If you're unfamiliar with the frequency of productions visiting the state of Georgia, and more specifically Atlanta then you've been living under a rock. It isn't unfamiliar to see the Georgia peach at the end of a rolling list of end credits. With that being said so many have flocked to the great state of Georgia to take advantage of all the opportunities the state holds when it comes to video and tv production.
I recently had the opportunity to interview KJ Ross, a Chicago native from the Southside of the city who currently attends Clark Atlanta University, KJ is a Junior mass media arts major. When asked what was the inspiration behind his choosing CAU, "I attended a Prep School on the Southside of Chicago and they took us on a college visit and I enjoyed it." He also let me know that he has several family members who lived near the institution and that made the decision to move south and pursue an education all the easier.
With this heavy influx of productions making their way to Georgia to the tune of 4.4 billion dollars having been spent in the state for the fiscal year of 2022, a qualified and knowledgeable workforce is needed to supplement and support the productions that come to the state of Georgia. Jeremy Bell, founder of Plug-In with JB looks to be an instrumental component in training and educating newcomers and veterans alike in the art of TV and Film production. Jeremy has been involved with production for the past 20 years in various capacities and understands the role of assisting those who haven't been afforded the same opportunities. A former student of Atlanta's Art Institute, Jeremy learned fast that active hands-on experience would be the best way.
Nearly five years ago Jeremy took upon the challenge of filling the need for qualified professionals in high demand in Atlanta, Georgia, and surrounding areas. So the beginnings of the class were born, initially offering free tutorials out of the former Kinship Studios in Decatur, Georgia. With humble beginnings and only offering a few initial classes, JB set out to empower the film community with a heavy concentration of those who happen to be "Black in film", While receiving a huge amount of support and appreciation for the educational resources he provided, Jeremy felt it could be bigger and with the help of friend and business partner Alyx Walker, Plug-In with JB was born. Having gone from a haphazard tutorial offering to a one-day class, PIWJB has become a three-day offering of classes ranging from camera building on various large format cameras to lighting setups and lastly the culmination of the previous two days being applied to produce a music video with a notable artist.
KJ happened to be a participant in PIWJB's last offering of sessions, through the benevolence of Jeremy Bell, KJ and several other classmates at Clark Atlanta University were presented with the chance to attend the PIWJB class for the nominal fee of zero dollars, and an opportunity that most students of film schools won't get to experience all the time. KJ opened up about his experience in attending the now three-day class at Lensheads Studios in Marietta, Georgia. "The class opened my eyes to production, I knew a little bit before the class but the class gave me more motivation and I'm more determined to pursue a career in this." KJ also told me that he ultimately wants to be a director, the class showed him that, "If this is something I really want to do, I have to put the time in and do it." wise words from a novice filmmaker.
Some of the biggest lessons KJ took away from the class was that "it led to more opportunities after" and he was able to assist in the production of an interview with renowned music producer and innovator Bill Speed, as he was a production assistant and was able to lend a hand in the grip and electric department. Another notable highlight of KJ's was the opportunity to work with and be a body double for his favorite artist's video who happens to be CEO Trayle. I had the opportunity to witness KJ's excitement as CEO Trayle entered the building to come on set. JB didn't inform anyone on the set of who we would be shooting for day three of the class, and the surprise was the students had the opportunity to help produce an Azae Williams video, who is the mind behind the now notable and viral "From the Block" series and who was the creator behind the visuals of Chicago's drill music scene.
The opportunity KJ was a part of and so many others are vital to the overall community building in TV and Film production. It is of even more importance in the black and brown community as we need more storytellers that look like me and come from the places that I've lived in and experienced. Jeremy continues to hold classes for his TV and Film production training. To stay abreast on upcoming class offerings follow the organization's page on Instagram (@pluginwithjb). Check out the video below for the finished product KJ and his classmates worked on.