The FAME (Film, Arts, Media & Entertainment) Pathway at the Floyd County Schools College & Career Academy recently collaborated with the Georgia Film Academy (GFA) for the second year in a row at the CCA for an AVTF Teacher Training Program. This year the program was catered towards podcasting and empowering educators across Georgia to elevate their podcast curriculum.
The GFA’s AVTF (Audio, Visual, Technology, and Film) Teacher Training program is a transformative initiative that equips educators from across the state with the skills and resources to enhance their film and media programs. This one-day intensive training, held at the CCA’s FAME Pathway classroom, brought together teachers from diverse backgrounds to immerse themselves in the world of podcasting.
“When I was asked to host a training program again this year, I obviously said yes. It shows how the FAME program has grown and gained state-wide recognition when it comes to student filmmaking and now podcast production,” said Williams. “Teachers from all over the state can now look to Floyd County Schools as an AVTF leader for filmmaking and podcasting.”
The program’s curriculum, developed by FAME teacher Rick Williams and GFA’s Secondary Schools Coordinator Cooper Fiscus-van Rossum, covers a wide range of topics, including podcasting, branding, and the fundamentals of incorporating podcasting into existing curriculum.
“Filmmaking, television, and content creation are all powerful storytelling vehicles, and podcasting is no exception,” Fiscus-van Rossum said. “While often viewed as an audio-only medium, podcasting transforms into a live or live-to-tape broadcast when enhanced with multi-camera setups, lighting, and switching. This not only engages more students but also exposes them to media careers they may never have considered.”
Because of its scalability, Fiscus-van Rossum added that “podcasting can be seamlessly introduced at the elementary and middle school levels while offering robust live-production experiences for high school students. The medium blends English Language Arts through scriptwriting, AVTF through production and post-production, and essential soft skills like collaboration, public speaking, and communication to create an exciting opportunity for students to expand both their voice and choice.”
Participants gained hands-on experience with industry-standard podcast equipment, collaborated with fellow educators to share best practices, and were given tricks and tools on how to build, maintain, and market podcasting in their prospective schools. Greg Walkup, an A/V Broadcast & Film teacher at Otwell Middle School in Cumming, Georgia described the experience as, “Amazing! To be able to be surrounded by creatives across the state and have Rick’s inspiring space and knowledge made for an interactive and hands-on experience that was top-notch! Well done GFA & Rick!”
The impact of the AVTF Teacher Training program extends far beyond the classroom. By equipping educators with the skills and resources to elevate their film and podcast curriculum, the program is poised to inspire and engage students, fostering their creativity, critical thinking, and technical proficiency. Beyond the intensive training, the program also offers an extensive retention initiative. Participants will have access to a social forum to connect with their peers, regular follow-up sessions, and ongoing support from the FAME instructor and the GFA.
The Georgia Film Academy’s AVTF Teacher Training program is a testament to the state’s commitment to empowering educators and preparing students for the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of film, media, and podcasting. By investing in the professional development of teachers, the program ensures that students across Georgia have access to cutting-edge, industry-aligned curriculum, positioning them for success in their future endeavors.
About the Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy (GFA) is a professional organization and unit of the University System of Georgia (USG) committed to leading and advancing the entertainment arts industry and its workforce in Georgia. GFA supports the Georgia Film Consortium (GFC), a unique-in-the-nation collaboration of the university system, the Technical College System of Georgia and independent institutions across the state. Created by state leadership to meet education and workforce needs for high demand careers in Georgia’s film and creative industries, GFC works with more than 30 partner institutions to offer
professional courses in film, television, live production, streaming and esports for college credit. Classes may also be taken through professional education programs at several partner institutions. GFC’s higher education program includes rigorous professional training and may lead to union-covered film and television production craft internships and placement in creative industry apprenticeships and associated jobs. In addition, GFA supports a graduate consortium of USG partner institutions offering master’s degrees in creative arts geared toward content creation in film, television and digital media. GFA provides professional training in the form of post-production education and AVID editing certification. GFA also offers high school teacher training in content creation, production, post-production and esports in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education, providing professional film and television experiences and training as well as curriculum and resources to teachers across the state. Additionally, GFA hosts opportunities for high school students with summer camps in screenwriting, filmmaking and esports. For more information, visit https://www.georgiafilmacademy.edu/.
