As a USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA student, Garrett T. Thompson directed a twenty minute 35 mm short film entitled Hope's Choice, starring Jocko Sims (Dreamgirls, CRASH the series). The film garnished several awards including a student EMMY from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, honorable mention from the Director's Guild of America, and the Melvin Van Peebles Award at the San Francisco Black Film Festival. Hope's Choice was included in the Kodak Emerging Filmmakers Showcase at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and aired for over a year as part of the Black Filmmakers' Showcase on the Showtime network.

Garrett was a recipient of the 2002-2003 Film Independent Project: Involve fellowship, where he was mentored by writer/director Reggie Rock Bythewood (Notorious, Biker Boyz). In 2005, Garrett received his MFA in Film Production and was awarded a Fellowship to the USC Cinematic Arts Critical Studies Ph.D. program where he is currently working on his dissertation. Thompson continues to straddle critical studies and production most recently producing TURBO and in 2008 directing a pilot television show entitled Around the World with Kelly, hosted by Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child. The show is currently being shopped.