As television production in Georgia has grown, Cinema Green’s business has increased dramatically — spurring the owners to relocate its in-town space to one that is five times larger.
“In the early 2000’s, movies were filmed all over the place. By 2013, we felt comfortable starting our company in Georgia because of its business-friendly climate and the increasing number of films being shot here,” says Bryan McBrien, Cinema Greens CFO and Art Director.
Cinema Greens is owned and operated by McBrien, Jeff Brown, the former HOD for Universal Studios (Los Angeles) Greens Department, and Carlos “Paco” Martinez, a renowned plant care specialist from LA. The company specializes in plant and set dressing rentals for the film, television and event industries.
Cinema Greens began in 2013 in Hampton, GA, with the purchase of its flagship property and shooting ranch. The property includes more than 14 acres of landscaped property, an 1897 farmhouse used exclusively for filming, 13,000-square-feet of custom greenhouses and more than seven acres of live exterior plants. The Hampton Farm was the site of “Vampire Diaries” filmed in 2015.
The Metropolitan Decorator’s Mart was opened this summer to cater to the fast-paced clients in the television industry. Next year, Cinema Greens will relocate to 15,000 square feet of interior space and another 5,000 square feet of exterior nursery in the now-vacant National Archives and Records Administration Building. It will be located next door to Central Atlanta Props and Sets, the largest prop house in Atlanta. Together, these businesses will offer a central location to pick up materials, custom fabricate props, and offer a one-stop-shop for industry veterans and event planners to create scenery and backdrops.
Cinema Greens has provided materials and expertise to hundreds of films and television shows such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Oscar-nominated “Passengers” (Best Production Design), “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and “The Fate of the Furious.”
“We’re excited about the expanding infrastructure being built in Georgia,” says McBrien. “I think Georgia may soon surpass LA for soundstages. That’s our bread and butter — to replicate greenery on stage.”
Week after week, synthetic greenery looks fresh and green, unlike real greenery.
Apparently Cinema Green’s look-alikes may look a bit too alike. After the company created a synthetic marijuana plant for “Ted 2,” the prototype was shipped to Seth MacFarlane in a special crate via FedEx. During shipping the crate cracked open, and when an employee saw the contents, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency was called to investigate.
“They thought it was real,” says McBrien. “We’re still waiting for a quote from them saying our marijuana plants are so realistic looking we fooled the DEA.”