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If You Can't See It.......... Is There A Point? - Underground Film Festival Status
Saturday, February 27, 2010 - 1:00 PM - Tampa Indie Film Log for Filmmaker C. A. Passinault
Checking Out The Tampa Film Network
I went to the
Tampa Film Network meeting for the first time last night. They had a talent
expo and a lot of networking going on, so I did not go with the intention
of covering it like a film festival (there were no films being shown,
and no seating. It was standing-room only, and everyone stood around talking).
Although, in retrospect, I should have, and should have also taken some
pictures, I was much too busy talking with people in a crowded room to
bother with any of that.
Upon arrival, I was dismayed to learn that the venue, The Art Institute
Of Tampa (and NOT the organizer, I must clarify), was charging $5.00 for
people to enter the networking area. This, as it was explained to me,
was to help cover the costs of food. I told them that I did not plan on
eating any food. They told me that I would still have to pay. I spotted
Tampa film network organizer Dan Brienza and asked him about the cover,
which was not disclosed on the TFN web site and the event announcement,
and then I realized that Dan had nothing to do with the price of admission.
What we had here was a breakdown in communication, and nothing more. So,
I gave them $5.00, even though I had alternate plans, as my friend, model
and performer Ann Poonkasem, and my other friends were calling my cell
to invite me to dinner near USF.
Dan, though, I must say, you might want to send out a notice regarding
the admission cover surprise. I suspect that more than a few people were
not happy about it. I heard, also, that Tampa filmmaker Joe Davison had
shown up, before I got there, and he was upset about it. Someone said
that he stated “But I am the founder of the Tampa Film Network!
I’m not paying!”, and left in protest. I can understand that,
as I almost turned around and left, too. Joe, too, is right about one
thing. He, and Chris Woods, were the founders of the Tampa Film Network.
He shouldn’t have had to pay as a courtesy.
Poor Joe. I don’t have anything against him. He should have stayed.
The last time that I was around Davison, at the Ladies Of The Night film
festival almost two years ago, he was actually pretty cool to be around.
I hope that Dan addresses the issue, though, because I would think that
people would quit coming if surprise admission fees kept cropping up.
There is nothing wrong with charging admission, but at least let people
know if there is a price to get in or not, before they go. I do not think
that it was Dan’s fault for the mix-up, though, but I do think that
more people would have been in attendance if there had been no cover,
or, at the very least, they had known about it. In all fairness, though,
it was said that the film networking event extended to the downstairs
area where a student expo was going on, but, come on, the Tampa film network
was really only going in the area where you had to pay admission. I had
been down in the student lobby, initially, and no one from the Tampa film
network was doing anything down there.
At any rate, I will say that, as luck would have it, I had a five dollar
bill in my wallet, and that’s all I had on me. If I did not have
that money, I would have had to leave and track down an ATM machine which
would not charge me a fee (which did not exist in the area), or a store
where I could get cash back from an ATM POS; this would have been both
inconvenient and unacceptable. If I did not have the cash on me, I would
have left and had dinner with my friends, instead.
How many others left because they did not have the money on them, or refused
to pay?
I suspect that there may be some complaints in them there woods.
I did address the cover with Dan, and I quickly found out that it wasn’t
his fault. I’m going to guess that the lack of communication was
a one time thing.
At any rate, the Tampa Film Network was not only fun, once I got inside,
but it proved to be productive. I met a lot of interesting people, and
dispensed a lot of my Tampa Bay Film marketing material, as well as business
cards, coupons for photography specials, and marketing material for Tampa
Bay Modeling. Everyone was quite cool, and I was in constant conversation.
Only one person was rude to me. He stood nearby snorting at me that there
was too much information on my Tampa Bay Modeling flyers. I told him that
I broke the rules of design intentionally with that one, and that I was
aware that some might not like the three pages of content on the 5 ½
by 4 1/4 inch flyer (you can see what it looks
like on the main index page at Tampa Bay Modeling, and I stand behind
my work... It’s a great, and effective, design). It was readable,
however, and it was a lot of good information. I told him that the point
was to pique the curiosity of the recipient and inspire them to go to
Tampa Bay Modeling to read what was on it. I also told him that it was
working, and people were going to the site because of that very reason.
He seemed to get even more angry, and stormed off. Was he a designer who
was offended by my choice of design, perhaps? Who knows, and who cares.
Everyone wants to be a critic, and I can take criticism very well, thank
you very much (Besides, soon after this post, in March 2011, I had dinner
with the owner of one of the best, most prestigious advertising agencies
in the Tampa Bay area, with award-winning work dating back to the 80's.
He looked at that flyer, knew exactly why it was designed the way that
it was, and told me that it was brilliant, so there you go. You have to
consider the source when it comes to any opinion. He knew what he was
talking about, too!).
I went to the Tampa Film Network meeting on February 26, 2010. Despite
the entry free, I stayed. I met a lot of cool people, and it was worth
it. Dan Brienza has a good thing going on here, and it has a lot of success,
as well as future potential. I intend to have Tampa Bay Film support the
Tampa Film Network, even after my Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival
and professional networking event series debuts, and begins regular operations,
in 2012 (oh, and by the way, the Tampa Film Showcase has a comprehensive
business plan, and a developed long-term plan. I’m constantly improving
on it with new details).
Although this post isn’t really a review, I will say that, in my
opinion, that attending the Tampa Film Network meeting was well worth
the price of admission. It was also worth missing my dinner appointment,
although I’ll be making it up with my friends tonight, instead.
I had already planned on attending the TFN before I was invited to dinner,
and that’s why I didn’t hang out with my friends.
The only question, though, is why so many of the TFR regulars do not seem
to be supporting the TFN. They should. I’ll have to explore that
issue soon.
Oh, yes, and one more thing. Because I was promoting Tampa Bay Film, I
went ahead and updated all of the content on the Tampa Bay Film sites.
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