Savannah Regional Film Commission names Executive Director
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah Regional Film Commission (SRFC), an AFCI certified Film Commission, announced today that Walker Dalton has been named the new SRFC Executive Director. He will begin in the position in November 2023.
“Walker Dalton comes to the Savannah Regional Film Commission with extensive industry experience, established connections in the industry and a bright vision for the future of entertainment production for the region,” said Savannah Economic Development Authority President and CEO Trip Tollison. “We are excited to have him join the team and get started.”
Dalton was most recently the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Director of Content where he led a team of creatives that produced art, fashion and documentary films. He was responsible for overseeing each stage from development to delivery. Before moving to Savannah, he was a producer for 10 years on Jay Leno’s Garage and for five years served in NBC Universal’s Digital Marketing Department.
His work has been an official selection in the 2022 Outfest for The Actress, the 2020 ANIMAZ for Le Futurand the 2020 LA Doc Fest for The Savannah Women of Vision. Dalton’s production Isabel Toledo: Echoes and Vibrations won at the London Fashion Film Festival in 2022 and in 2017 he earned an Emmy Nomination for Jay Leno’s Garage. He just completed SCAD’s first feature length documentary on the life and legacy of fashion icon Andre´ Leon Talley titled Letters from Andre´.
Dalton remarked that he is ready to get started. “I have been in Savannah for five years and have had the opportunity to work and live alongside some really great talent and resources. I look forward to jumping in and working with the SRFC staff, our stakeholders in the region, the entertainment production community and others to help support and grow this industry in our region.”
Tollison went on to thank the hard work and dedication of the SRFC staff. “We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the hard work that SRFC staff members Katie Schuck, Renee Leventis and Andy Young have done while we searched for an executive director. We are grateful for their dedication to the entertainment production industry.”
Statement from the Savannah Economic Development Authority
It is with great sadness that the Savannah Economic Development Authority announces the passing of Savannah Regional Film Commission (SRFC) Executive Director Erin Fraser. She passed away unexpectedly on Friday, March 3.
Erin was named SRFC executive director on Dec. 13, 2022. During her time as executive director she made a tremendous impact on the office and the entertainment production community.
“Erin was a veteran in the entertainment production industry and was already making such a positive impact here in Savannah. She had such a radiant and positive energy that people gravitated to her. She was going to do big things here in Savannah and we are so fortunate that we were able to spend the time we had with her,” said Savannah Economic Development Authority President and CEO Trip Tollison. “We are heartbroken at the loss and offer her husband, her three children and her family and friends our condolences.”
Erin got her start in entertainment production as a senior assistant to Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels where she helped in the development and launch of Conan O’Brien’s Late Night as well as working on Wayne’s World 2, Tommy Boy and Black Sheep. She was then tapped as a producer for Broadway Video, Michael’s production company.
Erin also worked as a staff writer for Saturday Night Live as well as an associate producer and talent executive for Burly Bear Network, where she was responsible for developing talent and producing original programming.
Erin was born April 23, 1969, in New York City, N.Y. She graduated top of her class at Sleepy Hollow High School in Tarrytown, N.Y., where she also was a track star. She attended Oxford College of Emory University and served on the Oxford College of Emory University Board of Counselors.
She married her husband, Jay Fraser III on Sept. 6, 1997, and had three children all whom are either alumni or current students at Emory University.
Memorial services in Savannah and New York will be announced at a later date.
Entertainment Production Industry Generates Nearly $207 Million in Direct Spend in Savannah Region in 2022
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Today, the Savannah Regional Film Commission announced that in 2022 the entertainment production industry generated nearly $207 million in direct spend in the Savannah region.
The record spend can be attributed to 101 professional productions and 44 student productions. Savannah hosted three major network television series in 2022, including the Apple TBV series Manhunt, the AMC show Fear the Walking Dead and Panhandle, a Sony production for Spectrum and Roku. Also, several independent feature films shot in the region as well as numerous reality shows, documentaries, commercials, photo shoots and music videos.
“In 2015, the entertainment production industry generated a direct spend of $59 million and today we are announcing a record breaking nearly $207 million direct spend,” said Trip Tollison, President and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority. “It is really staggering the amount of dollars that are coming into our region related to entertainment production. The state of Georgia, our local governments, our partners and the community have all played a role in growing the industry in our region.”
Also today MovieMaker magazine announced its “Best 10 Small Cities and Towns to Live and Work as a Moviemaker” ranking with Savannah coming in at number three. Savannah has been in the top three for the past nine years, taking the number one spot in 2020, 2019, 2017 and 2016.