The impact of the Hollywood strike felt in Georgia Town, where “Stranger Things” was filmed

It took another invasion before the hole burst through the parallel dimension and unleashed a ferocious Demogorgon-like creature onto the gentle existence of Hawkins, Indiana.

Hawkins, the fictional home of “Stranger Things,” has had to take over the small Georgia town that has been the setting for the hit Netflix show since its launch in 2016.

The old county courthouse in downtown Jackson, Georgia has been transformed into the Hawkins Library. The vacant store became a Melwald general store. On the other side of the town square, a marquee was added to the front of the restaurant, transforming it into Hawkins’ movie theater.

But these days, Jackson is just Jackson. “Stranger Things” was pulled out, along with most other movies and TV shows filmed in Georgia, as the writers’ strike that began in May and the actors’ strike that continued in July reached far beyond Hollywood. The writers reached a tentative agreement with the studio in late September, and a ratification vote is underway. However, actors are still negotiating with entertainment companies and most TV and film production has been halted.

For the past 15 years, some of the most generous film tax credits in the nation have encouraged film and television studios to invest heavily in Georgia, and many cities and towns are looking to get a piece of the business. But support for the state’s film industry has sometimes clashed awkwardly with the conservative politics of Republican leaders, who generally believe that resistance to organized labor is the key to a welcoming business climate. Ta.

The economic pain from the work stoppages is prompting some elected officials, including the state’s labor commissioner, to reconsider Georgia’s relationship with the entertainment industry and the incentives that attracted it.

“I think the people who are striking should think long and hard about whether they think Georgia is a place where those incentives should be maintained,” Commissioner Bruce said before the Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement. Thompson said in an interview.

But in places like Jackson’s home state of Butts County, some local officials are even more reluctant to criticize the strike.

Michael Brewer, deputy county manager and liaison to the film and television industry, acknowledged the disruption, especially for consumers. “But I also try to look at it from an industry perspective,” he said.

“Because of inflation and cost changes, every dollar they earn isn’t worth the same as it was before,” Brewer added. “A lot has changed in the last few years. They have to make sure their rights are protected.”

Georgia’s climate, including its status as a right-to-work state where workers are not required to join a union as a condition of employment, makes organizing difficult, and the writers’ and actors’ unions have limited scope. The Writers Guild, which represents more than 11,000 screenwriters, has only a few dozen members in the state.

But many non-union workers in Georgia’s film industry have been on strike in recent months, struggling to make ends meet and fearing lower wages in the streaming era and the threat of artificial intelligence. Expressing solidarity with friends. Typically, dozens of movies and TV shows are produced in the state, but filming in recent months has been largely limited to reality series such as “Hoarders” and “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta.”

Liz Bowman, who was a special effects artist on Stranger Things before the strike began and has since toured on location, said: “It’s hard not to be salty, but I understand.” It needed to happen,” he said. From the show in Jackson. “I love the film industry, but I feel like sometimes the big studios forget that they have real people working for them.”

The strike has reduced the number of tourists who come to Jackson during the filming of “Stranger Things,” who prefer to see the cast and maybe even mingle with their co-stars. The infusion of capital that comes with production has dried up, depriving local businesses of a corresponding boost and wages to close up shop or use their homes for filming.

Jackson has used its farmland and small-town appearance, interstate access, and proximity to Atlanta to serve as a filming location for movies and television shows. Jackson Lake became a popular destination, as did Bucksnaught Road, a long, lonely trail between vast fields.

Some people in town are taking advantage of their “Stranger Things” connections. A show-themed escape game attraction has opened. Bradley’s Olde Tavern, a stand-in for the Hawkins movie theater, offers specialty drinks such as Demogorgon Blood (vodka, Dr. Pepper, orange soda, grenadine).

The association with one of the most popular shows on television wasn’t to everyone’s taste. Some preferred Jackson’s relative obscurity before “Stranger Things.” The show’s supernatural themes and monsters have not been entirely warmly received in the predominantly Christian community. When the old courthouse was still in use, judges were not happy with the commotion caused by the production and would send the sheriff to calm it down.

More broadly, there is a clash between Georgia’s conservative politics and a largely left-leaning industry. In 2019, actors and directors threatened to boycott the state after the state legislature approved a bill that would severely restrict access to abortion. And conservative leaders say the industry is partly to blame for Georgia, once reliably Republican, becoming a battleground state that Joseph R. Biden Jr. won for the first time as a Democratic presidential candidate since 1992. Says.

But in Jackson, there is also recognition that the industry has injected vitality into a town that was in decline. The space where Hannah Thompson opened her Stranger Things-themed Hawkins headquarters in the town square had been vacant for seven years.

“I feel like Stranger Things has brought a little bit of life back to me,” she said.

Despite the turmoil, Bowman, 29, feels somewhat fortunate and is enjoying the opportunity to connect with fans of the show from as far away as the Philippines, who stop in Jackson for the tour (pizza and snacks included).

“I know a lot of stuntmen who are currently working at GameStop because they can’t find work,” she said. “I know a lot of photographers who went straight to Best Buy.”

The writers’ strike is over, and there are some bright spots. Brewer said after several months of silence, a location scout contacted him. Thompson said ticket sales for the “Stranger Things” tour have skyrocketed.

They hope “Stranger Things” returns soon, as the series is planning its final season. Filming was scheduled to begin in May, just as the writers’ strike began.

Jackson City Manager Sylvia Reddick keeps hearing the same question: “When is Season 5?” she said. “And that is directly affected by the strike.”