Georgia Entertainment recently released the names of the 200 Most Influential of Georgia’s Creative Industries. The individuals are highlighted in the bi-annual printed publication – Georgia Entertainment: The Creative Economy Journal. See the digital version. Our 200 Spotlight series showcases many of those that were included.
By Carol Badaracco Padgett, Senior Writer
Amidst a Georgia film industry that’s constantly in action, so is Melissa Simpson – on two fronts. Simpson is co-founder and executive director of Film Impact Georgia, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the voices of independent filmmakers in the state. An independent film producer herself, she subsequently serves as education director of the Atlanta Film Society, a nonprofit that connects audiences, filmmakers, and visual artists locally and worldwide, as well as serving up the Oscar-qualifying Atlanta Film Festival each spring.
Both roles further cement Simpson’s strong connection to Georgia’s filmmaking scene and the creative economy as a whole. But it’s the Peach State’s residents and creatives that keep her pulled in tight.
“The no. 1 thing I love about our state is the people,” Simpson states. “We are a state that truly embodies ‘Southern Hospitality.’ We also have a myriad of storytellers with distinctive and personal narratives that explore the essence of Southern, Georgian, and human experiences.”
A native of the state raised just north of Atlanta, Simpson embraced the free flow of the film community from the very start of her career after graduating with a BS in Film and Digital Media from the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. Her varied roles since include serving as founding director of the Georgia Film Festival; creative director for Terminus Conference + Festival; and she has worked on the Rome International Film Festival, the WIFTA (Women in Film and Television Atlanta) Short Film Showcase, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, and many others.
In all these roles, Simpson has worked to help other filmmakers. “Since starting Film Impact Georgia in the spring of 2019, we have given over $45,000 to filmmakers [of shorts]in Georgia. We are currently in our 10th cycle of submissions, gearing up for our Feature Film Development lab, and have been able to support many other organizations in town.”
Looking ahead to even more growth in the creative economy, Simpson says Georgia’s entertainment and creative industries are unlike any others.
“Our industry naturally reflects the diversity of the state, while remaining a tight-knit community that looks out for one another,” she notes. “The entertainment industry in Georgia benefits from a collaborative and supportive community of filmmakers, industry professionals, and local businesses. This sense of community has helped foster growth and success within the state.”
The strong element of community support in Georgia has helped jumpstart Simpson’s own career in the creative industry she loves.
“I met Charles [Judson, current creative director for Film Impact Georgia] while I was in college, as I was starting a film festival at the University of North Georgia, which has since grown into the Georgia Film Festival,” she says. “He took the time to meet with me and advise me on running my first film festival.”
Capitalizing on the confidence others, like Judson, have helped instill in her along the way, Simpson uses her high-level involvement in Georgia’s creative industry to help others succeed. She also actively works alongside other creatives, producing independent projects such as Come Correct, Wokman, and Lilin.
