Garret Williams

Garret C. Williams was born and raised in Minneapolis and was graduated from

Augsburg College in 1989 with a double major in Studio Art and

Communications (cum laude). For the next two years he

supported himself as a photographer while making short 16mm

films: ""Initiation,"" ""Graveyard,"" and ""Chasing a Dream."" With

these projects he was accepted at the American Film Institute.

In his first year at the A.F.I., he wrote and produced two

projects: ""Mixed Emotions""—a drama about interracial

relationships; and ""James""—a drama about a teenager, obsessed

with Jimi Hendrix, coming to terms with the absence of his father.

The completion of ""Helicopter"" marks the end of his education at

the A.F.I.

While at the A.F.I., Mr. Williams received several honors: the

Mary Pickford Foundation Scholarship; the Martin Ritt

Foundation Scholarship (for ""Helicopter"" production)- and the

Stan Kamen Endowment (second year tuition). He was also

awarded First Prize in the Black American Cinema Society 1993

Independent Filmmakers Competition for his work on

""Helicopter."" Recently he has become a finalist in the Bush Artists

Fellowship Program for '94-'95.

Completing his first feature screenplay, ""Brother Man,"" he's

begun work on another feature, ""New Hadez."" He is also raising

money to direct a short screenplay he's authored entitled

""Spark.""