The Georgia Film Foundation, or GFF, has arrived in the Hollywood of the South, further cementing Atlanta, GA – foundation headquarters – and the surrounding state, as the entertainment capital of the Southeast.
No stranger to non-profit leadership, Delores Crowell is leading the charge to deliver funds to program and trained-labor growth. With over 30 years working in the fields of Public Policy, Sales, Marketing and Governmental Affairs, Delores Crowell has held executive and leadership titles with numerous nonprofits and educational institutions distributing millions of dollars over her impressive career with corporate giants, BellSouth and AT&T.
“The state of Georgia has done a stellar job providing government funded programs to benefit communities and grow a strong entertainment-based labor force,” says Crowell. “It is time for the private sector to step up and support the growth in a focused way. The executives that we’ve been working with understand and see the vision – I’m excited about our future.”
Citing the impact of the Georgia Film Academy, and Executive Director Jeff Stepakoff in particular, Crowell hopes “to fill a void of corporate monies that can be meaningful and impactful to young people hoping to build careers in Georgia.”
Blackhall Americana CEO and Founder of Blackhall Studios, Ryan Millsap, designed the concept of the Georgia Film Foundation with the intent on providing funds to grow film & television programs at High Schools, Colleges and Universities in the State of Georgia.
Contributing $500,000 to launch the Foundation, Millsap stated, “There are some exemplary programs in Georgia right now.” said Millsap, “What we want to do, in the private sector, is simple – we want to use corporate dollars to support them. Our part to is to assist in growing, what has become, one of the most significant financial contributors to the state’s economy.”
Adding his wish for significant financial contribution from the country’s entertainment leaders, Millsap said “Our hope is that Disney, Sony, Warner Brothers, Netflix, Paramount, HBO, Universal, Amazon and Apple will see what is happening in Georgia and will join us in contributing capital to the advancement of young people across the state.”
Crowell adds, “Our corporate partners are absolutely crucial to the success of the Georgia Film Foundation. Working with both entertainment and Fortune 500 leaders in the state who can only gain from growing a skilled and savvy labor force is our number one priority. Intentionally creating the next generation of well-trained entertainment industry employee is tantamount to the future of this exciting business.”
The Georgia Film Foundation is a 501c3; all donations are tax deductible. For more information visit https://thegeorgiafilmfoundation.org or email us at [email protected].
Article courtesy of the Metro Atlanta CEO, published March 15, 2022.