Captivated by comics and novels like Calvin and Hobbs and the Divergent series, Sarah Rose grew a fascination for the art of storytelling early in life.
At just 11 years old, her family moved to Georgia, first Savannah then McDonough, where she began to witness the film industry firsthand. From movies shot in her neighborhood to production assistants knocking on the door to alert her family of gun fight scenes in the area, Rose set her sights on a career in the film and television industry.
“Being able to see big movie sets just outside my neighborhood really motivated me to pursue a career in the entertainment industry,” said Rose, whose passion only grew stronger in high school when taking courses on photography and scriptwriting.
With a strong desire to turn her passion into a lifelong profession, Rose chose to pursue a degree in film and media at Georgia State University. Her professors recognized her talent and potential and recommended she take Georgia Film Academy (GFA) courses.
GFA certification equips the next generation of film and television crews through coursework and on-set experience. The academy, a unique, statewide initiative operated under the auspices of the University System of Georgia, has resonated with leading Hollywood studios and production companies such as MGM and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.
Through her GFA course work, Rose honed her skills and acquired essential production knowledge from courses like Introduction to Film & Television Production and Production Accounting & Office Management.
As part of her GFA curriculum, she secured production assistant internships on the set of a major motion picture, Creed III, and television series, Shadrach, officially obtaining her certification in Film and Television Production from GFA upon completion of her on-set roles.
Rose’s work on two professional sets reinforced her belief that her film production dreams were within reach.
“GFA prepared me by teaching me [industry]lingo and technicalities,” said Rose, reflecting on her experience. “The most valuable lessons I learned were to always have a great attitude, be productive and stay off the phone. I was surprised to learn about the value of networking. I’ve got all my jobs by having connections.”
After her internship concluded, Rose was hired as an art PA on a few feature films and television projects, including the Amazon movie, One Fast Move. After that production wrapped, she accepted a position as a full-time editor for various YouTube channels and social media accounts.
Her biggest piece of advice for aspiring film creators is to never be afraid to make connections and be productive with a good attitude.
For more information about GFA, visit https://georgiafilmacademy.edu.
