Atlanta’s first studio focused on Native American storytelling launches

Chippewa also has a personal goal with the studio: to bring hope to children on reservations, some of whom are poverty-stricken and may feel like there is no way out.

Wilson and Chippewa have been speaking with tribal councils across the country to encourage anyone interested in film to attend the program. Studio of the Americas said it is in conversations with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, based in Western North Carolina.

“We want to train Native Americans in the film arts, so that long after we’re gone, a whole generation of moviemakers and storytellers are able to continue on what we’re starting here,” Wilson said.

Chippewa and Wilson, both Detroit natives, met about 10 years ago when Wilson was working on a screen adaptation of one of his novels “Crooked Tree,” which is based on Native American folklore.

Wilson said three groups optioned the script, including Warner Bros., which engaged “The Exorcist” director William Friedkin, but the project did not move forward. So he decided to produce the project himself. He wanted to bring Native American filmmakers onto the project, which led him to connect with Chippewa, who had worked in the industry.

As they continued working on the adaptation, the two came up with the idea of creating a production company that made movies of any genre that had Native American participation or impact. An easy way to describe it to others was Tyler Perry Studios but for Native Americans, Wilson said.

Through Chippewa’s contacts, the two eventually connected with Perry’s team, who invited them to Atlanta to visit the studio. There, they toured with Steve Mensch, the late president of Tyler Perry Studios, who died in December.

The duo’s initial vision was much larger: They were seeking about $100 million to build a full-fledged studio with multiple soundstages. But as they were visiting, Mensch suggested they set up shop at Fort McPherson. By becoming a tenant on the property, Studio of the Americas could use Tyler Perry Studios’ infrastructure, including its soundstages and other facilities on the backlot.

Studio of the Americas is not the first studio focused on bolstering the stories of Native Americans, but it is the first in Atlanta.

In New Mexico, the Tesuque Pueblo tribe runs a production facility called Camel Rock Studios on more than 100 acres of land.

In northeast Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation runs a studio in the Tulsa suburb of Owasso, along with a film commission that connects filmmakers to assets within the reservation and a workforce development center. For productions filming within the boundaries of the Cherokee reservation, the tribe offers a cash rebate incentive that can be used on top of other state incentive programs.

There is a significant lack of Native American representation on film and television. Between 2007 and 2022, only 133 out of the 62,224 speaking roles in movies were Native Americans, a 2023 Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study found. Only one actor was in a leading role: Blu Hunt in the 2020 X-Men installment “The New Mutants.”

Several other films have been released since then, such as 2023’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” directed by Martin Scorsese, and “Fancy Dance,” directed by Native American filmmaker Erica Tremblay. Both films star Lily Gladstone. Among the handful of others is “Rez Ball,” a 2024 sports drama directed and written by Native American filmmakers.

But the amount over that 16-year period falls below population metrics, the study said, and means that Native actors have little opportunity to build career sustainability. Only 15 Native actors had speaking roles more than once during that span.

“We have way, way more stories to tell,” Chippewa said.

The duo’s short-term goal is getting projects off the ground, including “Smoke Alarm” and the adaptation of “Crooked Tree.” This means arranging financing for the two projects, which is often the largest hurdle to overcome for filmmakers. The two are hoping the success of their films will generate the revenue to continue with other films.

“Long term, we want to be able to have an ongoing entity that is self-sustaining,” Wilson said.

They are also looking forward to welcoming their first cohort of students. Wilson said the studio is collaborating with Georgia Film Academy to provide hands-on learning to Native American students through Studio of the Americas productions. Wilson and Chippewa are seeking funding to provide scholarships for tuition, room and board.