Emmy Award-winning comedian and entrepreneur Katt Williams is investing in the future of filmmaking — and making sure Black students are positioned at the center of it.
Williams has partnered with Miles College, a historically Black college in Fairfield, Alabama, to launch a scholarship program focused on artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and emerging production technologies, according to reporting from Complex and WVTM 13.
The initiative aims to prepare students for a rapidly evolving entertainment industry where virtual production, CGI, and immersive storytelling are becoming essential skills.
“There are a lot of jobs right now that in five years won’t be in existence because of AR and AI,” Miles College President Bobbie Knight said. “We want to make sure that our students are equipped with the tools they need to operate in that world.”
Building a Pipeline From HBCUs to the Future of Hollywood
The scholarship program connects directly to Williams’ larger vision: transforming Fort McClellan, a former U.S. Army training base in Anniston, Alabama, into a full-scale production campus through his company Kemet Movie Works.
The developing studio already includes two state-of-the-art sound stages designed for virtual production, computer-generated imagery, and immersive set environments — technology increasingly used across both independent films and major studio productions.
Through the partnership, Miles College students will gain exposure and training in the technical side of modern filmmaking, creating a direct pathway into careers that traditionally required relocation to major industry hubs like Los Angeles.
“We’ve signed an agreement that our students will have the opportunity to participate in learning about AI and AR,” Knight said.
Bringing Production Jobs Back Home
Williams says the goal is not just innovation, but economic reinvestment.
“We had to go to another foreign country and give them millions of dollars,” Williams said. “Instead of that, we have the ability to create all of that using qualified people of color.”
Rather than outsourcing visual effects and production labor overseas, Kemet Movie Works plans to train and employ local workers while building a sustainable creative ecosystem in Alabama.
“Mi casa es su casa,” Williams added, emphasizing that the studio will prioritize opportunity and access for surrounding communities.
Inspired by the Legacy of the Chitlin’ Circuit
Williams has also drawn inspiration from the historic Chitlin’ Circuit, the network of Southern performance venues that supported Black entertainers during segregation and helped launch legends like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and B.B. King.
Much like those stages once created space for Black performers shut out of mainstream venues, Williams hopes the Anniston production hub will open doors for the next generation of storytellers and technicians.
Leaning Into AI — Not Away From It
As Hollywood continues debating the role of artificial intelligence following industry strikes and ongoing labor concerns, Williams says his approach is about adaptation rather than resistance.
“Most of the entities that are in the moviemaking business had to fear AI because of what that means,” Williams said. “But fortunately, we were able to lean into it instead of leaning against it.”
He emphasized that adopting new technology does not have to come at the expense of workers.
“At the end of the day, it’s making for better movies, better production,” Williams said. “We’re able to use it without cutting down the workforce.”
A Potential Economic Shift for the Region
Local residents have already begun comparing the initiative’s potential impact to what Tyler Perry Studios brought to Atlanta — transforming the city into one of the country’s most active production centers.
While the full scope of jobs the studio will generate has yet to be announced, the partnership signals a growing shift toward regional production powered by technology, education, and community investment.
“In conjunction with Miles College,” Williams said, “it gives us an opportunity to deal with the best and the brightest and make sure people that look like us get opportunities that previously were only available if you went to Hollywood itself.”