atlanta TV production.
First, the two broadcast networks who shot pilots locally in March and got picked up for the 2012-13 season snubbed the city to go elsewhere: the Kevin Williamson cop drama “The Following” on Fox starring Kevin Bacon and the very buzzy NBC post-apocalyptic drama “Revolution.”
I confirmed today with Wilmington, N.C. film commissioner Johnny Griffin that the state was able to entice “Revolution” to move to the coast. Interestingly, the show will not use the sets available at Screen Gems, which also operates in Atlanta. Those are being used to film the latest “Iron Man” film.
Wilmington, N.C. was home first to the WB’s “Dawson’s Creek” from 1998 to 2003, then “One Tree Hill” on the WB, then the CW from 2003 until this past spring.
The tax credits between North Carolina and Georgia are comparable. The one thing Atlanta does not have that Wilmington has: beaches. Lots and lots of beaches. Perhaps that works better for “Revolution.” Who knows? I’m awaiting a response from Warner Brothers, which produces “Revolution’ for NBC.
A source told me a good reason why they chose the less populated Wilmington over Atlanta. The show is about life without electricity. Atlanta has massive amounts of light pollution. Wilmington? Less so.
The show is set to debut in September after “The Voice” on Mondays.
I’m still trying to find out where the Bacon project is going but I was told early on that the production company had its eyes elsewhere from the get go. They saved a few bucks by shooting the pilot here but like “Franklin & Bash” on TNT, they are either bound for Los Angeles or New York. So Kevin Bacon won’t be back to Dad’s Garage’s BaconFest. Sorry.
That show is set to debut midseason on Fox.
What’s worse, Atlanta may lose MTV’s “Teen Wolf,” which just started its second season Sunday night. It could end up moving to Los Angeles for its third season.
Source: AJC
