Q. What is BOPA’s Film Office responsible for?
A. The Baltimore Film Office is responsible for marketing Baltimore as a destination for film production companies to do business in the city. We are trying to attract these companies because they provide an enormous economic benefit to the city by creating jobs, supporting small businesses and the general economic activity. We’re also showcasing all types of locations that the city offers. Once they decide to come here, we’re the liaison between the production company and city agencies, so we expedite all the city services like getting permits for a street closure.
Q. What is your role with the Baltimore Film Office?
A. I am the director of the Baltimore Film Office. In the industry, I’m referred to as the Film Commissioner. And this was a great fit, it’s really important for the director to have experience in the film industry. Fran Carmen, who is the logistics coordinator for the Film Office, and I both have been doing this for 30 years. Fran worked for DOT (Department of Transportation) and I was a location manager. My first feature was Avalon in 1989, before that I worked on commercials.
Q. About how many projects get filmed in Baltimore annually?
A. Every year we get about 100-120 projects. In Fiscal Year 16, we had 135 projects shoot in Baltimore.
Q. So it’s not all movies and TV shows that get filmed here?
A. No, for instance we have Audi doing an electric car commercial here Friday night, these types of productions are a big part of our market -commercials, independents, political shots, reality shows, still shoots – all of these productions hire local crew and actors and contribute to our economy.
Q. How do you think filming in Baltimore is beneficial to the city i.e. economically, or with perception?
A. Part of why this industry is important besides the jobs and the economic impact is tourism—when people see places on the big screen they want to come see where certain things are filmed. There are places in Hairspray and some of the older films and on a bigger scale like Wedding Crashers, people will go to Easton to stay at the Inn at Perry Cabin or sail on the Schooner Woodwind, so film tourism is a big thing. I always look at it in a positive way, that this is an industry that creates jobs and economic impact as well as a sense of pride of having something filmed in your city. Filming presents us as a diverse city because we have so many different looks—we have modern buildings, we have seaports, we have historic buildings and amazing architecture throughout the city.
Q. What is your favorite part about working with the Baltimore Film Office?
A. I like challenges and problem solving and every day is something new. It’s constantly changing. I like being out in the field and exploring Baltimore. I think one of the reasons I went into location managing to begin with is, because I travelled and backpacked through Europe after college and I loved it.
Q. What is your favorite film/tv show that you’ve worked on that’s been filmed here?
A.For me, it’s personal because I was a location manager on Avalon so that was my favorite. It was a big budget film for that time; it was Barry Levinson’s love story to Baltimore about his family coming from Russia to Baltimore. It spanned many periods starting in 1919 so it was a beautiful period film.
Open Call to Makers, Manufacturers, and Artists:
Baltimade Exhibition at the Carroll Mansion February 2017
Application Deadline: Saturday, December 3, 11:59 pm
Carroll Museums is pleased to announce our “BaltiMADE” Exhibition. Focused on the breadth and depth of local Baltimore Creators, this design exhibition will feature 2-D and 3-D art, hand-made furniture, furnishings, apparel and accessories that are defining the growing Maker Movement and resurgence of quality goods crafted locally.
Baltimade 2017 will be a house-wide exhibition at the historic Carroll Mansion located at 800 E. Lombard Street in downtown Baltimore. Itself a testament to the ingenuity, chutzpah and growth of Baltimore as a creative center in the United States, the local landmark will provide space to display works of art and product as well as pop-up shops, demonstrations, workshops, and special “maker” events.
This is a juried exhibition. There is a $25 fee to apply. All mediums are welcome within the eligibility guidelines. Click here to access the submission form.
Lead Artist Name: Navasha Daya
Additional Artists/Roles: Moziah Saleem (drum instructor)
Project Name: Cherry Hill Intergenerational Choir and Drum ensemble
Project Description: Led by internationally recognized singer, songwriter and activist Navasha Daya, the Youth Resiliency Institute and the Cherry Hill Homes Community will form the Cherry Hill Intergenerational Choir. The choir will team up with visual artists Vaquea Singletary and Jackie Mayo in the Cherry Hill community along with Grammy Award winning percussionist Moziah Saleem to create a touring performance and visual artist hybrid project comprised of Cherry Hill voices of all ages.
Join Us @ 734 N Monroe St Baltimore, MD 21217 beginning from 7pm to 9pm:
Friday October 28th – Spirituality in MidTown
Saturday October 29th – Art in MidTown
Sunday October 30th – Community in MidTown
The Community Walk Through Theater (CWTT), an innovative program that will inform, educate, and entertain residents in Midtown. This arts engagement project takes full advantage of Mid-town assets by providing opportunities to create and display art, movies, messages, etc. on a 12 X 19 foot screen using a high powered projector.
Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center seeks artists working in any media to submit proposals to set up a working studio space in the Main Gallery for 1-2 week periods. These studios will be set up much like a “booth,” utilizing the artist’s own supplies and equipment. Artists are expected to be present in their studio booth during the majority of their scheduled period (which must include at least one weekend). Artists are encouraged to sell artwork in their booths. This call is open to all media. In addition, artists are asked to create an activity for visitors, as simple or as complex as you wish, that will allow visitors to experiment with your materials and creative process. The size and complexity of the activity/project is up to you. Artists may choose to have an on-going activity throughout the duration of their stay, or set specific times that the activity will operate. Through this program, artists are afforded an opportunity to work in free studio space in a beautiful setting. This is a perfect occasion for a serene retreat to immerse yourself in your artwork and to network with other artists. Overnight accommodations for out-of-town artists are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
A national juried call; open to all media; cash awards.
Deadline to apply: December 5, 2016
$20 non-refundable application fee
From January 20 – March 1, 2017, Annmarie’s spectacular Main Gallery will be transformed into temporary artist studios, providing a serene retreat and experimental space for artists to develop new works, display and sell their work, network with other artists, and share their creative process with visitors.
Platform Gallery is excited to announce its third annual Juried Exhibition, on view from December 10th, 2016 – January 28th, 2017 with an opening reception on December 10th.
The deadline for submissions is November 15th with an application fee of $13payable through the submittable application.
All accepted works must be dropped off between December 5th – 8th and remain throughout the duration of the exhibition.
There will be three cash prizes awarded to be determined by the jury: Zoë Charlton (Artist, Associate Professor at American University, Co-founder of ‘sindikit), Paul Rucker (Visual Artist, composer, musician, historian, Creative Capital Grant, Joan Mitchell Fellowship, Rauschenberg Fellowship, Baker Award, and Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship), and José Ruiz (Director, MFA in Curatorial Practice, MICA).