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TITLE: Office Manager/Executive Assistant
REPORTS TO: Executive Director
DESCRIPTION: The Greater Cleveland Film Commission’s Office Manager is an integral part of the office’s day-to-day success. The Office Manager is responsible for organizing and coordinating office operations as well as providing administrative support and maintaining the schedule for the Executive Director. The successful candidate should have experience in managing an office and basic accounting, be able to handle a range of administrative duties, have a strong attention to detail and be able to work both independently and in a team.
VISION & MISSION:
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission’s vision is to achieve increased economic development in Northeast Ohio by using the artistic and culturally enriching activities of film and other media production to strengthen the workforce, support the media production industry and attract media production to the region.
Our mission is to promote the increase of media production in Northeast Ohio using effective strategies for attraction and workforce development including building an artistic infrastructure through film.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Manage schedule of the Executive Director
- Provide administrative assistance to the Executive Director
- Maintain basic chart of accounts to properly code revenue and expenses
- Coordinate travel for Executive Director and other staff
- Maintain record of all staff members’ schedules
- Serve as primary receptionist for office
- Payroll and benefits administration
- Maintain office supplies, vendor contacts, office equipment and computers
- Manage day-to-day functionality of the office and maintain common areas
- Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
- DETAIL ORIENTED
- High degree of initiative and “can do” spirit
- Anticipation and forethought
- Experience maintaining a schedule and managing an office
- General understanding of basic chart of accounts to properly code revenue and expenses
- Demonstrated success developing new relationships and maintaining current ones
- Excellent organizational skills
- Eloquent, clear and persuasive verbal and written communication skills
- Sharp analytical and critical thinking skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Mac OS and internet
- Works effectively and collaboratively
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include health/dental/disability insurance, parking, paid vacation and sick leave.
TO APPLY:
Email resume and cover letter with salary requirements with “Office Manager/Executive Assistant” in the subject line to jobs@clevelandfilm.com
No phone calls.
Application deadline: May 18, 2012 5pm
Join the Greater Cleveland Film Commission for our June Media Industry Mixer!
The GCFC Mixer is a great way to meet others involved in the film industry and hear the latest updates about what is happening with films in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.
Whether you’ve worked on any of the films that have shot in Cleveland or are interested in getting involved with the film industry, all are welcome!
Wednesday, June 20
6:00 – 9:00 pm
Nighttown
12387 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights
(map)
Light refreshments will be served; cash bar.
To RSVP or if you have any film news to announce at the Mixer, please contact Jason Drake at jdrake@clevelandfilm.com!
Be sure to also mark your calendar for the September 12 Media Industry Mixers from 6:00 – 9:00 pm at Nighttown!
Giant Leap Pictures, a local production company founded by Clevelander Kenny Latimer, will be wrapping production on the feature-lengthfilm FALLING BACKWARDS in early August.
FALLING BACKWARDS, a family-friendly drama, tells the story of a father who goes to extremes to save his only son from drug addiction. The film stars Cleveland native Robert Piper (All My Children, Rescue Me), Karyn White (Casualties of War, Deadpool), Tom Dubyna (The Homecoming, Doughboy) and Jimmie Lee Williams (Freerunner, The Black Dove). The film is being shot in and around Cleveland and will have multiple premieres in Cleveland, Canton and New Philadelphia.
Something that makes Giant Leap Pictures truly unique is that their first feature length film will generate funds for Ohio’s non-profit drug rehabilitation center, Glenbeigh. “That is my vision for this production company,” Latimer explains, “with every film we produce, a portion of the proceeds will go to a charity related to the theme of that movie. Should we become blessed to grow larger and make a substantial dent in the entertainment industry, it is our civic duty to inspire those we entertain and give back to our communities.” The company’s CEO is adamant as he continues, “No matter how big Giant Leap should get, it will NEVER leave the city of Cleveland. This city is full of untapped potential and Hollywood is just finding out what the rest of us have known all along; Cleveland is tough enough to do what L.A. and NYC can do.”
Kenny Latimer, a seven-time national recording artist, is a writer/producer/director who is currently working with Hollywood veteran Jim Best (The Dukes of Hazzard, The Twilight Zone) on Giant Leap Pictures next film, AN AMERICAN LEPRECHAUN (a children’s film written by Latimer that was originally optioned by DreamWorks SKG in 2005). “In my humble opinion, it’s a winner,” said Jim Best, who will star and produce. A portion of the proceeds will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Rainbow Babies.
