The Lifetime biographical drama Faith Under Fire is based on the inspiring true story of courage of Antoinette Tuff. It shows how she did amazing things. The movie is based on Tuff’s memoir Prepared for a Purpose: An Inspiring True Story of Faith, Courage, and Compassion in Crisis. It was directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall and stars Toni Braxton as the lead.
The movie recounts the terrifying day of August 20, 2013, when a gunman entered an elementary school in Georgia. Tuff, a bookkeeper at the school, bravely and compassionately convinced the armed intruder to surrender—saving hundreds of lives in the process. The movie was mostly shot in Pennsylvania, but the events that happened happened in Georgia. Below is a more detailed look at the places where this powerful story was filmed.
Where Was Faith Under Fire Filmed?
Though Faith Under Fire is set in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, where the real-life school crisis occurred, the production team decided to film the movie in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Filming began in June 2017 and wrapped within a few weeks.
Why Pittsburgh Was Chosen
At first, the choice to film in Pittsburgh instead of Atlanta might seem odd. But Pittsburgh is becoming a more popular place to film because it has a wide range of buildings, experienced local crews, and easy access to production resources. The city provided an efficient and cost-effective alternative to shooting in Georgia, which often sees heavy demand from multiple productions.
According to actress Toni Braxton, the filmmakers successfully recreated the Georgia setting within Pittsburgh, and she even joked during an interview with TV Insider that their portrayal of Atlanta was “dead-on balls accurate”—a line humorously borrowed from the film My Cousin Vinny.
Key Filming Locations in Pittsburgh
While Lifetime has not disclosed every specific site used in the film, many scenes were shot in and around Allegheny County in southwestern Pennsylvania. The city’s suburban neighborhoods stood in for the real-life setting of the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Decatur, Georgia—where the actual event took place.
The school scenes, administrative offices — and street exteriors were filmed in Pittsburgh. The production team worked hard to make the school where Tuff worked in Atlanta look and feel just like it did in real life. It’s likely that the tense scenes inside the elementary school were filmed in a city school that had been used for something else.
Behind the Scenes
One interesting thing about the production was that Antoinette Tuff herself was on set while the movie was being filmed. Tuff told Toni Braxton directly about how she was feeling that day—which helped her play her character more accurately.
Braxton learnt Tuff’s voice and how to act in order to play the part. The actress even got to see parts of Tuff’s 911 call played out again. Working together closely made sure that the story stayed respectful and based in reality.
The whole crew and cast became close during the shoot, and many of them posted about their experiences on social media. These included photos from behind the scenes, positive thoughts about the shoot, and thanks for the chance to bring the story to life.
Official Trailer
For more filming locations and behind-the-scenes stories from your favorite movies and TV shows, visit netfilming.com
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