Two Atlanta-Based Players Frame the New Partnership Between Assembly Studios and the Georgia Film Academy

By Carol Badaracco Padgett

Summertime 2025 is producing a dream come true for C. Scott Votaw. The Georgia Film Academy (GFA) assistant vice chancellor will now see students and professional-education learners training on the lot of Assembly Studios—the mega-sized professional film studio in north metro Atlanta’s Doraville that boasts NBCUniversal as its anchor tenant and is owned by broadcaster Gray Media.

Unlike a traditional film school—such as UCLA’s film program and others—GFA is a statewide training program that helps prepare people for jobs in Georgia’s growing film and entertainment industry. It works with more than 30 colleges and universities across Georgia, including public universities, technical colleges and private schools, providing expert instructors and a shared curriculum.

GFA students can take the academy’s courses for college credit or through professional training programs.

Thanks to the new partnership with Assembly Atlanta, GFA students working on certifications in professional film production will now be based in the academy’s own sizable studio training space next to Assembly, which opens August 18, 2025. Here, they will experience hands-on learning that advances them toward careers in film and television production, post-production and live production of streaming and esports.

Pair this kind of real-world training with a thriving Georgia industry ripe with notable tax incentives and an improved audit process, and the new educational opportunity puts GFA students in the right place at the right time.

The opportunity is so potent that national entertainment news platforms like Deadline are eagerly spreading the word and the go-live date of the new educational facility.

“Students will train in a brand-new, 32,000-square-foot instructional facility located adjacent to Assembly Atlanta, one of Georgia’s most advanced and thoughtfully designed film and television production campuses,” Votaw emphasizes. “This [instructional] facility was built specifically for hands-on learning and simulates the real working conditions of a professional studio environment. It supports our full suite of industry-recognized certifications.”

Essentially, the GFA-Assembly Atlanta partnership is a next-generation game changer for Georgia’s film and entertainment workforce.

Votaw sums up the GFA educational component like this: “Our model is unmatched in its scale, scope and impact. It’s a unique collaboration between the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia and private institutions statewide. Combined with partnerships with major entertainment companies and direct access to professional sets and equipment, we offer students a level of access and real-world preparation that simply can’t be found anywhere else in the state or the nation.”

Close to home in metro Atlanta, Ray Ezelle, the president and CEO of Discover Dunwoody (Dunwoody sits less than five miles down the road from Assembly Atlanta), shakes his head at the realization that the new educational partnership is right on his municipality’s doorstep.

“This partnership is going to open up even more doors for the industry and bring more productions to Assembly Studios, and that's going to be a real shot in the arm for our whole Perimeter economy,” Ezelle notes. “The way I see it, when you're only 12 minutes down the road from those studios, you're in the perfect spot to benefit.”

The convenience for everyone involved is a benefit that shines from multiple angles.

As Ezelle puts it, “This partnership's got everything going for it because we're talking about a studio right in the thick of things in a major city. You've got those MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) stops at Doraville and Dunwoody, which means students can hop on the train and get there without any fuss. And let me tell you, being in this area means you're not stuck out in the middle of nowhere—you've got shopping, restaurants, all the things people need right at your fingertips. It's about convenience, and that's something folks down here understand really well.”

Any collaboration that breathes life into local industry and allows its healthy, sustainable growth is something Atlanta and the state of Georgia zeros in on.

From an educational point of view, Votaw notes, “Through our internship program, the only one of its kind in the nation, students are placed directly onto working sets, where they can apply what they’ve learned and build a professional network.” GFA alumni have contributed to blockbuster films and popular series such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Captain America: Brave New World, Stranger Things and The Walking Dead.

“With strong ties to studios, including Disney, Marvel, Netflix and HBO, our programs are recognized in the entertainment industry, significantly enhancing graduates’ job readiness and career prospects,” Votaw adds.

Now, with GFA’s new facility underway on the grounds of Assembly Atlanta, Votaw notes, “This partnership marks a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to build and sustain Georgia’s film workforce. By aligning our curriculum with the resources at Assembly Studios, we’re creating an immersive learning environment that gives students invaluable exposure to real-world productions, seasoned industry professionals and cutting-edge facilities. This kind of hands-on training not only sharpens their skills but also strengthens the talent pipeline needed to support the continued growth of film and television production across the state.”

Meantime, Ezelle is prepping Dunwoody’s interests for the August 2025 academic year and its swell of creative educational engagement.

“When you make Georgia and this whole region more attractive to film productions, you're creating a ripple effect that benefits everybody,” he says. “Once Assembly Atlanta starts putting out hit shows and movies, you better believe fans are going to want to come see where the magic happens--and they'll need somewhere to sleep. It's simple economics.”

On a personal note, the partnership means a great deal to Ezelle, as well. “This kind of initiative really resonates. My son just graduated with a degree in Film and Digital Media, and he needs more opportunities to work on productions. The key to growth is providing the industry with the workforce it needs to get the job done. I'm excited about this partnership that will make Assembly Atlanta better equipped to host the many new productions coming to the area.”

Meanwhile, educator Votaw pans back out to the big picture for every Georgian. “This kind of hands-on training not only sharpens [students’] skills but also strengthens the talent pipeline needed to support the continued growth of film and television production across the state.”

Any way the new partnership is framed, Georgians benefit immensely.