The production company’s motto; ‘Changing the World One Frame at a Time.’
For more information about FALLING BACKWARDS or other Giant Leap Pictures films, please call 216/236-3542 or email us at press@giantleappictures.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2011
Contact: Ivan Schwarz
ischwarz@clevelandfilm.com
I, ALEX CROSS to shoot in Cleveland in Spring/Summer 2011
CLEVELAND – The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is excited to announce that I, ALEX CROSS, a film based on James Patterson’s best-selling book series, will be shot in Cleveland. The film is the fourth feature film to be shooting in the area during Spring/Summer 2011. The Ohio Film Office has confirmed that the film will receive an Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit. I, ALEX CROSS is expected to hire 183 Ohio-based crew and more than 1,700 cast members, including extras.
I, ALEX CROSS (starring Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox, Ed Burns, and Jean Reno) will be directed by Rob Cohen; produced by Bill Block, Paul Hanson, Norton Herrick, Teddy Schwarzman, and Leopoldo Gout; and executive produced by James Patterson, Steve Bowen, and Ethan Smith.
The book series the film is based on has had billions in sales worldwide and the film will focus on the original story that started it all. Alex Cross, doctor of psychology and expert homicide detective, investigates a series of murders and uncovers evidence that the killer has a much grander plan. After thwarting the killer’s next attack, Cross soon finds himself and his family among the killer’s next targets.
The film, marks the 11th project approved for a tax credit from the Northeast Ohio region since 2009, and the 5th to be confirmed for Spring/Summer 2011.
“This is shaping up to be, far and away, the busiest summer for movie production in Cleveland history,” said Ivan Schwarz, Executive Director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. “The entire community – including our public partners, local cast and crew, and film vendors – has rallied around this industry. These films will continue to create jobs and economic benefits for the Cleveland region, while building a strong and sustainable media industry.”
“With the enlightened Ohio tax incentive I look forward to making one of the first films that can show all the state has to offer,” said director Rob Cohen.
“We are very pleased to be filming in Ohio and look forward to a successful project for everyone involved,” said producer Paul Hanson. “Both the Ohio Film Office and the Greater Cleveland Film Commission have been fantastic partners.”
“Once again, we have been able to successfully demonstrate that Ohio has the right mix of locations, partnerships, incentives, and customer service that makes us an ideal production destination,” said Amir Eylon, Director of the Ohio Tourism Division, which houses the Ohio Film Office. “We are thrilled that they have chosen Ohio as the film’s location.”
“Congratulations to our partners at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission for their success this season with bringing high profile film projects to the city. Each production brings immeasurable benefits to Cleveland … they bring exposure to our city and opportunities to our people,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson.
“We are thrilled to hear of another film that will be made here in Cuyahoga County this year,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald. “Cuyahoga County’s support of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission is part of a strategic investment in economic development, job creation and community marketing. Productions that film in Cuyahoga County are investing thousands of dollars in local services and vendors, from our hotels, restaurants to film-related companies that provide industry-standard services. They are hiring local residents and investing in local facilities for shooting, production, office space and more.”
Also filming in Cleveland and the surrounding area are The Avengers, Fun Size, Boot Tracks and Old Fashioned. Marvel Studios’ comic book action movie The Avengers will star Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson. Joss Whedon is set to write and direct. Paramount Pictures’ Fun Size stars Nickelodeon’s Victoria Justice (Zoey 101, Victorious, iCarly) and will be directed by Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl, Chuck). Boot Tracks, starring Michelle Monaghan and Stephen Dorff, will be directed by David Jacobson (Down in the Valley). Old Fashioned, written and directed by Rik Swartzwelder, will film in and around Tuscarawas County and is about former frat boy and a free-spirited woman who together attempt the impossible: an “old-fashioned” courtship in contemporary America. The Greater Cleveland Film Commission has been working with each of these films to bring them to the Cleveland area and estimates that these films alone will invest at least $50 million into the region in the next 6 months.
Since the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit began in Fiscal Year 2010, the Ohio Film Office has provided more than $34 million in tax credits to Ohio productions, which are expected to employ more than 11,300 Ohioans and contribute more than $129 million to Ohio’s economy.
In order to be eligible for the tax credit, production companies must show reviewable progress to the Ohio Film Office within 90 days of receiving the notification letter. In addition, they will only receive the tax credit upon the completion of production.
