Major Hollywood stars come out for this exciting festival. South by Southwest holds a nine-day film festival each March the festival is not just limited to film, but also music and interactive media. Austin Film Festival is not the only major festival Austin hosts. Scripts that have emerged as winners have gone on to make major money in the box office. Even during the festival’s off season, they still provide film and screenwriting camps, classes, and education. I’d be so bold to say it’s number two, right behind Academy Nicholl Fellowships. Their screenplay contest is hailed as one of the best in the country, if not in the world. Panels and conferences include some of Hollywood’s top agents and screenwriters. The festival itself brings in some major players. Their festival has been championing screenwriters for nearly three decades now. The city of Atlanta accounted for 90% of those.Ģ) AUSTIN - Austin is a strong number two, and if it weren’t for the amount of films being shot in Atlanta, it could quite possibly be number one Austin is home to the largest film festival for screenwriters, The Austin Film Festival (previously known as Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference). ** In 2019, Georgia came in 4th as the state with the most number of producers posting leads at Screenwriting Staffing. Third Thursday with the International Screenwriters Association has a location in Atlanta. According to, Atlanta has one of the most prominent meetups in the country, which include (but not limited to), the official Atlanta Screenwriters Group, FILM Atlanta Meetup, and Atlanta Tech and Entertainment Group. There’s also a pool of other screenwriters and entertainment professionals to meet. Other notable film schools include Georgia Film Academy and The Art Institute of Atlanta.

Georgia State University has the largest film and media program in all of Georgia. Atlanta also has some notable film and screenwriting schools. The event consists of pitch fests, screenwriting workshops, panels, parties, and mixers, where agents, producers, and writers can network. Screencraft hosts one of the most significant screenwriting events each year at the Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta. Other notable festivals that attract Hollywood-types include Out on Film and Atlanta Underground Film Festival. Being in business for over 40 years, it remains one of the oldest film festivals in the country. Atlanta is also home to the Atlanta Film Festival, one of only two dozen Oscar-qualifying festivals. While Georgia took over as the top filming destination for major Hollywood films over the last 3-years, it’s expected to surpass that number in 2022, pulling further away from California. It not only boasts one of the largest studios in America, but the city (and its suburbs) are riddled with independent and commercial production houses. Actors and crew are not the only ones flocking to Atlanta as an alternative to Hollywood. 1) ATLANTA - There’s no question that Atlanta is the “Hollywood of the East and South”.

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