State film advisory board honored with an Emmy
Local member Shay Bentley-Griffin and fellow members are shown appreciation for tax incentive work and the film and TV growth that followed.
Big honors came to one of Cedartown’s own with a long history in the movie and television business during an awards ceremony this month.
Shay Bentley-Griffin with friends and advisory board members Wilbur Fitzgerald and Ric Reitz received a special honor from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Southeast, the same group that hands out the annual Emmy awards nationally.
This was the regional version of that award, and the trio received the Governor’s Award for doing their part to help pass a tax incentive in Georgia in 2008 that has since reaped a lot of economic benefits in the state.
“Hollywood has come to Georgia and brought thousands of jobs and billions of Dollars to help our economy,” Bentley-Griffin said. “It was very special to all of us to have the academy to recognize the work that we had done.”
The award was given to the group at the 44th annual Southeast Emmy Awards gala at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead in Atlanta on June 16.
Bentley-Griffin has been instrumental in revitalizing the economy of Georgia, with a $9.5 billion economic impact to the state in 2017 alone. She’s also been an influential representation of women in an industry dominated by men.
A widely respected powerhouse in the film industry, Shay has been an Emmynominated casting director since 1988, long before Georgia became the number one location for film production in the world.
“I’m extremely happy with what we’ve accomplished in our film community, but now I believe it is time to do the same thing for women,” Bentley-Griffin said. “One of my major goals is for Georgia to be known as the state that promotes women in the entertainment industry.”
Her latest projects include content creation and production of women-centric characters and their stories.
Bentley-Griffin has cast more than 300 television and film projects since the late ’80s. In 2015 alone, directors Clint Eastwood, Jamie Foxx and Ang Lee called upon Shay to fill their films with talented locals.
A champion for the Atlanta acting community, Shay has made a sizable contribution toward the recognition of local actors, launching innumerable careers through her company, The Chez Group.
From Walton Goggins to “Rectify’s” Ray McKinnon and “Cougar Town’s” Dan Byrd to “Friday Night Light’s” Kyle Chandler and “Army Wives” Skyler Day. She also brings to Atlanta regular workshops and programs through Chez Studios, offering industry experts and insider information to aspiring actors, agents and casting directors.
Helping to create talent is what inspires Bentley-Griffin.
“There is great joy in seeing something in a budding actor, finding the right role for them and watching them flourish,” she said.
It is her innate skill as a storyteller that has likely helped her become the notable casting director she is today. Bentley-Griffin’s gift is bringing the character on paper to life.
Bentley-Griffin thus far has served two governors on the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Advisory Board, was appointed as Georgia’s film liaison to Los Angeles, is founder of the Georgia Production Partnership and is a board member of the Rome International Film Festival.
She has received numerous industry awards, including the Crystal Obelisk Award from the Casting Society of America, the “Icons of the Industry” award from the Entertainment Society of the Technology Association of Georgia and is a three-time Emmy nominee for her work in casting.
Bentley-Griffin was honored as an Atlanta Business Chronicle Women Who Means Business winner in 2017.
Though nominated three times in the national organization for her role as a casting director for film and television series, this was her first actual Emmy award.
“It’s nice to hold that golden lady in our hands,” she said.