Exclusive photos from "Kill the Messenger" Cartersville set

Period cars parked on set at Red Top Mountain State Park.
Photo: Skip Hammerman

"Kill the Messenger" is the latest high profile movie to film in Metro Atlanta in recent weeks, alongside "Blended," starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Helmed by popular television director Michael Cuestra ("Dexter," "Homeland," "Six Feet Under"), the film is based on the true story of Gary Webb, a reporter for the San Jose Mercury-News during the 1990s who exposed the CIA's involvement in importing cocaine into California to fund the Nicaraguan Contra rebel army and subsequently became the target of a smear campaign that drove him to suicide.

Jeremy Renner stars as Webb with an all-star supporting cast that includes Andy Garcia, Rosemarie DeWitt, Barry Pepper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Tim Blake Nelson, Michael Sheen, Robert Patrick, Oliver Platt, Michael Kenneth Williams and Paz Vega as well as familiar Atlanta actors Rhoda Griffis and E. Roger Mitchell.

"Kill the Messenger" has filmed at numerous locations throughout the area, including Downtown Atlanta, the Georgia State Capitol building, Buford, East Cobb, Marietta and most recently at Red Top Mountain State Park in Cartersville. We visited the set earlier this week, but unfortunately weren't able to stick around to catch any of the principal cast. Trusty photographer Skip Hammerman did manage to snap a few good set pictures, though.

Boom and lighting equipment after filming on the lakeshore.
Photo: Skip Hammerman

Sea-doos awaiting use during filming.
Photo: Skip Hammerman

The flashiest car in the prop car lineup.
Photo: Skip Hammerman

Trailers set up at base camp just before filming started.
Photo: Skip Hammerman