Georgia DP Alexxiss Jackson on surviving the state’s production slowdown as an indie cinematographer

Atlanta-based cinematographer Alexxiss Jackson details the realities of working below-the-line in Georgia as the state’s once-booming production market has contracted — a situation familiar to crew across the region.

Jackson’s account touches on how independent DPs in incentive-heavy markets like Georgia navigate feast-or-famine cycles tied to studio spending decisions, streamer pullbacks, and shifts in tax credit utilization. For crew who built careers around Georgia’s aggressive incentive program, the past two years have meant fewer large productions and more reliance on indie and commercial work to fill the gaps.

The piece is a ground-level perspective on what the broader industry contraction looks like for individual crew members — particularly those without union safety nets or established relationships with major production companies.