Savannah Filmmakers has announced the appointment of a president, the formation of a Board of Directors and plans to move forward with several new projects over the next few months.

The mission of the Savannah Filmmakers is to promote the film community within Savannah and the greater Coastal Empire through advocacy and action via education outreach and collaboration efforts. One of the group’s goals is to present awareness and training events to help those interested in becoming involved in the local filmmaking industry learn more about resources available to them.

“The primary purpose of Savannah Filmmakers is not to make movies, rather it is to make Savannah a preferred destination for those who make movies,” said business attorney Charles Bowen, founder of The Bowen Law Group. Bowen was recently appointed to serve on the Savannah Filmmakers’ Board as ex officio attorney, and is assisting with the finalization of the group’s nonprofit status.

“As a nonprofit, the organization will have better opportunities to seek grants and donations in funding our mission,” said David Harland Rousseau, who was recently appointed to be the organization’s president. “Filmmakers want to hire crews and background performers who know what they’re doing, and that’s where we come in, providing the networking and educational opportunities for locals eager to learn how to do it right.”

The group has presented several writing and acting workshops in the past and recently held a safety awareness seminar following the death of Sarah Jones on a South Georgia film set in 2014. It plans to offer similar events in the future.

“We’re a grassroots organization, promoting the efforts of independent filmmakers, but we also support casting directors for larger films like SpongeBob,” explained Rousseau, referencing The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, the 2015 animated/live action adventure comedy filmed in Savannah last year. “We reach out to carpenters, electricians, accountants and others who have skills that are in high demand in filmmaking. We try to help people plug in where they can.”

In addition to Rousseau and Bowen, members of the Savannah Filmmakers’ newly-appointed Board of Directors include: Phillip Aultman (Secretary), Rebecca Etheridge (Treasurer), Bernie Ask, Craig Beck, Mehmet Caglayan, John Deifer, William Hammargren (ex officio), Jon Hudson, Jane King, Beth Graves Nelson, Benjamin Reid Phillips, Jody Schiesser and Tony Simmons Jr.

Rousseau noted, “We are working with and in support of the Savannah Film Office and other groups like Savannah Women in Film and Television (SWIFT) to ensure Savannah becomes known as the premiere place for film production.”