Pinewood Studios Atlanta

Pinewood Studios, one of the most successful movie production companies in the world, is not only moving to Fayette County, but sees the need for local college and career training to fill an unemployment gap.

Planning to open in January, Pinewood will ramp up its education and training programs starting with the area of greatest need: the art department. “We are going to start with what we call the art department,” states Len Gough, an associate with the Pinewood development company. “... Electricity, air conditioning, plumbing, painting, welding, cosmetology and the culinary school.” He also adds there is a huge demand for cosmetology and production assistants.

Georgia has a deficiency of in-state production talent and currently recruits employees from out-of-state, Gough told the Fayette College and Career Academy advisory board last week.

There are about 1,600 specially-trained people in Georgia who handle such work; but when Pinewood Atlanta opens the need will jump to 3,000.

The Citizen.com reports that the studios are collaborating with Clayton State University to offer educational degrees and training related to the film and movie industry. There may also be educational possibilities through Georgia Tech, the Savannah College of Art and Design, Gordon State College and more. Georgia Tech will be key because about 90 percent of moviemaking these days involves computers in some fashion, particularly in animation, Gough added. Tech and SCAD may not be on the Rivers site with classes, but they will be affiliated with Pinewood, Gough said.