*By Kristian Dane Lawing, Emmy-Nominated Cinematographer & Adjunct Instructor, Georgia Film Academy*
I’ve filmed documentaries in war zones, historical recreations for an Emmy-nominated series, and spent six years reporting on shark attacks as a cinematographer for National Geographic. But when I walked into my first regular class last fall, teaching motion picture lighting and electricity for the Georgia Film Academy, I encountered something that humbled me: students who were hungry not just for technical knowledge, but for understanding how the production industry actually works—the unwritten rules, the professional wisdom, and the hard-won lessons that no textbook can teach.
That experience cemented something I’ve never forgotten: the debt I owe to the mentors who inspired my own career. And it crystallized a belief I’ve been forming for years: that it positively serves our entire industry when experienced professionals willfully share their knowledge with the next generation. Not out of altruism, but because the health of emerging production markets like Savannah, Georgia and other regional production markets depends on it.
The gap between academic preparation and industry reality exists everywhere film production is taught. But it’s particularly pronounced in emerging markets like Savannah, where the production community is trying to grow, but mentorship opportunities outside of insulated institutions like SCAD isn’t as available. People like John Grace at the Savannah Film Academy and Julio Saldarriaga at GFA are making strides but they alone are not enough.
The Mentorship Vacuum in Emerging Markets
Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta—these established production hubs have something beyond rental houses and soundstages. They have ecosystems where knowledge transfer happens organically. A grip working their first studio feature learns from a key grip with many years of experience. A camera assistant on a commercial can absorb lighting techniques by watching a seasoned gaffer problem-solve in real time. Young editors get to work under supervising editors who’ve literally cut their teeth on everything from network television to feature documentaries.
This more or less ad-hoc apprenticeship model—informal, ongoing, embedded in daily production work—is how the industry has always developed expertise. You don’t learn what it is to be a professional cinematographer primarily in the classroom. You learn by working with people who’ve already solved the problems you’re encountering for the first time.
Savannah doesn’t yet have that depth of experienced practitioners outside of certain institutions. Institutions that might not be readily accessible to locals looking to learn the film production ropes. We have talented people, certainly. And we do have veterans. We have enthusiasm and (hopefully) a growing infrastructure. But we don’t have large numbers of professionals with decades of high-level production experience present and actively engaging with emerging talent to provide this sort of shepherding. The result is predictable: we have eager newcomers with some degree of foundational knowledge but with a limited understanding of the professional workflows, industry standards, and accumulated wisdom that only comes from years of experience.
This is the natural state of any smaller market, of course. But it helps creates a Catch22 of challenges that affect everyone: clients can struggle to find consistently excellent local crews while talented young professionals leave for more established markets – and production quality varies wildly.
What Students Actually Need (Beyond Technical Skills)
Teaching lighting and electricity means covering the fundamentals: theory, color, power distribution, equipment, safety protocols, and much more. These technical skills are essential. But they’re also the easy part. What students struggle with—what I struggled with early in my career—is everything surrounding the technical execution.
How do you work efficiently under time pressure without compromising quality? How do you communicate with directors, producers, and clients who may not understand technical constraints? How do you solve problems creatively when ideal solutions aren’t available? How do you maintain professional standards even on low-budget projects? How do you build a sustainable career rather than just floating as a freelancer?
These questions don’t always have obvious answers. They’re learned through experience, ideally guided by mentors who’ve navigated the same waters. When I came up through the industry—starting in advertising, before transitioning to cinematography, —I benefited enormously from experienced professionals willing to share hard-won knowledge. For me, that first important mentor was my seasoned gaffer, John Ferguson, known popularly as Fergy. He told me from the get-go that there was room for everyone in our business and showed me that it’s as rewarding to pass on knowledge as it is to successfully solve a lighting problem. Maybe more-so. He passed on not just technical knowledge, but professional wisdom that sticks with me today. He helped me understand how to build a reputation for reliability and excellence. From then on I chose to make my own sets teaching sets and have tried to install in my younger crews a great work ethic and an open policy to ask questions. I encourage them to carry on the tradition themselves. Not to haze newcomers but to help them learn. We were all there once and those we encourage will continue fostering an environment that so often makes working in this industry feel like a safe place of growth.
Those new to production and wanting to move into Savannah’s production market need the experience of that same guidance.
