Grif Lockley has been the Savannah Arts Academy principal for five years. During that time, he has seen the enrollment grow from 700 to 800 in grades 9-12.

Part of that growth, he said, has been the increasing interest in film studies. That's why the 17-year-old public school plans to separate its film/TV/media production program from the communication arts and create its own department.

Lockley suggests the Muscogee County School District shouldn't wait 17 years to have a film department in its arts academy, which is scheduled to open in 2017 after construction starts this year on the approximately 15 acres between the Columbus Aquatic Center and Rigdon Road Elementary School.

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