Georgia Entertainment recently released the names of the 200 Most Influential of Georgia’s Creative Industries. The individuals are highlighted in the bi-annual printed publication – Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal. See the digital version. Our 200 Spotlight series showcases many of those that were included.
By Staff
In the old days, Darryl Cohen says he was a part of a loosely defined, small, energetic group of professionals dedicated to bringing Georgia into the forefront of the entertainment world. As an assistant district attorney in Fulton County, he both acted and modeled as a side gig.
“Auditions came, auditions went,” Cohen remembers. “Sometimes I was fortunate, and other times not.”
Then, Cohen realized, there was something he noted consistently as he auditioned: universally, the talent, photographers, cinematographers, art directors, creative directors, and everyone else were constantly in need of an attorney who understood the business.
“[So] I began to represent creatives, photographers, and talent agencies,” Cohen says, at first acting as co-president of The Professional Talent Group. “Shortly thereafter, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences/NATAS arrived in Atlanta [and]the Emmys came to Georgia. We decided to merge The Professional Talent Group into NATAS. Don Elliott Heald, vice president and general manager of WSB-TV was the first president of NATAS SE. [And] I became the legal chair, where I stayed for many a year.”
During these early years, Cohen became active in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and was elected president in Georgia, and later he joined the National Board. He describes his path this way: “A several time president of the Southeastern chapter of NATAS (Cinema Club was a long time project that I chaired for NATAS), later a National Trustee, and finally elected chairman of the Academy. While chair, we honored and presented Andy Young with a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in New York.”
As a lawyer, Cohen has served two consecutive terms as chair of the Entertainment and Sports Law section of the State Bar of Georgia. “I was elected the first out-of-state chair of EASL, the Entertainment Sports and Intellectual Property section of the Florida Bar. [And I’m] a founding member of the North American Law Summit, a four-day entertainment sports and intellectual property conference,” he adds.
Today, as partner at Atlanta-based Cohen, Cooper, Estep & Allen LLC, he notes, “We have a varied entertainment practice which includes representation of on-camera meteorologists from The Weather Channel and local network affiliates. We also represent radio DJs. We are involved in film production, radio and television shows and other live entertainment, including a cabaret. I have also represented talent both as contestants and as disgruntled participants who breached their contract.”
Cohen’s legal commentary and analysis has appeared on WXIA, WAGA, WSB, CNN, FOX, Court TV, News Nation, The Nancy Grace Show, Meet the Press, Dan Abrams, Erin Burnett, Law & Crime, Surviving the Survivor, and Scripps TV.
Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal
