One of the ways that WIFTA engages its members and the community is through its award-winning Public Service Announcement (PSA) Program in which its members gain valuable production experience while being of service to our community.

This year’s journey to creating the PSA certainly gave the 2011 volunteer crew a crash course in the realities of the intricacies of producing a project! The crew, led by Director / Producer / WIFTA V.P. of Professional Development Kathilynn Phillips, first assembled in the spring of 2011. By then, WIFTA had chosen its community partner: Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV). So with the cause chosen, the crew was tasked with determining the message for the PSA. They settled on an anti domestic violence message that is rarely touched uponundefinedthe effect of domestic violence on children in the homeundefinedand immediately began work on a script.

Meanwhile, while the script was in process by some of the volunteers, the rest of the crew began focusing on one of the most crucial aspects of any production, funding! WIFTA committed to providing some monies towards the production of the PSA. However, a succinct budget proved that more funds were going to be necessary to bring the PSA to fruition. So, the crew began brainstorming ideas on fundraisers. Between the fundraisers, the donation from WIFTA and a grant from the Fulton County Arts Council (FCAC), the crew was able to accumulate sufficient funds to produce the PSA.

The “Peace Begins At Home PSA” was shot in September 2011 and went straight into post-production after that. Upon completion, it made its broadcast debut in October, just in time for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The final “Peace Begins At Home” PSA, which vividly demonstrates the effects that domestic violence in a home can have on children aired on WXIA in Atlanta. Since the airings, the PSA has been submitted for several awards; it is now available for widespread distribution. If you haven’t already done so, take a moment to watch the PSA…and then share its important message with others.