Action! Gwinnett Tech To Offer Film Academy Courses

Lawrenceville, GA -- Georgians interested in a career in film-making can now get their start at Gwinnett Technical College.

Starting this spring, Gwinnett Tech will be offering pilot courses that will be part of the Georgia Film Academy, a new, statewide effort to train Georgians for jobs in the state’s burgeoning film industry.

“In response to the tremendous growth in the industry, Governor Nathan Deal and the State of Georgia have initiated an unprecedented, cooperative effort among all higher education institutions to deliver an industry-recognized, professional training program,” said Jeffrey Stepakoff, executive director of the Georgia Film Academy, in a news release.

“On-set film workers are needed, but even entry-level jobs require a very specific set of skills. The Georgia Film Academy certification puts students on the fast track to gainful employment.”

The certification program is made up of two courses.

The first combines classroom work with hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment. The second is a semester on set, when students will learn by spending time with a professional movie crew.

“We’ve seen a great level of interest in the Georgia Film Academy from potential students and anticipate these classes will fill quickly,” said Matt Arthur, Deputy Commissioner for the Technical College System of Georgia, in the news release.

The courses, which will also be offered at Clayton State University and Columbus State University, are open to both currently enrolled university-system students and non-students.

The program is expected to be expanded to accept even more students in the fall.

According to the state Department of Economic Development, feature films and TV productions generated a $6 billion economic impact in Georgia in the 2015 fiscal year.