Aspiring filmmakers are getting a boost in Atlanta, thanks to the banking industry. Georgia State University’s Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence was recently awarded a $125,000 planning grant from JPMorgan Chase to help prepare local young people for careers in film, media and entertainment industry in Georgia.
Adults ages 18 through 24 who are not enrolled in school and not employed will be required to come to Georgia State’s campus, take courses and gain skills as part of the Careers In New and Emerging Media Areas (CINEMA) Project.
“The CINEMA project is an innovative solution to two pressing challenges facing Georgia today: The growing number of young people who are disconnected from work and education and the need for a trained labor force,” said Brian Williams, Crim Center director.
A trio of seven-week classes will be set up by the Crim Center, the Atlanta Film Society, Georgia State’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the university’s new Creative Media Industries Institute. The initiative will include a four-to-six-week paid internship.
“We want more people to share in the benefits of a growing economy by creating sustainable paths to careers that lead to prosperity and wealth for more individuals,” said Mike Passilla, managing director at JPMorgan Chase. “Atlanta is becoming one of the world’s fastest growing TV and film destinations and our partnership with the Crim Center will help our local youth have long, successful careers right here at home.”