Georgia Film Academy to expand to Savannah Tech this summer

SAVANNAH –Savannah Technical College will join the Georgia Film Academy, as one of four locations in the state partnering with the Academy to develop a skilled workforce for the growing film industry.
“We have been listening and engaging with film industry professionals throughout the region to determine the best fit for our instructional offerings,” said STC President Dr. Kathy S. Love. “Our commitment to students and to industry partners is to prepare students for careers with jobs that exist in our local economy, and we believe film production training with the Georgia Film Academy is an excellent complement to our hands-on learning tradition.”
As a member of the Georgia Film Academy, Savannah Technical College will offer the Academy’s two-course certification program specifically designed to provide students with a basic level of on-set film production skills, knowledge and experience with film-industry standard organizational structure, professional equipment and on-set procedures. The first course, offered at Savannah Technical College this summer, will provide an introduction to the skills used in on-set film production, including all forms of narrative media which utilize film-industry standard organizational structure, professional equipment and on-set procedures.
In addition to the use of topical lectures, PowerPoint presentations, videos and hand-outs, the course will include demonstrations of equipment and set operations as well as hands-on learning experiences. Students will learn: film production organizational structure, job descriptions and duties in various film craft areas, names, uses and protocols related to various pieces of professional on-set film equipment. Students will also learn, through lecture and exercises, how the various film craft related to one-another on a working set, as well as how and why they all must operate in sync. In addition, students will learn skills related to networking and self-marketing.
“The Savannah Economic Development Authority is excited that the state will add Savannah Technical College to its Georgia Film Academy institutions. This decision will further enhance our region as a dedicated player in the rapidly growing entertainment production industry,” said SEDA President and CEO Trip Tollison. “SEDA would like to thank the Governor and other state leadership for choosing Savannah Technical College, and we look forward to working with this incredible asset.”
The projected film industry growth in Georgia during the next three to five years will generate 3,000 to 5,000 new jobs, and the average earnings for jobs on set are $84,000 a year. That’s why Georgia has launched the Georgia Film Academy, a unique-in-the-nation, statewide initiative to prepare Georgia citizens for these high demand careers.
“I am pleased to learn The Georgia Film Academy is expanding to Savannah Technical College,” said City of Savannah Interim Film Services Director Beth Nelson. “As film production continues to increase, we are challenged to provide enough crew to support the industry. Training local residents to fill these positions benefits both film productions and our local community. Savannah Technical College is a perfect fit for this program. The College has been very successful in offering an outstanding technical education. The Georgia Film Academy will provide the next step by developing the skills, knowledge, and experience that transfer to jobs in the film industry.”
Film Executive Producer Stratton Leopold agrees: “With the burgeoning film industry in Georgia, especially in Savannah, it is vital that we have a competent workforce. Savannah Technical College can fill that need to have an immediate impact locally.”
For more information about the Georgia Film Academy at Savannah Technical College submit this interest form.
About the Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy is a collaborative effort of the University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia supporting workforce needs of the film and digital entertainment industries. The academy certifies workforce ready employees in needed areas, connect students and prospective employees with employers, and offer a unique capstone experience for top students that will provide them a path to employment in Georgia. Special partnerships include Pinewood Studios located in Fayetteville, Georgia.
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#1629 | March 8, 2016
STC Director of Admissions: Gwen Moore
912.443.5711 or gmoore@savannahtech.edu
STC Director of Communications/Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu
A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, Savannah Technical College (Savannah Tech) is the premier provider of career-ready technical education in Coastal Georgia, offering a comprehensive range of nearly 150 market-driven programs, preparing students for high-demand careers including Aviation Technology, Cybersecurity, Health Sciences, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Automation & Robotics, Information Technology, Culinary Arts, Public Services and more. With campuses in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties, Savannah Tech serves more than 13,000 credit and non-credit students with a variety of pathways to success, including dual enrollment programs for high school students and specialized support services for military veterans and their families. Beyond academics, Savannah Tech is an economic and community development partner, collaborating with industry leaders to provide customized training programs, assessment services, and continuing education opportunities. For more information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.
Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Savannah Technical College complies with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The TCSG State Board prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status (“protected status”). No individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under, any TCSG program or activity because of the individual’s protected status; nor shall any individual be given preferential treatment because of the individual’s protected status, except the preferential treatment may be given on the basis of veteran status when appropriate under federal or state law.