Putnam Natural Resources, LLC, has placed the Enterprise Aluminum Plant Facility in Eatonton, Ga., under contract for purchase. The company, owned by Eatonton mayoral candidate Walter C. Rocker, Jr. and his son Walter C. Rocker III, intends to develop the site into a movie production facility for Tytan Pictures, LLC, a full feature film division of Tytan Creates, of Tybee Island, Ga.

According to Rocker III, an Eatonton real estate developer with ties to the coastal Georgia film company, Tytan Pictures has expressed interest in using some or all of the facility as a sound stage and post production offices for the completion of independent feature films, television shows and commercials.

“This project will revitalize a blighted property, bring new industry into Eatonton, and create a multitude of well paying jobs,” Rocker III said. “Eatonton is perfectly situated only 75 miles southeast of Downtown Atlanta. The town has outstanding movie location potential. It’s right here on the Antebellum Trail, near two of our state’s largest and most beautiful lakes, Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair.”

Moreover, Rocker envisions how the industry could change Eatonton itself, opening the door to hope and prosperity that once had seemed closed forever after Enterprise shut down operations.

“Putnam Natural Resources and Tytan Pictures see Eatonton becoming a film town,” he explained. “The Enterprise Aluminum facility had declined over the years, fully halting production in 2008. But the history of this facility is woven through the fabric of Eatonton’s population. Its revitalization could serve as the event that marks the shift from economic decline to prosperity for Eatonton’s economy.”

Rocker anticipates that a studio would also attract new residents, primarily those in film industry trades such as carpenters, electricians, sound engineers and caterers. This influx would provide further stimulus for existing area business including restaurants, retail and recreation.

With several Emmy-award winning productions in its body of work, Tytan Pictures currently has several major projects in development or production, including “Storm Soldiers II.” Directed by Jim Stone, this is the second installment of the feature film documentary examining the lives and careers of the brave men and women who work in America’s electrical utility industry. It focuses on the personal toll of the job of a lineman, who often arrives at a disaster scene before first responders in order to ensure safety for rescue crews and to help restore infrastructure.