Make a Living Acting Anywhere

Start a Film Festival Part 1

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The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival made “The Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” list by MovieMaker Magazine in 2013. I am proud to State that I had a part in that at the ground level as one of the people who got it off the ground.

Here’s the first step we took to get it done:

Well, first things first! I was approached by Michael Coty and Christopher (Kulovitz at the time) Wydra. These gents were the founders of Get Reel, a student film festival. They wanted to know if I could help them put together a film festival. The quick answer was yes!

I was desperate to bring more opportunities for serious, professional actors to our town and I knew this was a very good way to make that happen.

It’s Not What you Know, It’s WHO You Know

My drive alone wasn’t going to get the job done. The first thing I did was introduce the gentlemen to a production company I had been making commercials, doing live events, and acting in industrial films and voice overs with. I figured, they were going to need someone who not only knew how to create an event but also would document and film the process for opening night. Those folks said YES!

The next persons we had to get involved was a local couple with relations to a name actor. A name actor that was from the town was ideal. Offering the name actor an Honorable Chair position on the Festival was the couples’ idea and it went over swimmingly. Kate Mulgrew who plays “Red” on Orange is the New Black became our Honorable Chair and because she was from Dubuque, audiences came out in droves to welcome her back to their community.

But, How do I Do This?

In the custom of providing a step-by-step plan for actors who want to Make a Living Acting Anywhere, the two things under the one heading are enough to get started.

Steps 1 and 2
Production Company Involvement
  1. email, call, or door knock local production companies in your area and find out if they would be interested in starting a film festival with you. Here are some clues as to what’s in it for them: a) Advertising and Marketing in their Provided Services, b) an enrapt audience watching their professional work and therefore opening the doors to much more work c) relationships with professional actors and voice artists who can make their work even better for their own clients!
    2. Name Actor (from your town or closeby) Involvement
    1. With Google and IMDB readily at your fingertips, this is probably the easiest step in the process. Go start searching. And, this is only if you don’t already know of someone who is an actor who was a member of your community. Most people know this! But, if you don’t, here are the search terms I’d use to get started:

      2. Actors from….

      ________born actors
      “Which known actors are from_________”

      etc…

      I look forward to seeing what you put on! Please, leave a message, comment, subscribe, share and like for more. Have questions? Bring it on.

      Now, go break a leg or something!

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      Make a Living Acting AnywhereBy Chrissy Hogue Bartels
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