ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Georgia Film Academy (GFA) announce a major partnership on Monday, and it’s with WRDW’s parent company’s Assembly Studios in Atlanta.

Starting Aug. 18, 2025, GFA will offer industry-recognized courses in a 32,000-square-foot space designed to immerse college students and professional education learners in real-world, hands-on learning experiences.

Certifications offered by GFA include:

• Film & Television Production
• Film & Television Post-Production
• Live Production, Streaming & Esports

Assembly Studios is a newly completed studio complex owned by Atlanta-based Gray Media and envisioned as a hub for innovation, sustainability and public engagement in film and television.

With purpose-built soundstages, filmable exterior locations and full production services, the studio offers an unparalleled learning environment for students seeking a career in Georgia’s entertainment industry.

“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 been helping position Georgia as a destination for film and television production. GFA’s training model, developed in collaboration with major studios is widely recognized as the gold standard for workforce development in the industry.

“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.”

The Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Academy, C. Scott Votaw, says this is a leap forward in supporting the film industry’s next generation of talent.

“We focus on a lot of behind the lens. We train in all the covered crafts. The creative crafts. Grip and rigging, electric. We do a lot of set construction designs. Art department, we do office management and accounting. So just any facet of production you might be interested in, we have training for it,” said Votaw.

Assembly Studios joins GFA’s primary instructional and industry hub at Fayetteville-based Trilith Studios, along with five additional satellite locations across Georgia, to increase opportunities for Georgians pursuing careers in the film and television industry.

“Assembly Studios was built to be more than a production facility; it’s a destination where creativity and community come together,” said Justin Campbell, Vice President of Studio Operations at Assembly Atlanta. “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 also offers students exclusive access to a paid internship/apprenticeship program.

GFA 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.

With a strong emphasis on hands-on instruction led by seasoned industry professionals, GFA equips students with technical skills, professional connections and production experience that are critical to career success.

The organization 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.

For more information, or to sign up for GFA classes, visit georgiafilmacademy.edu.

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