Behind the Camera SCAD offering classes for film & TV professionals

By Isadora Pennington

As Atlanta continues to blossom into the Hollywood of the South with big budget films and television programs being filmed here on a daily basis, there is an education gap for aspiring film and TV professionals that the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) Atlanta hopes to fill.

“Training of this caliber is usually only offered in LA and New York,” explains Brantly Watts, SCADFILM’s Industry and Community Outreach Manager. “What we are trying to do is bring that here, and with proper training, creatives in Atlanta will have the opportunity to reach the caliber that is an industry standard elsewhere.”

SCADFILM also seeks to make this kind of training more accessible when it comes to costs. For a class like the Secrets of a Strong First Draft with Oscar-nominated writer Kim Krizan that is currently in session, “you would normally pay $1,400 to $1,500; we are offering it for $299,” Watts says. That, combined with the fact that students don’t have to take time off from work to travel to another city and then pay for lodging while attending those courses, makes SCADFILM classes much more attainable for anyone who’s interested in taking their skills to the next level.

Classes include subjects like Camera, which teaches basic film technique and application with top-of-the-line cameras and equipment. Beyond the basics, SCADFILM offers classes for special effects makeup, screenwriting and certification for a range of camera systems.

The SCADFILM initiative officially launched in April of 2016, and already the first classes have been filling up. SCAD seeks to provide a year-round schedule of weekly training events, master classes, curated screenings, and software and equipment certifications that are open and accessible to all who would like to work in the industry.

“Our hope is that above the line talent will flourish in Atlanta, and that we will have a more sustainable film industry that isn’t only reliant on a tax credit,” Watts says.

To learn more about SCADFILM’s courses, networking events and movie screenings, go online to scad.edu/scadfilm.

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