GFA, Assembly Studios launch partnership to expand education, training

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A new partnership has been announced that plans to elevate the education and training of the future in media production.

On Monday, the Georgia Film Academy (GFA) announced its partnership with Assembly Studios to bring film production education and workforce training for students.

Beginning on Aug. 18, GFA will offer courses in a 32,000-square-foot space made to put students and professional learners in real-world, hands-on learning experience.

“This partnership represents a leap forward in training the next generation of Georgia’s film workforce,” Scott Votaw, assistant vice chancellor of the Georgia Film Academy, said. “By integrating our curriculum with Assembly Studios’ world-class facilities, we’re giving students access to real sets, real professionals and real opportunities.”

Assembly Studios is owned by Atlanta-based Gray Media and is located on the former General Motors assembly plant site in Doraville. Gray Media says the location is “envisioned as a hub for innovation, sustainability and public engagement in film and television.”

In a press release, it states that GFA has been important in placing Georgia as a top destination for film and television production since its creation in 2015. The academy’s training model is recognized as the model for workforce development in the industry.

“One of Georgia’s most remarkable treasures is the Georgia Film Academy,” Hilton H. Howell Jr., CEO and executive chairman of Gray Media, said. “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 new facility serves as an expansion of the GFA’s presence in the state, joining the primary instructional and industry hub at Fayetteville-based Trilith Studios, as well as five other satellite locations across Georgia.

GFA offers certifications in film and television production and post-production, as well as live production, streaming and esports. In addition to its coursework, the academy offers students exclusive access to a paid internship/apprenticeship program that allows students to opportunity to be on working sets.

“Assembly Studios was built to be more than a production facility; it’s a destination where creativity and community come together,” Justin Campbell, vice president of studio operations at Assembly Atlanta, said. “Partnering with the Georgia Film Academy allows us to open our doors to students who will become the creators, technicians and visionaries of tomorrow.”

For more information or to sign up for GFA classes, click here.

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