Make A Difference Minute: Bringing the Movies to Athens

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have actor and stuntman Branscombe Richmond as he shares how a simple drive through Athens, Alabama, helped bring the production of Houdini the Magical Dog to the community.

While visiting North Alabama, Branscombe asked Ashley Chewning to show him a small town. She brought him to her hometown of Athens, and when he saw the downtown square, something clicked. A conversation with the mayor followed, along with a vision of what bringing film productions to Athens could mean for the city, its businesses, and its people.

Now, that vision is becoming reality as Houdini the Magical Dog is filmed in Athens.

During our conversation, I also had the opportunity to share my own connection to the city. After moving away when I was nine years old, I always hoped I would someday find my way back home. Years later, I did.

For Branscombe, Ashley, and the team behind the film, Athens represents opportunity and possibility.
Sometimes all it takes is someone seeing the potential in a community and being willing to dream about what could happen next.

Follow Alabama FilmWorks on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about Houdini the Magical Dog and other film projects happening in Alabama.

This MADM is brought to you by Hydration Lounge, proudly supporting stories and the people who make our communities strong.

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