Georgia Film Academy (GFA) announced it is expanding its hands-on training in the film and creative industries to South Georgia. Through partnership with PhilanthroFilms, an organization dedicated to building a film production workforce in South Georgia, GFA is set to bring professional film/television production and post-production courses to Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Spring 2025 with additional universities and technical colleges in the area to follow. 

“Expanding our reach to South Georgia is crucial to developing a film and creative workforce across our state,” said C. Scott Votaw, assistant vice chancellor at the University System of Georgia where he leads GFA. “We are excited to bring our unique courses and curriculum to the area and establish GFA’s presence in the southern part of Georgia for the first time.” 

GFA’s introductory class for its 18-credit-hour professional Film & Television Production certification will be offered in Spring 2025 with additional pathway courses to debut in subsequent semesters. Additionally, GFA’s Film & Television Post-Production certification classes will be offered online to students in the region. Courses will also be available to high school students through dual enrollment at participating institutions.

“We are so excited to partner with GFA as we continue to see South Georgia grow as a significant hub for film and television production,” said Cathy Parker, president of PhilanthroFilms. “It is a unique opportunity to train our residents for the creative industry, so we can keep making movies and building this industry in our region.”

Since its founding in 2015, GFA has educated high school, college and continuing education students as well as community members, teachers and more to bridge critical training gaps across the state. Through supporting the Georgia Film Consortium (GFC), a collaboration of more than 25 partner institutions, GFA offers professional courses in film, television, digital entertainment and esports to students for college credit and for those seeking continuing education with classes facilitated at industry hubs. 

GFA’s professional certifications equip the next generation of film and television crews through coursework and on-set internships and is a unique, statewide initiative operated under the auspices of the University System of Georgia. GFA’s internship program has resonated with leading Hollywood studios and production companies such as MGM and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.

For more information, please visithttps://georgiafilmacademy.edu/ or https://philanthrofilms.org/.