There’s studying the film and TV business, and then there’s actually making film and TV content. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) allows you to do both. The secret is collaboration and access.
With its over 300,000 square feet of studio space at its locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Emmy and Oscar-winning faculty, and two stellar film and television festivals (SCAD Savannah Film Festival and SCAD TVfest) that spotlight the cinematic creativity of both award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers, students are able to fast-track their careers.
SCAD film and television junior Joey White made his first short film in high school and since coming to SCAD in 2022, he has made over 35 short films, and a feature film. He was the First Assistant Director — a crucial role on film and television sets — in the SCAD-sponsored multi-camera sitcom “Lodged!” and student-produced horror anthology “Secrets of Savannah” that is being shot on location and on SCAD’s 11-acre backlot with “Silence of the Lambs” actor Ted Levine.
“Every class has leveled me up and prepared me for the film industry. No other university film and acting program has what SCAD has,” said White. I’ve learned how to manage call times and call sheets, run a set as a professional AD, and work side by side with industry professionals. During the SCAD Savannah Film Festival I get to attend coffee talks with film legends like Kevin Costner and Richard Linklater where I gain insider knowledge and make valuable connections.”
The 11-acre backlot at SCAD Film Studios in Savannah has 8,000 square feet of dressed sets, modeling historic Savannah as well as small-town USA scenes, and big city streetscapes, including over 40-separate street facades — and a 17,000 square foot production and costume design facility. For those looking for virtual production elements, there are LED volume stages at both of SCAD’s locations in Atlanta and Savannah.
“SCAD has allowed me to create all kinds of content — from sitcoms, to documentaries, horror films, and feature films. They also encourage students to collaborate, not just with other film majors, but sound designers, visual effects artists, and actors and that has helped me find my team. Currently we are pitching a sitcom that we shot a pilot for, to one of the major networks. I know because of what I’ve learned and accomplished at SCAD that I will achieve my childhood dream of becoming a professional filmmaker.”
SCAD acting senior Jocelyn Shelfo has balanced her studies with professional work on projects like “XO, Kitty” (Netflix), “May December” (Netflix), and “The Summer I Turned Pretty” (Amazon’s Prime Video). She also starred in SCAD’s “Lodged!” sitcom.
“SCAD continues to raise the bar when it comes to partnering education and professional experiences,” Shelfo said. “SCAD’s School of Film and Acting views them in tandem, actively seeking ways to involve its students in professional projects. The Todd Haynes film ‘May December’ for example — I booked that job via SCADs casting office where casting students worked with professionals. Students with concentrations in production design, producing, and cinematography were all able to gain experience working in their respective departments on the Oscar-nominated film. They then bring that level of professionalism to their own sets — and let me tell you, they do!”
Many SCAD acting students, like Shelfo, get their SAG cards before graduation because of the connections they make at SCAD and the work done by the SCAD Casting Office — the country’s only on-site, professionally run casting office in higher education — led by former director of primetime casting at CBS Television Andra Reeve-Rabb. Under Rabb’s leadership, SCAD has helped nurture thousands of students both in front of and behind the camera. In fact, last year alone, the Casting Office placed over 700 students and alumni in powerhouses like Netflix, Disney, NBC, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.
“The faculty cares deeply about their students; they want them to succeed and are willing to work with their students to make that happen. Something I really appreciate is how the school has allowed me to pursue professional jobs like ‘XO, Kitty,’ while also working toward my degree,” Shelfo added.SCAD even empowered one alumna to rescue her family from the Taliban. How will SCAD help you tell your own story? Learn more here, and take your first steps toward the career in film and TV you were meant to have.
