Creating High-Demand Careers in Georgia's Film and Creative Industries
Georgia Tech-Savannah and Georgia Film Academy offer film course
With a mission to put Georgians to work in all aspects of the state’s multibillion-dollar entertainment industry all across the state, the Georgia Film Academy (GFA), in coordination with Georgia Tech-Savannah, announced plans to offer a course in Savannah that would introduce students to on-set film production. Georgia Tech-Savannah will host the course on its campus on Saturdays.
“After the success of our first foray into Savannah this fall, we’re thrilled to offer this game-changing initiative with Georgia Tech-Savannah,” GFA Executive Director Jeffrey Stepakoff said. “Students of all ages and backgrounds can gain real-world experience, which leads to jobs in Georgia’s film and entertainment industry. Affordable, accessible, and public, the GFA is fast becoming the state’s entertainment arts conservatory.”
The course is the first of an 18-credit-hour certificate program that will introduce the skills used in on-set film production, including all forms of narrative media, which utilizes film-industry standard organizational structure, professional equipment and on-set procedures.
In addition to topical information, the course will include demonstrations of equipment and set operations as well as hands-on learning experiences. Students will learn film production organizational structure, and job descriptions and duties in various film craft areas as well as the names, uses and protocols related to various pieces of professional on-set film equipment.
Students also will learn, through lectures and exercises, how the various film crafts relate to each other on a working set, as well as how and why they all must operate in coordination. In addition, students will learn crucial skills related to networking and self-marketing.
The course is the pre-requisite for all GFA courses and one of the classes required to earn a Georgia Film Academy Production Certification. It is part of the GFA’s collaboration with the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, created by state leadership to meet education and work force needs for high demand careers in Georgia’s film and creative industries.
According to the Savannah Economic Development Authority, the Savannah region has been home to 185 productions, generating $125.6 million in direct spending by entertainment companies.
“We are very excited about this new collaboration with the Georgia Film Academy,” Diane Lee, executive director of the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus, said. “It’s clear the film industry is a major economic driver in our region, and the opportunity to train our local work force for a career in this dynamic industry is a win-win for Savannah and Georgia Tech.”
Georgia Tech-Savannah is following all guidelines, including all those related to the response to COVID-19, outlined by Georgia Tech for the overall safety and wellness of students, faculty, and staff.
About the Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy is a collaboration of the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia created by state leadership to meet education and work force needs for high-demand careers in Georgia’s film and creative industries. Founded in 2015, the GFA higher education program offers rigorous professional training and leads to union-covered film and television production craft internships and placement in creative industries, apprenticeships and jobs.
Classes are offered for college credit through 22 University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia partner institutions. Students can take film and entertainment-oriented arts, craft and career coursework through continuing education programs at several partner institutions and/or directly through the GFA as professional education. The GFA also offers training to high school teachers in GFA-developed courses, which serve as DOE-approved English language arts and theater standards.
