09/24/2026
FILM TASTER 2026 — GET A TASTE OF THE INDUSTRY
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 | 6–9 PM
6287 Fairburn Rd, Douglasville, GA
Want to work in film or television but aren’t sure where you fit?
Film Taster 2026 brings together 17 industry professionals representing multiple career paths across film and television — and gives you the opportunity to choose ONE breakout room and learn directly from the people who actually do the work.
A few reasons you’ll want to be there:
Douglas County High School graduate Maurice P. Kerry, now recurring on CBS’s Beyond the Gates, joins us as our Keynote Speaker.
Our Stunts & Action for Camera room will be interactive, giving attendees a closer look at how action is prepared and created safely for the camera.
And you’ll be able to explore careers in acting, casting, producing, filmmaking, crew, screenwriting, stunts and broadcast television.
After the breakout sessions, everyone comes back together for a full industry panel and audience Q&A.
The idea behind Film Taster is simple:
Come get a taste of the industry and discover where you might fit.
THE BREAKOUT ROOMS
ACTING & CASTING
For actors — and anyone who wants to understand how performers move through the professional industry.
We’ll talk about acting craft, auditions, casting, talent representation, commercial representation, professional expectations, headshots and building an acting career.
In the room:
Kelly Young-Silva — Emmy Award Winner • Actor • Producer • Acting Coach • Owner of Words In Motion Acting Studio • President of Georgia Arts Initiative
Maurice P. Kerry — Actor • Producer • Recurring on CBS’s Beyond the Gates
Carol Shaginaw — Talent Agent • Carol Shaginaw Talent Agency, a SAG-AFTRA franchised agency
Jordan Blair Brown — Casting Director • Jordan Brown Casting
Amanda Gikas — Commercial Talent Agent • GAII Vice President
Sara Lauren — Actor Headshot & Portrait Photographer
This room gives actors the opportunity to hear several sides of the business in one conversation — acting, coaching, casting, talent representation, commercial representation and professional marketing materials.
PRODUCING
What does a producer actually do?
This room will explore developing projects, pitching, assembling teams, producing responsibilities, locations, production resources and working with local government.
In the room:
Ty Johnston-Chavis, MFA — Film & Television Producer • PGA Member • NATAS Member • Educator • Author • Founder of the Atlanta Pitch Summit
Wendy Caudle — Douglas County Government • Douglas County Film & Entertainment • Constituent Services Manager
You’ll also learn more about how filmmakers and producers can work with communities like Douglas County when bringing productions into an area.
FILMMAKING
How do you take words on a page and turn them into images on a screen?
This room will explore directing, cinematography, visual storytelling, camera choices, working with actors, production, post-production and film festivals.
In the room:
Diego Silva-Acevedo — 17-Time Southeast Emmy Award Winner • Director • Director of Photography • Cinematographer • Producer
Carlos Andres Cuervo — Emmy Award Winner • Cinematographer • Documentary Filmmaker • Educator
Heather Hutton — Director • Producer • Film Production Educator
This room is for anyone interested in what happens behind the camera and how filmmakers build a visual story.
CREW
Film sets are built by far more people than the names you see on a movie poster.
The Crew Room will introduce attendees to careers including set construction, camera and grip, dolly work, practical effects, special makeup effects and professional set expectations.
In the room:
Don Hall — Set Construction • IATSE Local 479
Don’s credits include Rockford Files pilot, By Any Means, Fight Night, Weapons, Ms. Pat Show, Staircase, Step Up, Walking Dead and Stranger Things.
John “Sparky” Stephens — Dolly Grip • Camera & Grip
Greg Solomon — Prosthetic & Special Makeup Effects Artist
If you’ve ever watched the credits roll and wondered what all of those crew jobs actually mean, this is a great place to start.
SCREENWRITING
Before there is a set, a camera or an actor standing on a mark, somebody has to write the story.
This room will explore story development, screenplay structure, writing visually, character, creating material for film and television and understanding the writer’s role in production.
In the room:
Kelly Greer — Screenwriter • Filmmaker • Assistant Professor at the University of West Georgia
This room isn’t only for writers. Actors, directors and filmmakers can also benefit from understanding the blueprint everything else is built from.
STUNTS & ACTION FOR CAMERA — INTERACTIVE ROOM
This will be one of our interactive Film Taster experiences.
Attendees will get an introduction to stunt performance and action for camera while learning why professional stunt work depends on preparation, communication, choreography, teamwork and safety.
In the room:
Suphagan Khemtong — Stunt Performer • Actor
His credits include stunt work on Cobra Kai.
If you’ve ever wondered how stunt performers make action look dangerous on screen while carefully preparing the work behind the scenes, this room will give you a closer look.
BROADCAST TELEVISION
The entertainment industry extends beyond scripted film and television.
Broadcast television has its own fast-moving world of producers, crews, storytelling, technology and deadlines.
In the room:
Robert A. Tharpe Jr. — Emmy-Nominated Broadcast Professional • Producer
Robert will lead:
OLD SCHOOL BROADCASTING IN THE DIGITAL AGE
A conversation about how broadcasting has evolved, what has changed, what has stayed the same and what professionals entering television today need to understand.
THEN EVERYONE COMES TOGETHER
After the breakout rooms, our industry professionals come together for the Film Taster Industry Panel and Audience Q&A.
This is your opportunity to hear how all of these careers connect — and ask questions that may help you figure out where your place in the industry could be.
You do NOT have to already work in film to attend.
Film Taster is for actors, filmmakers, crew, writers, students, parents of young performers, career changers, aspiring industry professionals and anyone who is simply curious about how film and television really work.
The question we want you to leave asking is:
COULD THIS BE A CAREER PATH FOR ME?
General Admission: $35
Film Students: $10 with student ID
GAII Annual Membership: $50 — Film Taster admission included
Breakout room is chosen on the day of the event.
REGISTER HERE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/film-taster-2026-tickets-1999146945329
Presented by Georgia Arts Initiative in partnership with Douglas County Film & Entertainment.
ONE INDUSTRY. MANY CAREERS. COME GET A TASTE OF WHAT YOUR FUTURE COULD LOOK LIKE.
