Blog

The Union Club of Cleveland chose GCFC President Ivan Schwarz for the Member Spotlight section of their internal magazine this month, highlighting Ivan’s accomplishments as well as his future goals for our organization.  The Union Club is Greater Cleveland’s premier city club where business, civic, social and philanthropic leaders meet in friendship and shared purpose, striving for...

There’s really no moviegoing experience like seeing a new “Star Wars” the weekend it premieres. Whether it’s on opening night (like our exclusive GCFC event for “The Last Jedi”), or a Sunday matinee, there’s nothing like settling into a theater packed with like-minded fans as the lights go down, those trumpets sing and that familiar...

Today, we celebrate Giving Tuesday, a national celebration of philanthropy. As such, we’d like to spotlight one of our many GCFC supporters, Nick Kuhar, head of the Film Department at St. Edward High School, and let him tell you himself why he gives to GCFC: “I’m Nick Kuhar; I co-founded and chair the Film Department...

The beginning of the holiday season is upon us, and that means it’s almost Thanksgiving. Many of us will be traveling to a loved one’s house to sit down to a Turkey dinner with family and friends. Maybe you’ll watch some football. Maybe you’ll even watch a movie as you fight off a food coma....

Today is National Philanthropy Day. Nonprofits and charities across America will be telling their stories in the hope that those who are able will give to their various causes and constituencies. As a nonprofit ourselves, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission (GCFC) will be doing the same. Our story is about creating a new industry in...

For anyone who’s ever had a story to tell on the big screen, it all starts with the screenplay. Writers new and veteran alike can always use some helpful advice, whether it’s on story craft, formatting or selling the screenplay once it’s been written. As such, we’ve gathered this list of three classic screenwriting texts,...

If you’ve followed us at all over the last few years, chances are you’ve seen these numbers before: $400 million, 1,700 and $2.01. These numbers come from an economic impact study GCFC commissioned from Cleveland State University on the impact of the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit, for which Ivan Schwarz and GCFC fought to...

What is your role in Cleveland’s media production industry? I wear a few hats. I am an attorney (at Buckley King) that focuses on clients in and issues related to the sport and entertainment industries. Additionally, I am working on producing content of my own, as well as acquiring original content of others. On the...

In 2009, GCFC President Ivan Schwarz wrote and worked to pass the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Incentive, which has been the driver of much of our success in building Northeast Ohio’s media production industry. But how does it work? 35 states, including Ohio, have enacted a film tax incentive in some form over the last...

This week marks the 30th Anniversary of the William Goldman classic, “The Princess Bride.” Three decades later, what stands out most about the film isn’t how equally funny and poignant it is. It isn’t the amazing characters like Inigo Montoya, Fezzik or Princess Buttercup and the amazing performers that brought them to life (Mandy Patinkin,...