Film Festival personal wrap up
Wow, talk about giving WIndsorites a WIFF of TIFF. I can only say that I am proud and humbled by the success of this year’s WIFF. It kind of feels like after beating my head against a wall for 5 years, the wall did finally break. This year I worked on 48hr Flickfest and stepped back quite a bit from the annual festival. Other than entertain a few guests (fun but exhausting) and some socializing, most of the work this year was done by an amazing group of people who I’m proud to have worked with.
One thing this year that struck me is that I feel so much more motivated towards the future. I feel that I can work full steam ahead on the areas that I feel are important now that I know that I’m working with a team that not only carries their own weight but have surpassed any hope that I even had.
The best part about it is that relationships and partnerships were created in the area where I believe is critical. Not only critical to WIFF, but critical to our downtown and the future of Windsor, our institutions of higher education.
I can’t say what a pleasure it has been getting to know our new board members and how the Partnership between WIFF and the University is about to bloom.
My areas of involvement in the future will be dedicated
1. Local Filmmaking industry - Ensuring that this becomes so much more than limited to film making. I plan to return to Austin this year to research the whole idea of convergence of film, music and interactive media. First year was simply too overwhelming, although it opened my eyes to the potential of what this can do for Windsor’s Economy. Have some great ideas on how to grow the 48hour flickfest if I can find the sponsorship.
2. Investigate what I can contribute under WIFF to a local film commission. WIFF has the knowhow, relationships, some resources, creativity and chutzpa to fill this roll. I’ve learned that we need to distinguish between cultivating local filmmakers and having some films shot here vs the unrealistic expectation that we can simply bring 2 million dollar productions here with no post production facilities, equipment and skilled workers trained specifically in this industry. Just purchased filmwindsor.ca, .com, .net, .info and .org.
Nothing says we can’t start compiling information, links etc… and put it on the Web as a resource.
3. New ways to partner with the University and College. “Partnership” is an overrated buzzword and only now has WIFF showed me the true meaning of what a partnership with an organization with the University can mean.
4. Getting that Big inflateable outdoor screen into the community this summer. We need to get this thing into a Park near you. WIFF has the potential to be a part of community building. I’d like to see this Screen at Willistead, Downtown and possibly used to partner with everyone of the BIA’s in Windsor or to celebrate formations of Residents Associations.
Well, its 2am and I should get some sleep, I have a big year ahead of me.
Post Feedback
mark, a huge congratulations to you and all involved in wiff. i attended a screening with friends on the weekend and was just overwhelmed (and so proud!) by the number of people coming out to support this initiative. best of all, it was wonderful being in the capitol theatre again and seeing it crowded and utilized the way it should be. yay!!! it’s events such as this and people such as yourself and those involved in wiff that are going to change this city for the better.
A very loud and well deserved bravo to everyone associated with WIFF. My wife and I, attended for the first time this year. And in my opinion, the whole experience was a wonderful example of team work.
I’m hoping that WIFF can extend its success to beyond the festival and have events year round. As of right now I don’t think having monthly screenings is enough. Perhaps WIFF can bring together all the creative and artistic types in Windsor which is sorely lacking right now.
Unfortunately, monthly screenings are all we can provide right now.
First, I need to do lots of research. I want to get a filmwindsor.com / .ca off the ground. I’m looking at sites like http://www.filmkw.ca and http://www.bcfilmcommission.com as examples of what information we should be putting up and how to organize it.
The only way I can work on bringing creative and artistic types together is to study the model in Austin Texas. Thats not until March. If we can do that we can leapfrog every other Canadian city and go from the back to the front of the pack. Combining film with music and interactive media
P.S. For those who are not familiar with leapfrogging Example of Leapfrogging - India was so far behind in telephone landline infrastructure, that it actually gave up on it and invested the money needed to build and maintain land line infrastructure into cell phones and now is a leading country in coverage and use.