Eagle Rock Studios’ Michael Clark Helps Productions, Crews and Creatives Succeed

Michael Clark at Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta has an especially full slate, and that’s good news for Georgia. The studio is currently celebrating its 10-year anniversary in the metro area, as well.

As general manager, Clark brought impressive experience to Eagle Rock and a genuine love of film production. And both of these elements have proven beneficial. Right now at Eagle Rock, there’s production of the ABC Series “Will Trent” going into its fourth season, and there’s the Paramount series “Tulsa King,” which is back for seasons three and four. The Netflix series “His and Hers” was also at the studio, while “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” filmed a portion there, too.

Read on to learn Clark’s big-picture take on the industry coast to coast, his personal approach to the general management of Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta and his outlook on the local film and television industry he loves.

Let’s set the pace by starting with a just-for-fun question. What’s your personal favorite film of all time?

John Carpenter’s “Halloween”. Hands down! Aside from being the greatest horror film of all time, it’s the perfect example of a passion project becoming a great success. With barely any budget, it turned into arguably the most successful independent movie in history.

Now let’s talk day-to-day. Tell us a bit about Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta and the projects you handle there.

Eagle Rock Studios is comprised of three campuses in the Atlanta area. The largest is in Norcross, with nearly 470,000 square feet of stages, offices, construction mill and support space. It’s the largest production facility under one roof in the United States.

In addition to booking projects into our stages, I’m also responsible for ensuring each production receives exceptional service from our staff so that they can film their project in the most comfortable and efficiently managed facility possible. Having worked on several challenging projects, I try to offer myself and my team as partners and resources whenever needed to assist our clients however we can.

Eagle Rock Studios was conceived and previously managed by some very respectable players in Georgia’s film industry, so I strive to go above and beyond for our valued clients to maintain the reputation this studio has earned long before I came along.

What was the route to your role at Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta?

I started my career in production in Los Angeles after graduating from Emerson College in Boston. Eventually, I was lucky to get a job as a production assistant (PA) on “Grey’s Anatomy.” From there, I just worked my way up in what was primarily scripted single-cam television.

But, I got older and eventually got married, I wanted a better quality of life to start a family, but didn’t want to leave the industry. So, I moved to Georgia with my wife in 2017, and that was probably one of the best decisions I could have made. I ended up working on the CBS reboot of “MacGyver” for most of its run and several other projects after.

We bought a house which was something I never imagined being able to do in LA. Then, once my kids were born, I had dad guilt about working such long hours on set and always saying goodnight to my family on FaceTime. But I obviously still wanted to work in the industry, so I jumped when the opportunity to be Studio Manager at Eagle Rock came about. The hours are easier. There’s no “Fraturday’s” anymore.

As a production coordinator, my role [was always] sort of customer service to the crew, but I’m doing this on a larger scale now — taking care of all the productions and making sure they’re being treated the way I’d want to be treated as a crew member.

To you, what makes metro Atlanta, and Norcross, where Eagle Rock is located, in particular, a good location to draw in film and television projects?

Well, the best asset that Georgia’s film industry has, in my opinion, is the local talent that lives in the metro Atlanta region. Some of the most talented, hardworking [crew] in the industry reside right here.

Plus, I think Georgia is known as the Hollywood of the South for a good reason. We have some of the best tax incentives in the country, with no annual cap, and some of the nicest studios in this state that I have ever seen. And recently, the DOR made some very welcome changes to the audit process, so it’s easier for these projects to get their tax credits more quickly. It’s proof that Georgia has been and remains committed to being a premier destination for the entertainment industry to call home.

And at Eagle Rock, our Studio President and longtime Producer Gideon Amir designed this space with much input from his crew, making it one of the most efficiently designed facilities in town. That’s really the number one draw – we are the only studio that was literally designed by crew, for crew.

The latest production news from Georgia.org showed approximately 23 productions happening in the state right now. How do you feel about the current climate?

I’m definitely optimistic. Georgia production volume is on the rebound after a slow past few years. And it’s not blind optimism — it’s the facts. At the start of this year, I think we had less than ten productions filming. Now, in Q2, Georgia has more than double that. It’s a slow rebound, but the trajectory is promising.

And it’s important I think to also take into account that compared to other markets, we are doing better than most. While a lot of content has headed overseas and up north to Canada, Georgia is seeing more activity than much of the rest of the US.

I’m optimistic summer will bring even more activity to Georgia and to Eagle Rock.

We have 10 years of experience to say we’re an efficient studio, and the place you want to house your show. We’re not new – we’ve been around for a bit, and the studios in LA trust us and our reputation. It’s kept us busy and things are picking up [even more].

What mark do you want to leave on the film and television industry moving forward? And what would you say to fellow creatives and professionals looking to enter it?

I believe the most important goal that all of us can work toward is to help others get their foot in the door of this industry and help them grow in their crafts. Not only as a way to give others the opportunity they want, that same opportunity I wanted, but to ensure a successful future for the industry. This industry is only as successful and sustainable as the hardworking crew that works in it.

We need to encourage the next generation, so to them, I would say to dream big, and see value in the hard work and commitment this industry demands of everyone, from Executive Producers, to the PAs and every position in between. I say to them not to get discouraged if they don’t find success right away, and that every job on a film set is an important one, no matter how menial it may seem. Take pride in every task you do and let your passion give you the strength to work the long hours and do the menial PA tasks you don’t want to do. It will pay off. Taking pride in hard work always does.