With local and regional professionals, the South Georgia Film Festival announces the judges for this year’s 2018 competition. This year’s judges include Sonny Shroyer, Terrell Sandefur, Dean Poling, Brantly Jackson Watts, and many more.
 
Judges will be looking at three categories – Open, High School and College. Winners in each category will receive a trophy created by Harmon Awards in Valdosta, along with a day pass to Wild Adventures them park.
 
Winners in the High School and College categories will be eligible for scholarships to Valdosta State University.
 
This year’s judges run the gamut of professional experiences. Actor Sonny Shroyer made the role of Enos on “The Dukes of Hazzard” famous, but has recently been nominated for a Grace Award for his role in “The Way Home” and appeared in the Georgia produced series “Rectify.” Sonny has been very supportive of the arts in Valdosta and students at VSU specifically.
 
Terrell Sandefur’s work with the Macon Film Festival has led to a successful career in public relations and marketing across the film and arts communities. Currently, Sandefur is working with Veterans of Georgia in Film & Television to support retraining for service members into the state’s growing media industries.
 
Brantly Jackson Watts just completed shooting her newest film, “Spoon,” and continues to work as the Program and Outreach Manager for Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta. She will be screening her film award winning film “Birthday Cake” Friday night at the Turner Center for the Arts, along her husband and fellow judge Jon Watts, who will be screening his film “Matthew’s Gift.”
 
The majority of judges will be attending the festival screening films or participating on panels, such as Dan A. R. Kelly of Georgia Film Academy, Luke Pilgrim and Brad Kennedy of Sozo Bear Films, and Klarque Garrison of Surge TV. Klarque will be a part of Friday's 1 pm networking event, while Sozo Bear has a Saturday Filmmaker panel at 5:45 pm. Kelly's panel will take place Sunday at 11 am before the Awards ceremony.
 
Judges also include local media personalities Dean Poling of the Valdosta Daily Times and Marcus McConico of Channel 17. Lyndon Burch and Sheba Thomas of the American Youth Film Festival will also be serving as judges. They will present a prize package to each of the winners of discounted submission and attendance to this year’s AYFF in Atlanta.
 
The 2018 South Georgia Film Festival includes three days of events – screenings, panels and networking events celebrating the expanding creativity and economic development of the film industry. Sponsored by the Georgia Councils of the Arts, Georgia Power and Valdosta State University, the second annual festival looks to bring the growing film industry to South Georgia.
 
High school and college students can attend all of the day’s events by showing a valid ID.  All events after 5:30 pm will require a pass.

Passes are currently available through the South Georgia Film website for $35. Participants can also purchase a Day Pass for $15, and get access to all screenings, panels or events for any single day of the festival.