Actor, writer and producer Mary Emily Deal delights in Atlanta's film boom

Mary Emily Deal, actor, writer, producer, and Associate Director of the School of Film, Media, and Theater at Georgia State University (Courtesy of Chrysander Mandragora)

Atlanta is known as the “Hollywood of the South,” and WABE’s podcast “The Boom” takes a weekly look at our growing television and film industry.

Our “City Lights” series “Speaking of ‘The Boom” amplifies the voices of local professionals who keep Atlanta’s moving picture business booming.

This episode highlights Atlanta actor, writer and producer Mary Emily Deal, the associate director of the School of Film, Media, and Theater at Georgia State University.



Deal leads incredibly packed days, sharing with “City Lights” she she usually gets “up around 5 a. m. and I spend a couple of hours writing, and then I get ready and go into, my work at Georgia State.

If we’re in production, sometimes I’m there till 8 or 9 o’clock at night with theatrical productions. Otherwise, sometimes I’m coming home and having to produce an audition that’s due by the next day.”

Atlanta provides both robust infrastructure for creating films as well as an incredibly talented and diverse pool of “producers, directors and actors” says Deal.

More stories about Atlanta’s booming film and television industry are available on the WABE podcast, “The Boom.”