I grew up in a moviegoing, TV-bingeing household. My whole family gathers around the TV on Friday nights to catch up on our favorite shows. We invest in reusable popcorn buckets at movie theatres because for our number of trips, it really is cost-efficient. None of us are incredibly educated on film as an art form, but I was raised to appreciate it and its integral role in pop culture.

I recall certain films and TV shows like ticks on my timeline: Bridesmaids came out in 2011, because I remember my mom figuring out how to let my 11-year-old self appreciate this groundbreaking and hilarious comedy without scarring me; I started watching Game of Thrones in the summer of 2014 because I’ve seen the series thrice through, once each summer after I started; Shrek came out in 2001, because it was my first birthday party theme.

These past few years, I’ve witnessed my timeline diversify. The content I’ve consumed and loved my whole life started looking, seemingly overnight, like myself and my world. I watched La La Land step aside for the Moonlight cast to accept their Academy Award, and I was awakened to a shift I’d never known I personally craved.

I realized I never had a Latina princess growing up, or superhero for whom to root. I reevaluated the mainstream Latinx roles I’d seen growing up, and how I had accepted their portrayal as gang members or housemaids without second thought. Then I wondered: if Hollywood inundated public audiences with as many outstanding, positive Latinx roles as they did white, cis-hetero male roles, would our nation be so quick to build that wall?

I cried during my first Wonder Woman screening for a number of reasons, including my realization that Black Widow’s often oversexualized and minimal role was my superhero exemplar growing up. A Wrinkle in Time wasn’t my favorite movie by a longshot, but I cried during that film too, thinking about Ava Duvernay in her director’s throne, instructing a diverse and talented female cast in a big-budget Disney film.

Film and TV, as such cornerstones of pop culture and public consumption, have the power not only to reflect our society, but to shape public perceptions. I can’t speak on behalf of identities that aren’t my own, but I know for my own representation, this is true. The more positive Latinx and female roles I see, the more potential I see in myself. The more other-identifying people see, the more potential they see in me as well, even if more subliminally.

It goes without saying: representation matters.

I already plan to explore my fascination with society extensively in college, but I looked to the Greater Cleveland Film Commission to dip my toe into the film side of my passion. I’ve always known the power and importance of film as art and culture, but I’ve only recently started considering taking part in the creative or productive process myself. GCFC graciously welcomed me for my senior project, and I’ve come to appreciate film — and Cleveland — more so than ever before.

Emily with our other interns, Zahrya and Valerie to scout possible production locations around Cleveland.

I learned how to breakdown a script and scout potential filming locations. I inputted data to help the commission find potential donors. I even got to shadow a meeting between film professionals. Every moment during my GCFC tenure has been a learning opportunity, but two lessons have profoundly inspired me.

The first lesson: Cleveland truly does rock. Scouting Cleveland has been like thrift shopping — not a glamorous process, not the most glamorous place, but if you look hard enough you’ll stumble upon something brilliant. I’m not sure I’ll look at any part of my city the same way again, knowing that even the dankest back alleys could be a filmmaker’s dream spot. Scouting for film locations brings new meaning to “endless opportunities.”

The second lesson: Just as Cleveland is a humble treasure waiting for its due credit, so is the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. They are an incredibly passionate, driven group of people, who are so rarely given the kudos they deserve. So please, stop asking them about the Cleveland International Film Festival and start asking about all of your favorite movies that filmed here, which the GCFC made possible. Donate to GCFC, become a member, write to your legislators about updating Ohio’s tax incentive. Don’t just support the commission to bring Chris Evans back into town — support these people who work unwaveringly to boost Cleveland’s economy, film industry and public perception at large.

The Film Commission is, in short, a band of hardworking individuals who just want you to make your movie in Cleveland. Someday, if I choose to pursue the filmmaking career, I hope to come back and do just that.

One of the core pillars of GCFC’s mission is workforce development. We work with local educators to help students who have a desire to enter a career in media production gain exposure to the industry. Throughout the year, several opportunities are available to students interested in the media production industry to come work with us and learn not only about the industry, but also about non-profit organizations and day-to-day office life. We also host students for limited time shadowing and senior projects, which can last anywhere from one day to one week.

My name is Qifan Yang, and I am a senior at Andrews Osborne Academy. I appreciate that I have a chance to do my senior experience at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission; I am glad that I have a chance to intern in such a nice place before my graduation. I will be an intern 7 days at the GCFC. Since the first day I interned here, I got to know the staff here. Everyone here is patient with me who knows nothing about the film commission.

