The Georgia Film Academy is offering Kennesaw State University students of any major an opportunity to learn the logistics behind working a film production set, which can lead to an internship on a real set.
The GFA offers two courses, each of which lasts a full semester and can be applied toward a certificate with the academy. The GFA’s course 1 class provides students with the skills necessary to work on set in a film production by teaching them how equipment and a typical production set work.
“It’s everything you would do and see on a set that contributes to the making of a film,” said Dr. Aaron Levy, an English professor at KSU and the Director of Academics for the GFA. “Basically, you would get orientation to a site to prepare you for the internship.”
The GFA’s course 2 class is an internship on an actual set. Students work 20 eight-hour days over the course of the semester to earn real-world experience.
Two of the course 1 classes will be offered for the 2017 spring semester. They will be available to KSU students through Owl Express, labeled as TPS2290 under sections 1 and 2. There are no prerequisites required for course one, and a maximum of 25 students are allowed for each of the two sections.
This is only the second semester that the course has been offered — it debuted at KSU in summer 2016.
Course 1 is a prerequisite for course 2, which is available under TPS2290 section three.
“There is only a certain amount of internships, but, if you work hard and do well, you will get on the internship list,” Levy said. “There are also other opportunities to take other industry courses, so if you do not get into [an] internship, other courses are being developed in this area.”
In the past, students have interned on the sets for “The Walking Dead,” “Adult Swim” and “Sleepy Hollow.”
Many Georgia college students have been hired onto sets as a result of their participation with the Georgia Film Academy, including one KSU student.
Christopher Moore, a former marine, is a junior theatre and performance studies major with a concentration in acting. He was hired as a grip operator for the Netflix original series, “Ozark.”
“During GFA’s course 1, we learned all sorts of different things in regards to filmmaking and media production, and it was definitely eye opening,” Moore said. “We also had volunteer opportunities during course one where we could help leading production people in Atlanta area, so we were able to get hands on experience, and it gave us the ability to network.”
“The GFA let me play around with all of their equipment, and that gave me the knowledge and confidence to work on an actual set,” he said.
Entertainment industry productions in Georgia significantly increased after Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the 2008 Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act into law.
“To work in the industry in Georgia, the GFA is your best option,” Levy said. “I wish there was this kind of opportunity when I was coming out of my bachelor’s and my masters in fine arts, because this is something you can do to get your foot in the industry. It’s a great opportunity.”
The 50 available seats may fill up fast, so those interested should take advantage of this opportunity as soon as their registration time ticket opens.
