Columbus State selected as a Georgia Film Academy site

Columbus State University is one of three sites in the state that will offer classes for the Georgia Film Academy's inaugural semester.

Registration is open for the academy's spring 2016 semester at CSU, Clayton State University and Gwinnett Technical College.

The Georgia Film Academy, a partnership between the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, is the nation's only statewide effort to train students to work in the 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," Jeffrey Stepakoff, the academy's executive director, said 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 academy's program comprises two courses:

The first course combines classroom instruction and hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment.

The second course is a semester on a film set, where students learn and hone their craft while working on the crew of a professional production.

To enroll, or for more information about the program, visit georgiafilmacademy.org

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272. Follow him on Twitter@MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Columbus State selected as a Georgia Film Academy site ."