Augusta is now a popular location for movie producers and now CSRA creatives have a top 50 film school within 90 minutes of Garden City.
The Wrap, a leading publication in the media and entertainment industry, has added the UGA Master of Fine Arts in Film, Television, and Digital Media (UGA MFA) to its list of the Top 50 Film Schools in the U.S.
UGA MFA debuts at number 43. It joins Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) at #37 and Morehouse College at #41. This is the first time UGA MFA has been named to a national list.
“It is very rare for such a young program to be listed as one of the nation’s best, and this demonstrates that we have an up-and-coming program,” said Marty Lang, Director of the MFA Film program, in a news release announcing the honor. “The fact that we’re in the rankings of The Wrap is a testament to the wonderful work of our faculty, staff, and students, and the commitment of the university.”
The UGA MFA program is just four years old. It combines programs from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Grady has graduated hundreds of TV news anchors, reporters, and producers who’ve worked at WJBF, WRDW, and WFXG en route to bigger markets.
“It’s a big deal for UGA to reach that pinnacle and to be on that list,” Randy Davidson, Founder and CEO of Georgia Entertainment, an online source for news about the entertainment industry, told ABD. “It says for the state’s largest public university institution, that is an actual career that Georgians can make money off of. And so, what that illustrates is job opportunities that are in Georgia.”
Davidson also believes the state’s technical colleges played a role in putting Georgia on the film production map.
“There’s definitely film and AV and music and creative industries programs that are led out by Augusta, by the Technical College System of Georgia early on,” he explained. “The technical college system was mostly responsible for bringing in the below-the-line workers for film and music increasing production and availability. You know lighting, gripping, set design, and things of that nature. These things are evolving and should be gaining more and more traction.”
Students at UGA MFA dedicate six semesters to learning so-called “above the line” creative positions such as writing, producing, and directing.
“The explosive growth of the film industry in Georgia has created many new opportunities for our students and the innovative academic programs that bring the best and brightest to UGA,” said Anna Stenport, Dean of Franklin College. “We are delighted that the creative ambitions of our MFA program are already receiving confirmation from the industry itself.”
Second-year students can live in the Town of Trilith, connected to Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, as well as have the opportunity to work closely with the Georgia Film Academy, taking classes and developing the film project for their thesis. GFA brings together Georgia’s public universities, technical colleges, and independent institutions to provide courses in film, television digital entertainment, and other industries.
Augusta Technical College is one of the schools partnered with the Georgia Film Academy. Through Augusta Tech’s FAST (Focused, Accelerated Skills Training), students can earn certificates in film and television production and digital entertainment.
UGA MFA students also have access to professional facilities including a 14,000-square-foot soundstage at Athena Studios, near the main campus in Athens. Faculty includes Neil Landau, screenwriter for “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead” and “Melrose Place.”
The Wrap used Screen Engine/ASI, an entertainment data research company to refine the rankings. Schools submitted information to highlight course quality, student body diversity, class size, and scholarships. The guidelines also looked at networking opportunities and alumni success.
Students who want to be considered for the next UGA MFA Film cohort starting in summer 2025, should apply by Jan. 1, 2025.