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is a private, non-profit economic and workforce development organization committed to bringing film and other media production to Northeast Ohio to strengthen the workforce, support the media production industry and attract media production to the region. To learn more about the Greater Cleveland Film Commission and for the latest updates on film and media production in Northeast Ohio, visit www.clevelandfilm.com.
The Ohio Film Office administers the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, which helps advance the motion picture industry in the State of Ohio, creating job opportunities and revenue. The Ohio Film Office aggressively recruits outside production activity to Ohio and helps retain and grow existing Ohio production companies and related businesses with the assistance and collaboration of industry partners. The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, totaling $30 million for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011, is calculated in two components: Ohio resident cast and crew wages will be credited at 35 percent. All other eligible production expenditures will be credited at 25 percent. For more information on the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, visit www.ohiofilmoffice.com.
Working with partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio’s future.
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Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Film Office has secured four films to shoot in Ohio, bringing the total number of films, television series, and commercials assisted by the Motion Picture Tax Credit to 24 since the program began in Fiscal Year 2010. The independent films include LIBERAL ARTS (starring How I Met Your Mother actor and Columbus-native Josh Radnor), OLD FASHIONED, OVER THE WALL (starring Kim Basinger, Nick Stahl, and Freddy Rodriguez), and SEVEN BELOW ZERO (starring Val Kilmer).
“With recent movies such as Unstoppable, Ides of March, The Avengers, and more, Ohio is seeing a boom of interest from Hollywood,” said James A. Leftwich, Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “These films will provide an economic boost to the communities that serve as sets and continue to grow Ohio’s film industry into something Ohioans can be proud of.”
Since the tax credit began, the Ohio Film Office has provided more than $29 million in tax credits to Ohio productions, which have employed more than 9,000 Ohioans and contributed nearly $120 million to Ohio’s economy.
“We are delighted that our combination of locations and incentives has generated increased interest in Ohio as a production destination,” said Amir Eylon, Director of the Ohio Tourism Division, which houses the Ohio Film Office. “These recent successes mark a positive step forward in stimulating new production work across the state.”
LIBERAL ARTS will shoot in the City of Gambier around Kenyon College, as well as the City of Columbus. The film, written and directed by Josh Radnor, centers around a 30 something man and a co-ed, who spark a friendship due to their mutual love of books and music, but their age difference complicates the blossoming relationship. The project is expected to hire approximately 170 Ohioans as part of the cast and crew.
OLD FASHIONED will shoot in Tuscarawas County. The film, written and directed by Rik Swartzwelder, an area native, revolves around a charming but lonely, idealistic antique shop owner who meets a free-spirited young woman running from an abusive relationship. Together they attempt an old fashion courtship in contemporary America. The project is expected to hire approximately 60 Ohioans as part of the cast and crew. Auditions will be held June 26-27 at the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University’s Performing Arts Center.
OVER THE WALL will shoot in Darke, Mercer, and Stark counties in late summer and early fall of 2011. The film is set in the world of professional stock-car racing, which centers on a violent tragedy that rips the characters’ lives apart in a story of love, betrayal, and revenge. The project is expected to hire more than 600 Ohioans as part of the cast and crew.
SEVEN BELOW ZERO will shoot in the cities of Goshen, Cincinnati, and surrounding areas in mid-summer of 2011. The film is about a tour bus accident that leaves six travelers trapped in a home where a murder happened 100 years ago. The characters begin to experience strange phenomenon and wonder if spirits are trying to warn them or harm them. The project is expected to hire approximately 60 Ohioans as part of the cast and crew.
In order to be eligible for the tax credit, the production companies must show reviewable progress to the Ohio Film Office within 90 days of receiving the notification letter. In addition, they will only receive the tax credit upon the completion of production.
For more information on the tax credit, or how to get involved with the films, visit www.ohiofilmoffice.com.
The Ohio Film Office administers the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, which helps advance the motion picture industry in the State of Ohio, creating job opportunities and revenue. The Ohio Film Office aggressively recruits outside production activity to Ohio and helps retain and grow existing Ohio production companies and related businesses with the assistance and collaboration of industry partners. The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, totaling $30 million for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011, is calculated in two components: Ohio resident cast and crew wages will be credited at 35 percent. All other eligible production expenditures will be credited at 25 percent.
Working with our partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio’s future.
Beverly Hills, CA (April 26, 2011) – The 84th Academy Awards will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, Academy President Tom Sherak announced today.
