Read Ridley Appointed to Nashville Film, Television and Transmedia Council
Ridley, Columbia State's program director and instructor of the film crew technology program, explained that the NFTT Council was established to build a new crew base, create training and mentoring programs, provide financing and incentives, and establish infrastructure for Nashville's growing film, television and transmedia market.
"I was chosen to represent Columbia State," Ridley said. "The industry is here, and there's a need for skilled film technicians. This is what needs to happen in order to steer more opportunity and build a diversified workforce for the film market in Nashville."
The NFTT Council includes educational institutions and non-profit organizations, as well as city and state offices related to film and television that will work with Mayor Karl Dean's office to develop and grow Nashville's film and television industry.
In its sixth year, Columbia State's FCT program is a high-intensive 12-month certificate program instructed on a California industry standard. The program is specifically designed for individuals who want to enter the motion-picture business and provides students the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to enter the technical and mechanical end of film production with jobs as crew technicians in film and video.
Columbia State's program uses the latest technology and techniques used in the industry, and students receive training in electrical (lighting), grip, art department, high-definition cinematography, sound and post-production (non-linear editing using Final Cut Pro). The program is staffed by working motion picture professionals and is the only program in Tennessee with a professional grip/electric truck and camera crane.
Because of this training, students and/or graduates have worked on every major film production in Tennessee since 2009, including ABC's "Nashville" since its first season.
"The program began with a limited number of students," Ridley commented. "This fall, we more than doubled our enrollment, maximizing the program's capacity. Once we move to the new Williamson County campus, we hope to continue to build the program to allow more students the opportunity to be job-ready in a year."
The FCT program is located at Columbia State's Williamson County campus. Anyone interested in applying to the program should contact Ridley at (615) 790-4410 or visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/FilmCrew.Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.