The Columbus Film Office is broadening its scope beyond traditional film production to embrace the full spectrum of creative industries, from gaming and music to podcasts and digital content creation.
The expansion comes after years of watching the local film landscape evolve. However, recent changes to the film industry have been felt nationally, and creators are no longer focusing on one lane of content, but are expanding to cross into a variety of fields.
By broadening its scope, the Columbus Film Office aims to capture that energy and simultaneously support local creators. Local filmmakers working day jobs but passionate about their craft needed different support. Film academy students needed internships and on-set experience. And an entire ecosystem of creators in gaming, music, podcasting and other digital media had emerged rapidly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We saw those doors begin to open, and the demand from what we were hearing from national and state levels,” said Joel Slocumb, Columbus Film Commissioner. “After many conversations, we decided to encompass that into what we are doing.”
The film office will promote its expanded mission at the Columbus Creators Mixer on Feb. 19 at The Loft in Columbus. The event will connect local creators across disciplines, provide education on storytelling fundamentals and help participants understand what resources are available to them.
“If we can facilitate sharing and better incorporate this evolution, the community will be in a stronger position. We want to already be there with the tools, resources and support for local creatives,” Slocumb said.
The mixer will also feature information about the Local Filmmakers Grant Program, which opened for applications in January and offers five grants of $10,000 each. Applications are being accepted through the end of February. A representative will be available at the event to walk attendees through the application process and answer questions about eligibility and requirements.
The local focus doesn’t mean the office has abandoned efforts to attract outside productions to Columbus. For larger productions, Columbus also offers an incentive of up to $300,000 with the aim of attracting outside filmmakers to the area.
The film office continues to promote locations such as the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, the Patton Barracks, downtown venues and private residences to productions filming in Georgia.
Building a strong local creative community, Slocumb believes, provides a more stable foundation for long-term growth.
“We want the community and industry to be aware of the support our office is able to provide,” Slocumb said. “That’s one of the purposes of this event: to demonstrate what we can offer and to potentially connect them with other creators who can support them on their journey.”