The ceremony will again take place at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. A 90-minute red carpet show will immediately precede the ceremony broadcast.
Key dates currently scheduled are:
Thursday, December 1, 2011: Official Screen Credits forms due
Tuesday, December 27, 2011: Nominations ballots mailed
Friday, January 13, 2012: Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT
Tuesday, January 24, 2012: Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Samuel Goldwyn Theater
Wednesday, February 1, 2012: Final ballots mailed
Monday, February 6, 2012: Nominees Luncheon
Saturday, February 11, 2012: Scientific and Technical Awards presentation
Tuesday, February 21, 2012: Final polls close 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, February 26, 2012: 84th Academy Awards presentation
GREATER CLEVELAND FILM COMMISSION ANNOUNCES PARAMOUNT PICTURES’ FUN SIZE TO SHOOT IN CLEVELAND
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2011
Contact: Ivan Schwarz
216-623-3910
ischwarz@clevelandfilm.com
CLEVELAND – The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is pleased to announce that Paramount Pictures’ FUN SIZE will be shooting in Cleveland and surrounding areas. The film will employ local crew, cast and extras, as well as working with local vendors and service providers.
FUN SIZE stars Nickelodeon’s Victoria Justice (Zoey 101, Victorious, iCarly) and will be directed by Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl, Chuck). The film’s executive producer is Michael Beugg (Up in the Air, Little Miss Sunshine), it is written by Max Werner and produced by Stephanie Savage, Bard Dorros, Steve Golin, David Kanter and Paul Green. The executive in charge of production at Fake Empire is Lis Rowinski. The plot centers on a sarcastic teenage girl who is forced to take her little brother trick-or-treating on Halloween, then loses him and must find him before their mother finds out. It is described as a cross between Superbad and Adventures in Babysitting. Production inquiries can be sent to untitledjsproject@gmail.com.
“This is the third film that will be shooting in Cleveland in the next several months, and we could not have achieved this without the quick actions of our public partners at the Ohio Department of Development, the State of Ohio, Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland,” said Greater Cleveland Film Commission Executive Director Ivan Schwarz. “Films are coming to Cleveland because of the city’s incredible resources, locations and people.”
“We are pleased to welcome yet another film being made in the City of Cleveland. I have often said that if we buy locally – invest in our own businesses and our people we would see immeasurable benefits. I want to thank our partners at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission because with each movie they bring more than just film… they bring opportunities to Cleveland,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson.
“We are pleased to welcome yet another film production to our community and congratulate the Greater Cleveland Film Commission for its efforts,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald. “It’s clear that film makers have recognized Greater Cleveland as the perfect location to make a movie, and we look forward to continuing to support increased job opportunities for film professionals in our own backyard.”
In addition to Fun Size, the other films shooting in Cleveland are The Avengers and Boot Tracks. Marvel Studios’ The Avengers is tentatively scheduled to begin shooting in early August and will star Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson. Joss Whedon is set to write and direct. The Avengers will be hiring local crew in all departments; crewmembers interested in applying should submit their resumes to cleveland@cupber.com. Marvel Studios Casting Coordinator will hold Cleveland area extras casting call in early July.
Boot Tracks, which will begin shooting in mid-Spring 2011, features Michelle Monaghan (Source Code, Due Date), is directed by David Jacobson (Down in the Valley), and produced by Larry Rattner. Production inquiries for Boot Tracks can be sent to boottracks@gmail.com.
The untitled Paramount Pictures production has been approved to receive funding through the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, administered by the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Film Office. To date, 17 productions with combined in-state budgets in excess of $98 million have filmed with assistance from the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit.
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is a private, non-profit economic and workforce development organization committed to bringing film and other media production to Northeast Ohio to strengthen the workforce, support the media production industry and attract media production to the region. To learn more about the Greater Cleveland Film Commission and for the latest updates on film and media production in Northeast Ohio, visit www.clevelandfilm.com.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ivan Schwarz, Greater Cleveland Film Commission, ischwarz@clevelandfilm.com
Melissa Zuckerman, Marvel Studios, Melissa@pcommgroup.com
Andrea Taylor, Press Secretary, Office of the Mayor, ataylor@city.cleveland.oh.us
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission Announces Marvel Studios’ THE AVENGERS to Film in Cleveland
CLEVELAND – The Greater Cleveland Film Commission, working in conjunction with the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio, announces that Marvel Studios will film parts of the comic book superhero adventure film THE AVENGERS in Cleveland. The production will be the largest feature film ever made in Ohio, as well as the largest Marvel Studios production to date. The film will employ hundreds of Ohio-based cast and crew, and use local service and supply vendors. Pre-production is already underway with principal photography scheduled to start in April 2011 and running through September 2011.
