KSU Partners with Georgia’s Film, TV Industry

This content is provided by Kennesaw State University. 

Senoia and Kennesaw may seem unlikely locations for those looking to get ahead in the entertainment industry, but a new partnership between Senoia Enterprises, Inc. and Kennesaw State University will soon change that.

Senoia Enterprises, Inc., the company responsible for redevelopment of the small town of Senoia, located south of Atlanta, is partnering with Kennesaw State University’s Joel A. Katz Music and Entertainment Business (MEBUS) program, a leading model for academic and applied studies in the music and entertainment industry, to provide a home base for executive education courses in entertainment business. The program is housed in the Michael J. Coles College of Business.

“This exciting partnership demonstrates the University’s dedication to preparing and educating students while working to develop programs that meet the demands of a growing and diverse marketplace,” said Kennesaw State Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ken Harmon. “It is gratifying when an organization such as Senoia Enterprises recognizes the value of our programs, and we look forward to working with them to further grow Georgia’s burgeoning entertainment industry.”

Georgia’s film and television industry is responsible for more than $1.3 billion in wages and 22,843 direct jobs, including production and distribution-related jobs, according to the Motion Picture Association of America. Each year, more than 50 movies and TV series are filmed in the state. 

Senoia has served as a backdrop for more than two-dozen productions, many of them based at nearby Raleigh Studios Atlanta and Sony production facilities in Peachtree City.

“With the recent announcement of the addition of London-based Pinewood Studios to the area, Senoia is strategically positioned to support Georgia’s entertainment industry with an extension of the MEBUS program,” said Scott Tigchelaar, president of Senoia Enterprises, Inc.

The town of Senoia, touted for its Mayberry-esque feel, is where AMC’s top-rated television series, “The Walking Dead,” is filmed and over the years has served as the backdrop for several major motion pictures including “Footloose,” “Fried Green Tomatoes” and “Driving Miss Daisy.”

Film and television studios and production facilities near Senoia will benefit from this partnership when the MEBUS program begins offering a full range of entertainment business courses in the spring.

“This unique partnership taps into our strength in educating students with relevant business skills so that they can succeed in the film and television industry,” said Keith Perissi, director of the MEBUS program. “It extends beyond preparing actors and actresses, but encompasses individuals involved in the marketing, management, production and other aspects of entertainment that occur behind the scenes.”

This partnership will also pair Kennesaw State students with one-of-a-kind direct industry connections, including ties to Senoia-area entertainment partners such as the Zac Brown Band, Camp Southern Ground, production companies, artists and post-production resources.

The Joel A. Katz Music and Entertainment Business program in the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University is a multi-disciplinary program designed to provide the foundation of practical experiences, on-the-job training, and exploration of career opportunities in the music and entertainment industry.