Hollywood Chainsaw Blogger

15th
SEP

CT Film Fest Press Conference Today

Posted by chainsaw under CT film fest survival guide, ct film fest, ct film fest reviews

With the Common Council recently giving the green light to allocate $65,000, the organizers of the CT Film Festival are holding a press conference at the Palace Theater today, presumably to kick-off this year’s festival.

The festival will once again climax in Danbury in late May or early June – the organizers will firm up dates today.

Here is the press release festival organizer Tom Carruthers sent out last week:

Dear Community Stakeholders, Sponsors & Members of The Press;

State of Connecticut Representative, Jason Bartlett
&
The Connecticut Film Festival
Would like your presence at a very important press conference on:

Monday, Sept. 15th at 1:00pm at
The Palace Theater, 165 Main St. Danbury

The purpose of this press conference is to announce:
·   The dates, the future plans and expanded scope for the 2009 Danbury festival
·   Additional funding from the State of Connecticut
·   Network with other community stakeholders and sponsors

There will be a light snack and beverages available

Speaking will be:

State Representative
Jason Bartlett

Director of City Center Danbury
Andrea Gartner

Danbury’s Director of Economic Development
Wayne Shepperd

The Honorable Danbury Mayor
Mark Boughton

Northwest Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau Director
Jim Whitney

Connecticut Film Festival Director
Tom Carruthers

Dr. James Schmotter
President of Western Connecticut State University

Connecticut Speaker of The House of Representatives
James Amann

Parking is available behind the Palace Theater. Access lot about midway on Keeler Street.

#

Read all about last year’s festival (May 08) by clicking the tags.

Share :

More »

View Comments

25th
JUN

CT Film Fest Funding

Posted by chainsaw under ct film fest

I did a short story in today’s News-Times about an ad hoc Common Council committee that will most likely be created next month regarding the CT Film Festival.

The ad hoc committee will make a recommendation as whether the council should again contribute public money to the CT Film Festival.

The article will be available here for about two weeks.

Also, Tom Carruthers and the CT Film Fest organizers are scheduled to have a volunteer appreciation picnic this Sunday in Putnam State Park in Redding.

It’s scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Again, it’s Sunday, June 29.

I can’t believe it is almost July!

Share :

More »

View Comments

1st
JUN

Film Fest’s Impact on Danbury?

Posted by chainsaw under ct film fest

I spent six days covering the CT Film Festival in Danbury (and nothing else that week) and I have to tell you — I didn’t hear anything negative about the event.

People — officials, patrons, neighboring merchants, residents who just stopped by to look at The Palace — were very happy with the event.

Today we have a story trying to gauge the event’s impact on Danbury.

We also have a story where folks offer suggestions as to how to improve the festival next year (online it appears at the bottom of the story linked above).

Last Saturday, just before the “Americanizing Shelley” red carpet event, I stopped people at random and asked people how much money they had spent in Danbury.

(My random “poll” is, of course, not even close to being scientific, but offers useful info, I hope)

Remember, the hope was that the festival would attract 5,000 people who would spend roughly $100 each.

People said:

Frank Chieffalo

Age: 29

From: Danbury

Days at festival: Two

Spent: $65 on movie passes, $25 for the “Americanizing Shelley” movie and after-party, $20 at Nico’s Pizza and Pasta, $15 at Two Steps Downtown Grill, $30 at Tuscano

TOTAL ESTIMATED SPENDING: $155

Clinton Mann

Age: 33

From: Hartford

Days at festival: Five

Spent: Hotel, various clubs on Ives Street, movie tickets

“I came to the festival with $1,000 and I spent that.”

TOTAL ESTIMATED SPENDING: $1,000

Name: Nelle Tresselt

From: Danbury

Days at festival: Two

Spent: Tickets for the documentary “Blinders” and “Americanizing Shelley,” $32; dinner for three at Union Buffet in Danbury before Saturday’s movie, $50

TOTAL ESTIMATED SPENDING: $82

Leandro Costa

Age: 36

From: Hamden

Days at festival: One

Spent: Three tickets, he said, at $9 a piece for “Americanizing Shelley,” plus $100 for dinner for three

TOTAL ESTIMATED SPENDING (three people): $127 or $42 per person

Ethan Beato and Amanda O’Connor

Ages: 17

From: Danbury

Days at festival: Two (Danbury High School student volunteers)

Spent: Beato’s parents purchased dinner for five at Three Brothers Diner for about $30 or $40; Beato and O’Connor spent about $10 combined for lunch at Papi’s Deli and Grocery on White Street

TOTAL ESTIMATED SPENDING: $40 to $50 (combined)

AVERAGE SPENDING OF PEOPLE INTERVIEWED: $280

MEDIAN SPENDING: Between $82 and $127

UPDATE: I avoid Topix at all costs, but this poster makes a good, albeit ALL CAPS ANGRY, point:

“Are you kidding?
If 5000 people DIDN’T show up all the Danbury naysayers would be screaming aobut how BAD the festival was.
Great job Carruthers, Gartner, City officials,…..AND MOST OF ALL, THE GREAT FOLKS WHO CAME FORM (sic) NEAR AND FAR TO HAVE A GOOD TIME IN DOWNTOWN DANBURY.
NEXT YEAR! YOU BET, AND EVERY YEAR FROM NOW ON!!!”

Share :