“Ohio is thrilled to participate in a project of this size and with such top-notch partners. Cleveland, northeast Ohio and the state will enjoy the significant economic benefits of this production thanks to an aggressive, forward-thinking effort by people who spoke the language of the industry and who successfully sold Ohio. It’s what we’re starting to do across the board in Ohio and it will produce important economic returns,” said Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich.
“Marvel Studios is bringing THE AVENGERS to Ohio for two reasons: the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit and the efforts of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. We look forward to collaborating with the Film Commission and working in the great state of Ohio,” said Louis D’Esposito, Co-President, Marvel Studios.
“The City of Cleveland welcomes the opportunity to host THE AVENGERS. The boost to the local economy is what we envisioned when we started working with the Film Commission to position Cleveland as a great destination for making films. Our art culture, diverse natural environment and skilled work force will provide filmmakers with an exceptional experience,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson.
“This project means jobs and economic development for Cuyahoga County. It also shows that our community is gaining momentum as a destination for filmmakers. This is exciting to see,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.
THE AVENGERS will be filmed primarily in New Mexico, with production also taking place in Ohio and New York. Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America and Thor assemble in the spectacular summer film event “Marvel Studios’ THE AVENGERS,” starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson. Marvel Studios’ THE AVENGERS is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series The Avengers, first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Joss Whedon is set to write and direct THE AVENGERS. Kevin Feige is the Producer alongside Executive Producers Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Patty Whitcher and Co-Producers Jeremy Latcham and Victoria Alonso.
“The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is thrilled to welcome back many of the producers of the film, who we have worked with before on productions in Cleveland, and who have a great understanding of the region,” said Ivan Schwarz, Executive Director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. “We appreciate the efforts of the Governor’s office and the Department of Development to quickly act on this incredible opportunity.”
Since the successful passage of the Ohio Film Tax Credit in July 2009, a total of twelve projects have been approved to receive tax credit, ten of which will be produced in Cuyahoga County or Northeast Ohio. These films have combined budgets in excess of $76.4 million and are expected to employ more than 1800 cast and crewmembers and thousands of paid extras.
The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, administered by the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Film Office, provides a positive incentive to make movies in the State of Ohio, which creates employment opportunities and generates revenue for the communities serving as film sets. To date, more than $12 million in tax credits have been approved, with more than $17 million still available for interested production companies through June 30, 2011.
The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is a private, non-profit economic and workforce development organization committed to bringing film and other media production to Northeast Ohio to strengthen the workforce, support the media production industry and attract media production to the region. To learn more about the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, visit www.clevelandfilm.com.
The Ohio Film Office, housed within the Ohio Department of Development, administers the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, which helps advance the motion picture industry in the State of Ohio, creating job opportunities and revenue. The Ohio Film Office aggressively recruits outside production activity to Ohio and helps retain and grow existing Ohio production companies and related businesses with the assistance and collaboration of industry partners. The Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, totaling $30 million for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011, is calculated in two components: Ohio resident cast and crew wages will be credited at 35 percent. All other eligible production expenditures will be credited at 25 percent. For more information, visit www.ohiofilmoffice.com.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 30, 2010
Contact: Ivan Schwarz, Executive Director
W: (216) 623-3910
E: ischwarz@clevelandfilm.com
Alex Barder, Producer, “Freerunner”
C: (818) 487-8800
Parkour Action Film ‘FREERUNNER’ Being Filmed in Cleveland
CLEVELAND – FREERUNNER, a parkour action film directed by Lawrence Silverstein (“The Cell 2”) has commenced principal photography in Cleveland, OH. The film is the 9th to receive the Ohio Film Tax Credit and will continue shooting in greater Cleveland through mid-August. Filming locations have focused on downtown Cleveland and the Flats. Alex Barder and Warren Ostergard are producing the film which is about a local freerunner (SEAN FARIS – “Never Back Down”) who must lead the world’s best freerunners when an evil criminal madman locks explosive collars to their necks and forces them into a death race against time, the city and each other.
