Georgia Film Academy (GFA) and Assembly Studios are opening a new 32,000-square-foot workforce training facility adjacent to the Assembly Atlanta studio complex in Doraville.
Set to open August 18, the space will give college students and professionals hands-on access to production-ready soundstages, expanding the partnership between GFA, schools and studios that’s become known nationally for helping to grow the crew base for the state’s film and television industry.
GFA will offer industry-recognized courses including certifications offered in Film & Television Production, Film & Television Post-Production and Live Production, Streaming & Esports at the site.
Located on the former site of a General Motors assembly plant, Assembly Studios is a newly completed studio complex owned by Atlanta-based broadcaster Gray Media with purpose-built soundstages, filmable exterior locations and full production services.
“This partnership represents a leap forward in training the next generation of Georgia’s film workforce,” said Scott Votaw, Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Georgia Film Academy. “By integrating our curriculum with Assembly Studios’ world-class facilities, we’re giving students access to real sets, real professionals and real opportunities. It’s a hands-on experience that will help expand the pipeline of local talent ready to meet the needs of global productions.”
Since its founding in 2015, GFA has developed a primary instructional and industry hub at Fayetteville-based Trilith Studios (former Pinewood) and five other satellite locations across the state. Its training model was developed in collaboration with studios, industry experts and entertainment companies NBCUniversal, Disney, Marvel, Netflix, Sony, HBO and others. The Assembly facillity, comparable in size to the one at Trilith, will be the most innovative training in the state and the only one accessible by the Marta public transportation system.
“One of Georgia’s most remarkable treasures is the Georgia Film Academy,” said Hilton H. Howell Jr., Executive Chairman and CEO of Gray Media. “We are genuinely excited about this partnership, which places students right at the doorstep of Assembly Studios. This extraordinary location offers an unparalleled opportunity to thrive in the vibrant film and production world.”
“Assembly Studios was built to be more than a production facility; it’s a destination where creativity and community come together,” added Justin Campbell, VP, Studio Operations. “Partnering with the Georgia Film Academy allows us to open our doors to students who will become the creators, technicians and visionaries of tomorrow.”
GFA works closely with more than 30 Georgia colleges and universities as well as with K-12 school districts to make pathways into the industry more accessible for students across the state.
In addition to foundational coursework, the organization offers students exclusive access to a paid internship/apprenticeship program and places students directly on working sets. Alumni have contributed to blockbuster projects such as Captain America: Brave New World, Megalopolis, Creed III, Ant Man and the Wasp, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead and many other films and television shows.
The expansion comes as other states from New York to California to Texas have sweetened or are in the process of expanding their production incentives to keep projects from moving out of state and out of the country. In recent years, Georgia’s generous, program has made it one of a handful of global hubs for U.S. production. Recently, however, a Georgia mainstay, Marvel Studios, has ramped up productions in the UK.