Partnerships are essential in the world of film and television production. Gary Jordan II began his latest project, “Coalition of Artists Workshops,” by meeting a new partner, Rob Cooper, a talent agent from Hollywood. They were introduced by a mutual friend and quickly hit it off, discussing their shared goals for the industry.
The pair found the perfect location for their new venture, Atlantucky, owned by Southern hip-hop trailblazers Nappy Roots, and secured their ideal space. They set a start date for their first workshop after discussing their focus on development and workshops for actors and writers.
Coalition of Artists Workshops (COA) is a weekly gathering of writers, actors, producers, directors, and practically any other art-based vocation that can gather in a space with like-minded individuals. The artists participate in honing their craft and finding valuable resources to advance their careers. It launched on October 26th, 2022.
Jordan began his career in the entertainment industry in music as an A&R/music supervisor. He learned a lesson that would carry over into what he is trying to accomplish now. COA has had a plethora of industry professionals attend and give lectures at their workshops, such as Emmy winner Fr3derick Taylor and Ryan Richmond, a writer on Hulu’s Unreasonable Doubt. However, for Jordan, it’s not about the prestige of who walks through the door.
“I started in the music industry here. So, you know, I’m pretty plugged in regarding the nightlife and entertainment scene,” Jordan said. “For me, it’s just about letting people know, letting strategic key people know this is what I’m doing. This is worth the space that I’m in now because a lot of people know me from music. So once I decided to pivot and reinvent myself as a filmmaker, then it was just a matter of reintroducing myself to the people who already knew me.”
“We receive a huge amount of gratitude each week. And that’s always rewarding. We’re putting ourselves in a position to fund these projects. We want to put everybody to work. We want to continue to create a space that is super collaborative,” said Jordan, emphasizing the importance of attendance for those interested in furthering their career in the entertainment industry.