The producers were encouraged to come to Cleveland by Greater Cleveland Film Commission Executive Director Ivan Schwarz, who told the team of the state’s film incentives and worked with them on initial location scouting. “There is a very special connection to the environment in freerunning, and so there needed to be a special connection between the filming location and the movie,” said Schwarz. “We worked to bring this film here because Cleveland has the locations, resources and incentives that make it ideal for an independent feature.”
The connections to Northeast Ohio run deep for “Freerunner” producer Warren Ostergard who was raised in Bay Village, OH and the film’s star, Sean Faris, hails from Elyria.
“We have found the people of Cleveland to be incredibly welcoming and accommodating. We have an ambitious project and have received amazing support from the film commission, the local government and most importantly the community,” says producer Alex Barder. “We’ve had great partners in this endeavor and we look forward to doing many more films here.”
“Freerunner” is the 9th film to apply for and receive the Ohio Film Tax Credit, which was signed into law by Governor Ted Strickland in July 2009 and includes $30 million over two years to provide tax credits to film, television and other media productions in Ohio. In Ohio’s current film industry, economists calculate that every dollar spent will generate approximately $1.50 in economic activity.
For more information about the Ohio Film Tax Credit, visit www.clevelandfilm.com.
About the Greater Cleveland Film Commission
The mission of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission is to promote the increase of media production in Northeast Ohio using effective strategies for attraction and workforce development including building an artistic infrastructure through film.
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Hollywood Rentals, a Los Angeles-based film equipment rental business, has exclusively partnered with Cleveland native Matthew Treinish to establish Cleveland Film Group. This partnership will bring together the resources of the 35 year old rental company which has worked with some of the biggest films in the business and Treinish’s experiences working in the entertainment industry to bring high quality and well-established grip and electric and production services to the region.
The Cleveland Film Group will be a primary resource for productions filming in the Midwest, and specifically Ohio, providing specialized grip and electric equipment. The company will be led by Treinish and, utilizing his broad range of experiences in Hollywood and Cleveland, will also provide full service production assistance for producers unfamiliar with the local area.
The partnership with Hollywood Rentals gives producers access to top quality film equipment and a locally-grown experienced industry professional to help navigate Cleveland. “I am excited about the new opportunities in the Cleveland area and am anxious to get things started, said Hollywood Rentals President Kelly Koskella.
The partnership with Hollywood Rentals is the result of a yearlong effort between Treinish and Ivan Schwarz, Executive Director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, to improve the local film infrastructure by bringing a high quality film equipment rental company to the state. This effort was boosted by the passage of the Ohio Film Tax Credit in July 2009 and the resulting increase in film production and need for local resources. The incentive provides eligible films and other media production with tax credits for expenditures made in state, encouraging local purchasing and hiring.
Prior to joining the Cleveland Film Group, Treinish worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles for 10 years. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and has worked as an Independent Producer, an International Film Festival Director and an executive in the worldwide distribution business. He is committed to helping build the film infrastructure in his hometown.
Hollywood Rentals has provided equipment on films such as “I am Legend,” “Iron Man 1 and 2,” and “Transformers.” Hollywood Rentals is located in Los Angeles, CA, Charlotte, NC, Orlando, Fl, Baton Rouge, LA and now Cleveland, Ohio.
May 6, 2010
Writer/Director Kevin Kerwin and Producer Kate O’Neil will attend the Cannes Film Festival, where Cleveland vs. Wall Street will premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight Program on May 16. O’Neil is the American Executive Producer for the project, Authentic Films’ first international co-production with Swiss and French filmmakers. The prestigious film festival gives the mortgage foreclosure crisis in Cleveland an international audience.
On May 11, Writer/Director Kevin Kerwin will speak to film industry professionals at SHOOT Magazine’s annual symposium in New York City about his work since being named one of SHOOT’s best new directors in 2009. In addition to directing television commercials, Kerwin’s feature documentary, Running America, is released in theaters this month. Kerwin’s feature comedy, Filmic Achievement, will be released this summer.
Meanwhile, stateside, Authentic Films’ commercial work can be seen on television in Cleveland, OH, Charlottesville VA, Louisville, KY, and online.
ABOUT CLEVELAND VS. WALL STREET
On January 11, 2008, Josh Cohen and his partners, attorneys for the City of Cleveland, sued the 21 banks that they deem responsible for the real estate foreclosures that have devastated the city. But the Wall Street banks that they attack oppose going to trial by every means possible.
