Let’s re-introduce Greg Waddle. At the time of this interview, I met Greg at his storage unit were he kept his equipment. He was working as a set dresser then. Now, he’s president of Local 479 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists, and Allied Crafts(IATSE for short). He’s a political strategist and a tireless advocate for economic development and workers rights here in Georgia.

Meet Shaquana Amerson! Shaq, as myself and her colleagues call her, is one of my favorite professional creatives here in Georgia (and she will be yours too after hearing her interview). You will often see her IMDB title listed as a graphic designer. Before I met her in the production offices of the Lee Daniels episodic show STAR, I had no clue of how graphic design fit into the overall production design of a movie or television project. We met in person at FolkArt Hapeville for this interview.

Meet Sean Osario! As you can see, Sean takes his film production work very seriously. His love and respect for this art form started early in his life. His career in the Locations Department took off here in Georgia, but that is the least interesting thing about Sean. He spoke with me remotely about his company River Bear Films, his foray into organizing the Simply Weird Film Festival, and his aspirations for the future.

Meet Sedrick Lakpa! Born and raised right here in Atlanta, GA, Sedrick was front and center for the film and television industry when Hollywood came to town. From his beginnings as a production assistant to his current work as a director, he involves himself in local media and content development. I was happy he made time in his busy schedule to talk with me about his love for the culture and stories of Atlanta. Sedrick hopes to see more homegrown storytellers come to the forefront.