Grayson Turner, a native of Conyers, Georgia, discovered his passion for storytelling at a young age. Growing up in the small town, he found himself drawn to the captivating world of news production. Even as a student at Lorraine Elementary, he immersed himself in editing the school's news shows, showcasing his natural talent behind the scenes. 

With an undeniable knack for film production, Grayson's passion only grew stronger as he transitioned to middle school. It was during this pivotal time that he crossed paths with fellow students who shared his enthusiasm and creative drive. Together, they embarked on a journey to bring their imaginations to life, crafting their own compelling short films.

As Grayson's passion continued to evolve, he reached a turning point at Heritage High. It was there he found an exciting opportunity—an affiliation between his school and the Rockdale Career Academy, known  for its film program. This fortuitous connection opened the doors to a world of possibilities, granting Grayson access to the state-of-the-art film equipment he needed to bring his cinematic visions to life. Upon graduation, he chose Columbus State University, where he earned a communications degree with a focus in film production. It was there, he learned about Georgia Film Academy (GFA).

“My goal was to find the right path to get me on set and that’s where GFA came in,” said Turner. “GFA is a really good film production program.”

When he began taking GFA courses through his university, there was not an opportunity for him to work in the camera department, so he took an on-set production class on lighting, which he found very beneficial 

“Getting on set, I had to be humble enough to admit I didn’t know very much,” said Turner, who realized he was still more knowledgeable than most students who had no film experience. “But I had a lot to learn, and I knew it.”

Besides lighting, Turner credits GFA for teaching him camera skills and filling in the knowledge gaps by getting him on set, where he could learn and network.

“Through GFA courses, those skills are taught by people who have done it professionally for years, so it’s great!” he said. “My first professor, Herb Kossover, is a director of photography. He really gave me a much needed spark. He taught me so much and gave me hope again that I can achieve my goals.”

As part of his certification process through GFA, Turner received an internship on the movie, Takeover, starring Billy Zane, Martin Sensmeier and Quavo. He started as a studio production assistant (SPA) but was soon trained as a first team production assistant (PA) and background actor PA.

“I got bumped up to first team PA for a while and that was fun,” he said. “I worked with all the actors and got close with them. 

While on set, Turner visited various departments to learn and develop relationships. This proved valuable, because right afterTakeover wrapped, he received a call to work on a football movie, Black Spartans. Once again, he started as an SPA but was bumped to first team PA, granting him the opportunity to work with movie stars like Neal McDonough, Parker McKenna Posey and J. Alphonse Nicholson. 

With five successful projects under his belt as the second assistant cameraman, including the Lifetime movie He Had Seven Wives, Turner is emerging in the film industry.

“For aspiring students, if you know what department you want to work in, learn as much as possible about that department,” he advises. “Show up and have a good conversation about the equipment or skills. Getting on set is key.”

GFA certification equips the next generation of film and television crews through coursework and on-set experience. The academy, a unique, statewide initiative operated under the auspices of the University System of Georgia, has resonated with leading Hollywood studios and production companies such as MGM and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.

For more information, visit the Georgia Film Academy’s website.