The Multiplier Effect of Mentorship
When I committed to teaching at the Georgia Film Academy, it wasn’t primarily about consistent pay or adding “educator” to my résumé. It was recognition that Savannah’s viability as a production market depends as much on developing local expertise as it does physical infrastructure. Every student who learns proper techniques and professional standards becomes part of the human infrastructure that contributes to making regional production sustainable.
But mentorship isn’t confined to classrooms. Everyone is a student at the end of the day. Most of the most valuable learning happens on actual productions, in equipment rental facilities, through industry organizations, and in informal conversations where experienced professionals share insights. My semester concluded with my students filling out important positions on a three day real-life production that I was the Director of Photography on, where there were real stakes and expectations. To a person, they told me afterwards that they learned more in that situation than in the 16 weeks of classroom instruction. Because it was real, practical, and they had the experience of our 16 weeks together to draw upon. And because, throughout the production I tried my best to make sure they individually understood not only what they were doing, but why, and how it affected the bigger picture.
This is also why my company, MediaTwins, maintains equipment rental services alongside our production work. When filmmakers or newer production companies rent lighting packages from us, I’m happy to discuss technical approaches, troubleshoot problems, or explain why certain equipment choices work better for specific applications. These conversations take a few extra minutes but potentially save renters hours of frustration and wasted production time. And I enjoy seeing their eyes light up when they gain a new understanding or have a new realization.
Similarly, when I collaborate —serving as gaffer or cinematographer on local projects, providing technical expertise, or general consulting —I view it as an opportunity to share knowledge, not just complete transactions. The goal isn’t creating competitors; it’s elevating the entire market.
There are certainly a number of factors influencing Savannah’s ability to attract and retain larger projects, but Savannah’s production community can only benefit if we consistently deliver professional results. That requires experienced crews working at every level. And experienced crews develop through the mentorship of professionals willing to share knowledge.
What Experienced Professionals can do for the Next Generation
I’ve been fortunate in my career. The Oscar-shortlisted documentary “Quest for Honor,” shot during the Iraq War, happened because my producers trusted a relatively young cinematographer with an extraordinarily difficult project. The Emmy nomination for CNN’s “Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History” came from work that demanded both technical excellence and historical sensitivity. National Geographic’s “When Sharks Attack” taught me marine production techniques and working with scientific subject matter. My recent Emmy nomination for the Kino Flo commercial “Who’s the Real Star” validated decades of commercial lighting expertise.
None of that happens without Fergy and the other mentors early in my career who shared knowledge generously when it mattered most. I am far more rewarded by carrying that tradition of mentorship forward than by any award. Every professional who’s benefited from guidance has the profound opportunity to provide it to others. And a healthy industry depends on that knowledge transfer across generations.
This is particularly crucial in markets like Savannah. Established production hubs can absorb varying quality levels because the large volume of work and the depth of the experienced crew base maintains overall standards. Emerging markets are more fragile. A few high-profile productions that go poorly because of inadequate crew expertise can damage the market’s reputation. Conversely, consistently excellent work—enabled by knowledgeable and enthusiastic crews—can help attract more production and held create sustainable growth.
Building Savannah’s Production Infrastructure
My decision to relocate from Los Angeles to Savannah in 2023 was strategic. The Southeast was experiencing genuine production growth, and Savannah specifically offered remarkable location diversity, improving infrastructure, and proximity to major markets as well as a welcome community. But Savannah’s long-term viability as a production hub depends on more. And one of the things it requires is a depth of experienced local talent.
Teaching at both the Georgia Film Academy and Savannah Film Academy reinforces my belief that Savannah’s larger production community only benefits when experienced professionals actively engage with emerging talent. If you’re an experienced production professional working in the Savannah area—whether you relocated like I did or you are a local with years of experience— please consider how you might contribute to mentorship. It doesn’t require formal teaching commitments or massive time investments. It can be as simple as:
– Hiring less experienced but enthusiastic crew members and working with them rather than just directing them. I find a great attitude is the precursor for a great technician.
– Offering honest feedback and specific guidance when people ask for advice.
– Sharing knowledge about workflows, techniques, or best practices as opportunities arise.
– Setting quality standards by example and explaining why those standards matter.
– Supporting educational programs like the Georgia Film Academy and the Savannah Film Academy.
– Viewing the success of other production professionals as beneficial to the market rather than threatening to your business.
I am committed to Savannah because I believe that Savannah’s production future is bright. Infrastructure continues improving and the local talent continues to develop. But sustainable growth requires the intentional effort to invest in mentorship. When the process of sharing knowledge becomes natural it elevates everyone and ultimately helps transform an emerging market into an established one.