Sites for top productions like “Stranger Things” and “The Fast and the Furious” draw big crowds and curious onlookers.
It’s up to professional security companies like Atlanta-based Global Protective Services (GPS) to keep the cast and crew safe.
“Because of Georgia’s film industry, we went from employing fewer than 100 people to having 550 full-time employees during our busiest times,” says Reginald Lindsay, president and CEO of GPS. “As movies come to Georgia, we’ll continue to put people to work.”
GPS provides total security for the production set, securing equipment, controlling access to the film sights, securing basecamp, and providing bodyguards for onset talent. The security team even keeps an eye on social media and will track down the source of leaked information from onset.
Popular shows with large teenage fan bases can be a challenge, but Reginald says his team is happy to handle the crowd-control issues. He and his team are excited to be a part of the film industry and take great pride in their work.
Reginald and his brother Phillip Lindsay, vice president of GPS, took their entire management staff and employees to see “Furious 7.” When they saw the company’s name listed in the credits, the whole team felt excited and proud. “We let out a loud cheer right there in the theater when we saw it,” says Phillip.
Reginald moved to Atlanta in 1994. He had a degree in business management and an interest in law enforcement. He began his career as a police officer in Clayton County and was promoted to Major in the Clayton County Sheriff’s department. In 1999, Reginald started his security company. In 2006, a GPS operations manager formed a relationship with the location manager for the film “Stomp the Yard” and GPS was hired to secure its first movie.
Since that first opportunity, GPS has provided security for hundreds of productions in Georgia. The film industry accounts for 60 percent of GPS’s business. They currently employee more than 300 people.
“I feel great that our company put hundreds of people to work while unemployment was high during the housing market crash,” says Reginald. “We hired normal people from all walks of life, like former teachers and retirees. The economic security we provide not only helps our employees, it trickles down to a web of people in our community. We feel that responsibility — it’s overwhelming and exciting.”