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.”