Local Filmmaker Draws Inspiration From Oxford’s Diverse Music, Film Culture

By Luke Little
Hottyoddy.com intern
lblittle@go.olemiss.edu

Since the mid-’90s, the music and arts scene in Oxford has resembled that of a young caterpillar. Over the years it has flourished into a graceful butterfly, filled with soul, spreading its wings across the country. Local music, films, and food alike have taken the nation by storm and made Oxford a town worth talking about.

Among the frontlines of the culture both then and today is Andrew George, a local filmmaker and music aficionado dedicated to not only keeping Oxford’s heritage relevant but continuing to build it as well.

Local filmmaker Andrew George has past involvements with the Oxford Film Festival, Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, and several other local organizations. Photo provided.

With past involvements in several local organizations, George’s versatile background has connected him with a number of notable individuals and opened new doors for him as a creative.

“You get to meet a lot of people; you get to network,” George said. “It’s like a family reunion within the festival circuit.”

George says local festivals play a key role in cultivating the arts and bringing together all the different types of people who make Oxford what it is.

“The culture has drastically improved due to the talent and leadership of all the creatives in Oxford,” he said. “Wayne Andrews through the YAC is the driving force that unites us all and makes these community arts possible. Melanie Addington has taken the film festival to new heights and I cannot praise both she and Wayne enough for their tireless efforts in giving us a place to showcase our talents.”

George’s film background began at an early age when his mother worked in the University of Mississippi’s theatre department and his godmother worked involved in film, television, and music production in Memphis.

“Being on set at a young age I was introduced to a creative world that I fell in love with,” he said.

After studying international business at the University of Mississippi, George decided to focus his career in the arts and media industry, foreseeing the potential which Oxford’s culture had to offer.

Since his beginnings in the local scene, George has branched out over the years and worked on a number of film and television projects across the country, partnering with companies like Sony, The History Channel, FOX, NBC, and A&E, to name a few.

George has served as an associate producer on several local films, such as the William Faulkner docu-drama “The Past is Never Dead” and “The Process: The Way of Pablo Sierra” which received the HOKA Award for best Mississippi Feature at the 2016 Oxford Film Festival. He has also worked as a production assistant for “The Help” and James Franco’s “As I Lay Dying.”

George plans to continue his film and media career in full force, with multiple major projects coming up soon focusing on a larger-scale audience.

“I’m currently developing two feature films, one anthology television series, and a music series,” he said. “They will be available for viewing on a major network & streaming service as well as a theater near you.”

Aside from his media projects, George has more recently become an executive managing partner for a company called Sectre Solutions, a business enterprise specializing in consulting and investing in businesses and individuals who inspire, motivate, and help the human condition.

As far as upcoming events in Oxford, George says the town has quite a bit to look forward to in the upcoming months with the Oxford Film Festival in March.