Nashville, Tenn. — Military veterans and film school. At first glance, that might not sound like a combination you would expect. However, one film school is finding that many of their students and graduates are, in fact, vets.
The Nashville Film Institute (NFI) is located in Nashville and is proving to be an attractive option for veterans looking to pursue a course of education upon leaving the United States military.
At NFI, veterans are able to take advantage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill that pays tuition and fees directly to the school, along with an annual books and supplies stipend and, where appropriate, a monthly housing allowance for an E-5 with dependents. Additionally, some veterans have taken advantage of the VRAP Program to attend the NFI.
“After serving my time in the Air Force, the military afforded me the opportunity to use the VRAP Educational Program to attend NFI,” said military vet Dushawn Moses. “It has opened my eyes to an entire new way of life in the real world.”
The NFI offers a 9-month diploma course that is intentionally fast-tracked and hands-on so that students can rapidly grasp the essentials of filmmaking and be prepared to find employment in the film industry with both knowledge and a valuable skill set.
An example is Matthew Voss, a combat-decorated Army veteran with nearly 18 years of combat and reserve service, rising through the ranks from Private to Captain. Voss said that NFI, “Not only provided a total immersion into the process of filmmaking but also the proverbial ‘foot in the door’ with strategic partnerships with the film and television industries.”
Veterans’ eligible VA dependents are also able to attend the NFI under the provisions of the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Katrina Coe is a VA dependent who completed the NFI program in 2012. She has since gone on to a thriving career in the film industry and has already worked on two feature films, various short films and other projects including work as a PA for casting of NBC’s The Voice.
She has a simple philosophy about her post-NFI success.
“You reap what you sow,” she said. “When you put your blood, sweat and tears into a project, it’s rewarding to see it come together into something you love, you’ve created.”
But why are vets proving to be so successful, both as students and as graduates of the NFI, finding employment in the film industry?
“Vets come to us with two capabilities that are essential to filmmakers,” said NFI President Prema Thiagarajah. “In the military, they have learned the importance of teamwork but have also developed leadership skills. Filmmaking is definitely a team activity, but filmmakers also need to be able to make leadership decisions when necessary.”
The Nashville Film Institute has created a page at their website with specific information for vets and their eligible dependents, with details about how the Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing. The website is: www.thenfi.com, where several vets share their stories about filmmaking and the NFI.
NFI President Thiagarajah believes that vets have a story to tell.
“Our 9-month diploma course allows you to create while you learn,” she said. “You study with a camera in your hand.”
For more information contact Prema Thiagarajah at 877-627-3456 or prema@thenfi.com