Music, Education, Post Production, Studio Development, & Georgia’s Creative Economy: Interview with Randy Davidson on WDUN

Martha Zoller on WDUN conducted an extended interview with Randy Davidson, President of Georgia Entertainment, last week. The interview covered a variety of topics related to workforce development, career choices and education.

Observations and topics discussed:

• Tyler Perry Studios is an example of the wide range of businesses connected to filmmaking.
• Measuring economic impact around incentivized spending, like Georgia’s film tax incentive, is crucial to understanding the real economic impact for the state. Organizations like the Entertainment Tourism Alliance of Georgia and others are key to compiling this data.
• Career choices are a product of one’s environment. In generations before, entertainment and creative fields were not considered as viable and sustainable options. It’s different today and certainly tomorrow.
• The creative cap is off our teenagers and younger generation. Parents should encourage their children to explore creative interests because these are truly career opportunities.
• Embracing remote work trends intersects squarely with the Creative Economy.
• Further research is needed to identify funding and curriculum pathways for creative industries. Current survey and preference data is outdated and does not reflect today’s career preferences.
• There are opportunities, with the backdrop of a substantial surplus, to expand Georgia’s backing of other areas of the state’s creative industries.