The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is opening a Hollywood backlot at the university’s film production complex, Savannah Film Studios.
According to a press release, phase one of the new backlot has been completed. The backlot is part of an 11-acre, three-phase expansion which includes two new soundstages and production and costume design shops. The backlot will join an LED volume (high-resolution screens that create backdrops) that opened at SCAD in 2021.
“Together, the backlot, soundstages, and LED volume form the sought-after trinity of filmmaking opportunities, placing everything at a filmmaker’s fingertips, from outdoor shooting locations to indoor sets to entirely computer-generated worlds,” said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace in the release. “Add our television studio in Hamilton Hall and all models of production are being taught right here in Savannah. If you have a story you want to tell on a screen, big or small, you can tell it at SCAD.”
According to the release, the backlot resembles Savannah’s historic district and includes 17 street facades and over 4,500 square feet of dressed set space. The facade includes homes, a cafe, a pub, a hardware store, a barber shop, and more.
Phase two of the backlot is expected to include facades that emulate New York City, including a financial district, Brooklyn brownstones, alleys, a bodega, and a subway entrance. There will also be a 17,000 square foot support building with three production classrooms, a costume shop, a production wood/machine shop and other classrooms. Phase three is expected to include facades such as a town square, city hall, and single-family home. That phase will also include a 23,700 square foot support building with two sound stages, eight classrooms and office space.
Phase two is scheduled to open in fall of 2024, and phase three in fall of 2025.