Cleveland vs Wall Street tells the story of a trial that should have taken place. A cinematic trial but one whose story, characters and testimony are real. While two attorneys confront each other in the courtroom, seven witnesses are called up one after another. A jury court has to submit their verdict: guilty or not guilty?
ABOUT THE DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT
The Directors’ Fortnight is organized by the French Director’s Guild and is an independent section at the Cannes Film Festival, distinguished by its independent-mindedness, its non-competitive nature and its concern to cater to non-professional Cannes audiences. Since 1969,the Directors’ Fortnight seeks to aid filmmakers and contribute to their discovery by the critics and audiences alike.
ABOUT SHOOT MAGAZINE
SHOOT’s unwavering mission for 49 years has been to serve the news and information needs of creative and production decision-makers at ad agencies, and executives & artisans in the production industry. SHOOT and www.shootonline.com connect readers to the news, to the best work and to each other. Having fulfilled this objective for such a long time, SHOOT remains the one truly indispensable publication while other publications come and go.
Kerwin earned inclusion into the 2009 SHOOT New Directors Showcase due in part to a documentary-style campaign for Akron Children’s Hospital which was recognized with coverage in both the trade (SHOOT) and consumer press (The New York Times). His debut feature, Filmic Achievement, screened at 20 film festivals and will be released this year. His second feature film, Running America, a documentary about a record attempt at a cross-country run from San Francisco to New York City, is released this month in theaters and on DVD.
For more information, contact:
Kate O’Neil
Authentic Films
216-225-2409
k.oneil@authenticfilms.net
totalkateoneil.blogspot.com
authenticfilms.blogspot.com
www.authenticfilms.net
www.shootonline.com
www.quinzaine-realisateurs.com
7. Cleveland: In Jim Jarmusch’s STRANGER THAN PARADISE, the hangdog trio start out in grungy lower Manhattan and end up in a Florida motel room; in between, there’s a visit to Cleveland that occasions the film’s funniest visual gag: Lake Erie, a frozen expanse of nothingness. Icon of rust-belt ruin, Cleveland is also the lifelong home of the underground comics icon Harvey Pekar, the subject of Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s location-shot biopic AMERICAN SPLENDOR.
To see the full story: http://www.sundancechannel.com/festival/top-ten/#/?album_id=210553175&photo_id=5
CLEVELAND: Experience the world debut of Quadrascope, a 21-minute video art piece created by Cleveland Institute of Art professor Kasumi.
One of the major highlights in this year’s FusionFest, Quadrascope will premiere in concert with Groundworks Dance Company and The Cleveland Orchestra on the Baxter Stage at The Cleveland Play House, April 22 to 25, 2010.
Both visually stimulating and psychologically spellbinding, Kasumi’s work is full of highly charged commentary on world politics and social issues. Innovative, avant-garde work is coming out of Cleveland, and Kasumi’s imagery and motion proves
it as she projects Quadrascope on the stage floor
as the elevated audience looks down.
“There are very few visual artists who work with musicians and orchestras,” says Kasumi, who studied at a conservatory in Germany. After examining the Catch and Release score and the Groundworks dancers’ movements, Kasumi composed the video art that is integrated and structured to the music. “David [Shimotakahara, artistic director of Groundworks] suggested I incorporate a film leader into the work. That element grew into themes inherent in film leader: counting, time-code, circular movement, abrupt change, and numbers – digits, logically becoming hands and so on.” These are the first few measures of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Catch and Release. “There are moments in Quadrascope where rows of hands transform into turning film reels on a projector, and times when fingertips are used as an abstract organic texture that envelops the dancers.”
A particular challenge in presenting this work, according to Kasumi, is the problem of keeping the elements of this collaboration in perfect time with each other. Rather than using a click track, Tito Munoz, Cleveland Orchestra conductor of the piece, suggested that Kasumi build visual cues into the work that correspond with events and phrases found in the score. She used additional hand-imagery to express phrasing and timing. This mimics “cheironomy,” the use of hand gestures to indicate melodic shape and phrasing – an early form of conducting and communicating artistic directions during a performance. Munoz will have a reference monitor displaying the work at his podium, ensuring that the video art, dance and music comprising the performance are tightly synchronized, and the audience is able to derive the fullest emotional impact through the work as a unified, artistic blend.
