Georgia Entertainment’s From Script to Screen delivered its strongest programming yet during what proved to be a bittersweet occasion: the final Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
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The team returned to Top of Main on Jan. 23, the venue where Georgia Entertainment has hosted activations for several years. The evening opened with the Made in Georgia Panel, featuring Antoinetta Stallings and Robyne Gordon of Tyler Perry Studios, D.W. Moffett of Savannah College of Art and Design and David Sutherland of Filmed in Georgia.
Stallings discussed Tyler Perry Studios’ expansion into producing projects for outside filmmakers, noting the studio’s focus on family and faith-adjacent content.
Gordon, senior director of legal operations at Tyler Perry Studios, described her role as an empowerment tool for creators.
“We are not here to press play on the vision. We’re here to understand the vision and make sure that your vision comes to fruition,” she said. “I’m a player on your team. We have the same color jersey and the end goal is let’s get [your film]made.”
Moffett, who chairs SCAD’s film and television department and has appeared in “May December” and “One Battle After Another,” emphasized the urgency of training the next generation of filmmakers. Students can no longer wait until their junior or senior years to begin creating, he said.
“They have to be in the mindset of a content creator,” Moffett said.
Sutherland founded Filmed in Georgia, a nonprofit that connects filmmakers with a development-to-distribution pipeline, drawing from his own filmmaking background. He outlined practical pathways for aspiring filmmakers to advance beyond development, including fiscal sponsorships and donations.
“You will find people who are willing to give you a donation: $5,000, $10,000,” he said. “Get a few of those people to get you some money to get your idea developed.”
Tia Miller of Trilith Foundation delivered closing remarks, highlighting the foundation’s resources and subsidies for professional creatives seeking counseling services. The initiative complements Georgia’s broader commitment to on-set mental health support.
The evening continued with the VIP Celebration of Cinema, where filmmakers from around the world networked with Georgia’s industry leaders and explored the state’s locations, crew and services.
“This marks our third year bringing this program to Park City, and it is especially meaningful as we celebrate the final year the festival will call Park City home,” said Jezlan Moyet, president of Georgia Entertainment. “At Georgia Entertainment, our Script to Screen events are about possibility. It’s about creating an opportunity to ensure that filmmakers at every level can turn vision into reality and passion into sustainable careers in Georgia.”
Tyler Perry Studios and East Point Convention and Visitors Bureau served as presenting partners for From Script to Screen. Additional partners included Film Savannah, Fulton Films, Georgia StoryLab, Monarch Private Capital, Filmed In Georgia, Georgia Insider, Revolution Entertainment Services, Explore Gwinnett, Film Augusta and Athens Film Office.
Next up, SXSW. See last year’s recap. Contact us for partnership opportunities.
