News

Because us Atlantans are so used to Dragon Con and its presence, it can be easy to forget how much work goes into putting on a convention of this size. So, ahead of this year’s event, which runs from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, Rough Draft Atlanta spoke with Renee Cooper, director of the Animation Track at Dragon Con, about how the sausage gets made.

The entertainment industry just received a major boost. Embedded in the newly enacted federal “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1, Public Law 119‑21) is a transformative update to Section 181 of the Internal Revenue Code — expanding its reach and unlocking significant new opportunities for film, television, and now, recording artists and labels.

Get ready for an inside look at Georgia's game-changing approach to film education! C. Scott Votaw, Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Georgia Film Academy, sits down to discuss the groundbreaking partnership with Assembly Studios that's revolutionizing how the next generation learns filmmaking.

It’s our job in locations to bring everybody onto the team and to create this supportive environment where everybody is moving towards the same goal. The family who owned what became the Kent farmhouse was able to come out and join us for filming and watch this iconic story being told right there on their farm. It was amazing.

The Austin Film Festival has revealed its first wave of premieres to take place at the 32nd annual festival. The 32nd Annual Austin Film Festival will take place October 23 – 30, 2025.

Moderated by Corrine A. Sukiennik, executive director of the Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance (GIPA), this conversation brings together Grammy-winning producer and IP attorney John Snyder and music policy expert Mala Sharma to explore the strategies that protect the sound and drive Georgia’s entertainment future.

This exclusive evening, in partnership with the Columbus Film Office and VisitColumbusGA, will bring together a distinguished mix of entertainment industry leaders, including directors, producers, lawmakers, investors and other creative professionals, for a premier networking experience that showcases Georgia's thriving creative economy.

The closing reception of “WE ARE MUSIC: Photographs by Jim Alexander and Sue Ross” at The Sun ATL doubled as a 90th birthday celebration for acclaimed photographer and cultural archivist Jim Alexander, drawing an intergenerational crowd of Atlanta’s cultural leaders.

The lineup for this year’s Out on Film, Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ film festival, includes a documentary about disco artist Carl Bean, an animated film about a lesbian space princess, and more. 

Those looking at the film industry from the outside often see that it is a fun and exciting industry. What is harder to perceive is that the highly-talented artists and creators who work within it, also experience high levels of stress, do not get a full 8-hours of uninterrupted sleep and frequently do not stop to take a moment for themselves.