Sunflower County Film Academy

Student Films

SCFA Student Jocelyn Surney who came up with the story behind, The Date, talks about its concept and her experience in film camp.

2025

Film One: The Date

Story By: SCFA Student Jocelyn Surney

Written By: The Students of the 2025 Sunflower County Film Academy and Laeitta Wade Robinson (Eittabug Productions)

Co-Director: SCFA Student Jocelyn Surney


Film Two: AMIRA

Story By: SCFA Student Libbi Jenkins

Written By: The Students of the 2025 Sunflower County Film Academy and Glenn Payne

Film Three: Toxic Set (aka Lights, Camera, Action!)

Story By: SCFA Student Shanarius Ross

Written By: The Students of the 2025 Sunflower County Film Academy and Glenn Payne

Co-Director: SCFA Student Shanarius Ross

All three Film Producers: Glenn Payne (Dead Leaf Productions) and Ben Powell (Broken Arm Studio)

Executive Producer: Monica Land (Fannie Lou Hamer’s America)

Production Crew|Videographers: Sunflower County Film Academy

For our 2025 film camp, our instructors did something different and had the students come up with what the class film would be about. The ideas were so good, the students did three short films instead of one. And for the first time, the students also had a chance to direct!


2024

Film: Whenever You’re Ready

Written By: Glenn Payne (Dead Leaf Productions)

Producers: Glenn Payne and Ben Powell (Broken Arm Studio)

Executive Producer: Monica Land (Fannie Lou Hamer’s America)

Production Crew|Videographers: Sunflower County Film Academy

Festivals: 2025 Magnolia Film Festival; 2025 Oxford Film Festival

Awards: 2024 Best Shorts Competition - Award of Merit - Special Mention

Behind The Scenes of “Whenever You’re Ready” and the 2024 Sunflower County Film Academy.

Our 2024 Sunflower County Film Academy student film was, “Whenever You’re Ready.”


The trailer for the nationally syndicated series, African American Short Films by Badami TV, featuring, “Help Wanted”.

2023

Film: Help Wanted

Written By: Glenn Payne (Dead Leaf Productions)

Producers: Glenn Payne and Ben Powell (Broken Arm Studio)

Executive Producer: Monica Land (Fannie Lou Hamer’s America)

Production Crew|Videographers: Sunflower County Film Academy

Festivals: 2023 Best Shorts Competition; 2024 Magnolia Film Festival; 2024 Oxford Film Festival; 2024 JXN Film Festival (See More)

Awards: 2023 Best Shorts Competition - Award of Merit “Film Short (Student); Award of Merit - “Young Filmmaker - 17 and younger”; Award of Recogntion for Actor Leading (Student) Merion Turner (Read More)

Special Showings: The Magnolia Filming Festival Red Carpet Premiere; Mississippi Indie Film Forum

National Broadcast: African American Short Films (Badami TV) (Read More)

Watch our 2023 student film, “Help Wanted”.

A Behind The Scenes look at “Help Wanted” and the student production crew of the 2023 Sunflower County Film Academy.


Film: An Army Rising Up

Producers: Dr, Pablo Correa, Robert “RJ” Fitzpatrick, Dr. Brian Graves, Kyle Jones

Academic Consultant: Davis W. Houck

Executive Producer: Monica Land (Fannie Lou Hamer’s America)

Production Crew|Videographers: Sunflower County Film Academy

Festivals: 2023 Oxford Film Festival; 2022 Sarasota Film Festival

Watch “An Army Rising Up”.

2021


2018

Film: Find Your Voice

Producers: Joy Davenport, Pablo Correa and Robert “RJ” Fitzpatrick

Executive Producer: Monica Land (Fannie Lou Hamer’s America)

Production Crew|Videographers: Sunflower County Film Academy

Film Festivals: 2019 Crossroads Film Festival

Watch “Find Your Voice” and the Behind The Scenes video!


The first short video, “Out of Many” written by the students of our inaugural Sunflower County Film Academy in 2018.