On my first day, [the Production Coordinator] Mike took me to a movie set located in Cleveland. Later in the afternoon, I scouted with [the Assistant Production Coordinator] Antonio in downtown, and he explained different scouting skills and getting different views in one street or scene. Also, I joined the staff meeting at the end of the day. I got the basic idea of how the GCFC worked and introduced myself when it was my turn to present.

On the following days, I scouted my school Andrews Osborne Academy based on what Antonio taught me. Also, I scouted different places in downtown Cleveland, where I have never been before. During my seven days of internships, I did not just sit in the office, but did what I can do for the GCFC such as read and break down a script for a movie, help with fundraising research, but also learned some skills about scouting and settle the problems in the location database. I am thankful to my advisor and the every staff members at GCFC. They have made my high school senior experience fantastic and memorable.

One of the core pillars of GCFC’s mission is workforce development. We work with local educators to help students who have a desire to enter a career in media production gain exposure to the industry. Throughout the year, several opportunities are available to students interested in the media production industry to come work with us and learn not only about the industry, but also about non-profit organizations and day to day office life. We also host students for limited time shadowing and senior projects, which can last anywhere from one day to one week.

Jereme was one of our Spring 2018 interns from Kent State University.  He contributed several pieces on the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies to the Intern Corner, was a big help at our events, and he is currently an on-set intern for the film The Last Summer.

I was excited and terrified when I decided to embark on the path of filmmaking, but some of the very first people I spoke to about it were Ivan and Seema from the Commission. They were kind enough to let me visit their office to talk with them about what my aspirations were, and how I could start working to achieve them. After some helpful advice and reassurance, I knew what I had to do: get an internship with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission! It took a couple of years, but I’m finally here and couldn’t be happier or more grateful.

Learning about the film industry in class is one thing, but seeing how it works first-hand is an entirely different beast. Witnessing the business side of the industry and learning what has to happen behind the scenes for a movie to get made, especially in a big city, is really cool. During my time here, I learned a great deal about location scouting, breaking down scripts, working with others on a professional level and the logistics behind bringing films/television to Cleveland.

Overall, I have a much better understanding of how this industry, and the people who work in it, operate. Using what I learned here, I’ve gotten much better at networking and actively pursuing potential opportunities. With some great advice and support from the film commission, I recently got accepted for an internship on a movie that will be my first on-set feature film experience. Had the commission not been there to answer my questions and offer guidance along the way, I’m not so sure I would have gotten the position.

Interning here this semester has easily been my favorite experience in the industry so far. This small office of seven awesome people really made me feel like I was part of the team. Even though my time here is coming to a close, I have no doubt that I’ll be in touch with them throughout the course of my career, whether it be to support the commission or ask advice. No matter what you walk into this internship with, you’ll at least walk out with some new friends, incredible experience and a free backpack.

This piece is by Jereme Gelske, one of our Spring 2018 interns from Kent State University.

A Quick Look at Our Marvel Cinematic History

After 10 year and 18 movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally ready to release its highly anticipated Avengers: Infinity War. What most fans probably don’t know is just how big of an impact Cleveland has had on their films over the years.

In 2012, Marvel released a movie that cemented its place in cinematic history: The Avengers. However, “The Battle of New York” is actually the battled of Cleveland!There are a number of scenes in The Avengers that were shot in Cleveland, but most notable is the entire final act. There aren’t many cities that would allow a studio to shut down major streets for days at a time, but thankfully, ours is one of the most flexible when it comes to adapting for a film.

Former Trust Building, now Heinen’s – Various Battle Sequences

As seen in The Avengers, Cleveland can double as New York no problem; or even as Stuttgart, Germany. Who knows what scenes like these could have looked like had Cleveland not been such a fantastic host?

“Cleveland has been amazing. We wanted a real street feeling to the scenes, and we got that” said Jeremy Latcham, co-producer for Avengers.

West Shoreway – Winter Soldier Highway Scene

If you get some free time, search YouTube for videos of The Avengers shooting in Cleveland. There is a ton of footage out there and it’s really cool to see just how much goes into creating these scenes! You’ll also be able to see precisely where in the city different sequences were filmed.

Cleveland made such a great impression on Marvel that they even came back for Captain America: Winter Soldier, directed by Cleveland natives Joe & Anthony Russo!  Winter Soldier is regarded as one of Marvel’s best films, if not the best.

The Russo Brothers and Chris Evans as Captain America

The Russo Brothers were raised in Cleveland and attended Benedictine High School before studying as grad students at Case Western Reserve University. Their success in film and television eventually led them into the Marvel pantheon of directors. I encourage you to research their journey into the movie/television industry; it’s incredible!

