TRILITH, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - More than a year after the writer’s strike, the TV and film industry is still ramping productions to pre-strike levels.
“The strikes have impacted some of the operations of the business, so has the consolidation of the streaming markets,” said C. Scott Votaw, the Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Georgia Film Academy.
The Georgia Film Academy across the street from Trilith Studios and has supplied thousands of workers over the past decade to Georgia films. At any given time, Georgia has 20 to 30 TV and film productions operating. Votaw estimated that about 90% of those jobs are behind the camera.
“I mean, there was nothing like this when I was growing up,” said GFA Instructor Brian Gunter.
Gunter has decades of experience working lighting and camera equipment on dozens of films, including “October Sky,” “The Blind Side” and “The Mothman Prophecies.”
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“I’m teaching them to go across the street and work on a set lighting department,” Gunter said.
The key is to keep Georgia workers in Georgia. Previously, someone from Georgia looking to work in film would have to go to Los Angeles. They can now make a living without ever leaving the state. Votaw wants to keep it that way and bristles at the idea of Georgia being nicknamed “The Hollywood of the South.”
“I don’t like that term, personally,” he said.
If there is a job behind the camera, there is a class at the GFA. The school offers post-production, set design, lighting, electrical, and camera equipment classes. Students enrolled in the University System of Georgia can sign up for these classes.
“I don’t know of anything like this in the world,” Votaw said.
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However, 2024 was tedious at best for the state’s film industry, and students and faculty see it less as a trend and more like a blip.
“Obviously, the market’s a little slow right now, but I think if I stick around, it’ll come back up,” said student Noah Zeches.
Votaw agrees.
“This year, it’ll grow,” he said.
The Georgia Film Academy is currently enrolling high school students in its summer camp programs. Information can be found here.
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