Kasumi is internationally celebrated as one the leading innovators of a new art form synthesizing film, sound and video in live performance. She has won global acclaim for her expressive and compelling compositions in venues worldwide: from Lincoln Center with The New York Philharmonic to collaborations with Grandmaster Flash and DJ Spooky. She performed and exhibited work at Württembergischen Kunstverein Stuttgart and at the Chroma Festival de Arte Audiovisual in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 2009, Kasumi’s piece Breakdown premiered at Carnegie Hall in concert with the American Composers Orchestra. She was recently awarded an EMPAC Dance Movies Commission 2009–2010, supported by The Jaffe Fund for Experimental Media and Performing Arts, Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Finally, she was one of the producers in a feature film coming out next year.
Stay tuned for other upcoming performances by Kasumi, including a cross-institutional project called “koriARTika,” created in coordination with a Kasumi’s Freestyle Animation Class at CIA, Gary Galbraith’s Choreography class at CWRU’s Mather Dance Center, and students of CIM Composition Department Head Keith Fitch and Steve Kohn’s Electronic Music Composition class. “koriARTika” will be performed at the Mather Dance Center on April 27 at 6pm and is open to the public.
Founded in 1882, The Cleveland Institute of Art is an independent, premier college of art and design committed to leadership and vision in all forms of visual arts education. The Cleveland Institute of Art is located at 11141 East Boulevard in Cleveland, Ohio. For more information visit cia.edu or call 216-421-7000.
COLUMBUS – Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel today announced that nearly $1.4 million in Motion Picture Tax Credits are being made available to two independent film productions set to shoot in Ohio in the coming months.
The latest round of tax credits is in addition to the nearly $7 million that was made available to four Ohio productions in January 2010, and brings the total amount of awarded tax credits that much closer to the $10 million cap allocated by the state for Fiscal Year 2010.
“To see the success of the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit in action is thrilling,” Patt-McDaniel said. “The tax credit incentive is helping to build on our economic recovery by creating job opportunities and economic activity in the communities serving as film sets. Ohio has much to offer these productions, including our beautiful scenery, hard working and talented crews, and strong incentives.”
The most recent productions to receive the tax credit include Life After, a film by Cincinnati native Jim Amatulli, and 25 Hill, a film by actor and director Corbin Bernsen.
Life After is a supernatural, suspense drama that centers around a landscape architect who takes a job as a caretaker for a neglected cemetery. He convinces his wife and daughter to move into the house on the grounds, as a spirit guides him along a dangerous path to a hidden treasure.
“As a Cincinnati-based filmmaker, I’ve made one feature at home and a second in San Diego,” Amatulli said. “My personal objective is to make films in Ohio and be a part of a thriving industry. With other states offering a variety of incentives, I would have been forced to go elsewhere, but Ohio stepped up during a difficult time for truly independent films. I feel the incentive shows the state’s belief that we can provide the talent and services to attract filmmakers and help Ohio’s economy in the long term.”
25 Hill is about the annual Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio that has become a piece of American history since it began in 1934. Corbin Bernsen, currently an actor on the USA Network’s Psych, is starring in and directing the film, part of which will be shot during the derby in July.
“While the only logical place to shoot our film is in Ohio as the Soap Box Derby is held in Akron, I’ve come to greatly admire the community spirit and ‘can do’ attitude of both the people and local leaders,” Bernsen said. “Ohio is a state with diverse looks and a strong sense of history and purpose, which only adds to the backbone needed to ensure a film project’s success.”
Together the two films are expected to employ nearly 300 Ohioans as part of the production crews and extras. The films are also estimated to bring roughly $5 million in economic activity to the state.
“We are very excited about the announcement of these two projects,” said Jeremy Henthorn, Director of the Ohio Film Office. “Both films have strong ties to the state. Life After is directed by an Ohio resident and 25 Hill uses one of Ohio’s great traditions as a central character. With most of the crew being hired locally and the money spent through state vendors, these films will provide an economic boost to the cities of Akron and Cincinnati and go a long way in furthering the development of a motion picture industry within the state.”
In order to be eligible for the tax credit, the production companies must show reviewable progress to the Ohio Film Office within 90 days of receiving the notification letter. In addition, they will only receive the tax credit upon completion of production.
The Ohio Film Office, housed within the Ohio Department of Development, administers the Motion Picture Tax Credit, which is made possible through legislation passed by the Ohio General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Ted Strickland on July 17, 2009. A total of $30 million in tax credits are available for interested production companies in Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011.
For more information, visit www.discoverohiofilm.com.
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