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Making Cleveland
Kool Again, Film at a time
By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent
International Business Network
aims to stimulate the Northeast Ohio economy through engaged
networking with businesses abroad by highlighting the value
provided by this region. By hosting networking events, the group
seeks to engage a younger and diverse audience and highlight
upcoming trade missions and business visitors and provides
advising to those seeking to do business in the area. The
annual New Year’s event, co-hosted by the Ariel International
Center drew more than a 100 guests on Jan. 17, 2013.
This year, the
organization wanted to celebrate the city’s ‘kool factor’ said
Bernadine van Kessel, Director of International Business
Attraction at Team Northeast Ohio. Ivan E. Schwarz, the
Executive Director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, fit
the bill. Originally from Los Angeles, Schwarz first felt the
draw to Cleveland in the late 1990s when he was scouting
locations for films. “There is a sense of community here that I
have never experienced before,” he said.
Six years ago he relocated
his family to Cleveland, “and we never looked back.” In the city
he found the opportunities and locations that filmmakers dream
of at a cost only fraction of that paid anywhere else. He said
when film agents arrive he doesn’t shy away from showing them
around all parts of town, but one thing he doesn’t do is
introduce them to the locals, “Because then they ask you things
like: ‘Why would you come to Cleveland?’ I won’t tolerate
that!”
Schwarz said selling the
city to newcomers is easier, but establishing a film industry
presence in the city will help locals appreciate it more. It
took him less than three days to convince the directors of
The Soloist, starring Jamie Foxx, to shoot in Cleveland.
“There was no reason for them to shoot in Cleveland, other than
they fell in love with the city,” he said.
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Radhika Reddy,
Ivan Schwarz, Bernadine van Kessel,
Lisa Wong and Don Esarove.
Making of the film Avengers in Cleveland
as explained by
Radhika Reddy
Ivan Schwarz
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Through the Greater
Cleveland Film Commission he advocated for the Ohio Film
Tax Credit, which provides a refundable credit against the
corporation franchise or income tax for motion pictures produced
in Ohio, and a tremendous incentive for filmmakers to work in
the state.
A Cleveland State
University study credits the creation of nearly 1,143
full-time equivalent Ohio jobs and $35.5 million in household
income from the 27 projects that took advantage of the Ohio
Motion Picture Tax Credit since its 2009 inception, and the tax
incentive returns $1.20 into the Ohio economy for every $1
invested by the incentive.
He was also instrumental
in bringing The Avengers to Cleveland. The movie
was the second highest grossing film and spent nearly $87
million in Northeast Ohio. Schwarz said that it also changed the
conversation of Cleveland’s desirability when promoting to film
makers abroad.
“Only in Cleveland can you
shut down E. 9th in broad daylight, during the
summer, and baseball season and people enjoy it,” he said. He
said the greatest challenge facing the city is retaining young
people. “Doesn’t matter how many jobs or businesses we attract,
if we don’t keep young people here we are done.”
The Greater Cleveland Film
Commission is working on initiatives with Cuyahoga Community
College to offer courses in various aspect of the film
industry, from animation to technology to promote the
possibility of pursuing film careers and to provide a local
workforce for filmmakers as they come to the region. In 2013,
Captain America:
The Winter Soldier will return to Cleveland to shoot
a sequel to the 2012 hit film.
He said with the right
attitude and positive approach greater things will happen in
Cleveland and the nonprofits need to work together rather than
compete.
For more information on the Greater Cleveland Film Commission
visit:
http://www.clevelandfilm.com
To get involved with International Business Network visit:
http://www.neoibn.org/
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