The Russo Brothers apparently didn’t plan on leaving the Marvel universe anytime soon, seeing as they helmed the third Captain America film, Captain America: Civil War. While this wasn’t shot in Cleveland, we did get a shout out! During Zemo’s quest to learn more about the Winter Soldier, he had to interrogate an ex-Hydra agent hiding out in…Cleveland! This makes our city one of only a handful to officially exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe!

The Russo Brothers are now, as everyone knows, the directors of both Avengers: Infinity War and the Untitled Avengers 4. Here’s hoping we get more Marvel movies filming in town throughout the coming years! We would be so happy with getting another shout out in the MCU. Who knows, maybe the soul stone is in Cleveland?

An honorable mention should be given to another Marvel movie that shot in Cleveland even before The Avengers way back in 2006…Spiderman 3! The sequence where Spiderman has to take down the Sandman during their first fight actually happened here on Euclid Ave.

It’s important to keep in mind that productions like these come to Cleveland for three things:
1. The Ohio Film Tax Credit
2. The incredible people (that’s you!) and local crew
3. A city that shuts down entire streets for filming

The Greater Cleveland film Commission supports the people and city of Cleveland by working incredibly hard to increase local media production and promote our city to the world.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has impacted us just as much as we have impact it. Massive projects, like Marvel films, really helped put Cleveland on the map as a truly incredible place to make movies. Captain America: Winter Solider alone brought an estimated 500 jobs to Cleveland throughout the duration of the project, so just imagine how many people could find work if movies of this scale regularly filmed here. This is the goal that the GCFC is trying to achieve each and every day. Cleveland has the crew, the talent and the streets…so let’s use them!

I am currently a senior at Magnificat High School and for graduation, all the seniors take part in a career shadow project called Genesis. We find a career that we are interested in and shadow that job for a total of 42 hours. When I heard about the Greater Cleveland Film Commission I knew that had to be the place I completed my project.

Nora scouting downtown locations with our other spring intern Zahrya Robinson and job shadow student Ethan Paonessa.

During my time at the Film Commission, I have learned how big of an impact this place has on the film industry in Cleveland. GCFC helps scout locations for productions interested in filming here, finding the best and most unique place in Cleveland to film. They also have crew and vendor lists compiled so productions can support local jobs while in Ohio. GCFC has brought so much to the city of Cleveland and I am so glad I could be a part of that for a week!

Next year, I will be attending Cleveland State University and will be in the school of Film and Digital Media. I am so excited to be attending Cleveland State the same year the program is starting up. There is so much happening with film right now in Cleveland and studying it in the same city, getting hands on experience, is something that is really special. With the help and support of the Film Commission, I can study film in the city that I love.

One of the core pillars of GCFC’s mission is workforce development. We work with local educators to help students who have a desire to enter a career in media production gain exposure to the industry. Throughout the year, several opportunities are available to students interested in the media production industry to come work with us and learn not only about the industry, but also about non-profit organizations and day to day office life. We also host students for limited time shadowing and senior projects, which can last anywhere from one day to one week.

I am currently a Digital Media Production major and Business minor at Kent State University with only one semester left to go until graduation. When I first began college, I was actually a History Major, as my favorite classes were always in that area. I did really enjoy studying History at the University level, but I was scared of what career opportunities awaited me on the other side. This is when I began to think about a different course of action. I started to think about what my true passions were and realized that I would have never found my passion for History without my love of film.

Every day, throughout all of high school and college, I would listen to movie-talk podcasts for two hours after classes and read up on movie news every chance I got. I had never considered actually being a part of the industry until that moment, and thank goodness I decided to pursue it.

Movies have been a key influence on my life for as long as I can remember. Everything about my personality, passions and skill set stems from my love of film. While I don’t know an exact position that I want to pursue, I do know that I want to be part of the creative team at a film studio.

My number one dream would be to work at Marvel Studios, as their films are easily my biggest inspiration for wanting to tackle this industry. Seeing how those incredible characters are adapted to the big screen, and seeing fans get emotional over how much it truly means to them, is incredibly inspiring. They’ve taken a community generally regarded as nerds/outcasts and turned it into the main stream. Not a day goes by where I don’t see a YouTube comment or forum post that talks about how much these films have helped a fan get through the hardest times in their life. I want nothing more than to be a part of that, and help do for someone else what these movies have done for me.

Like most, I crave the opportunity to work out in LA with the largest film studios on the biggest films, but ultimately my dream is to be able to work and live in Cleveland. This was never really a possibility, up until the Greater Cleveland Film Commission decided to do something about it. The GCFC is working each and every day to help students and professionals find work in film/television.

I’ve known about the commission for some time, but only truly learned about what they do during my freshman year of college. Ever since then, it was my goal to land an internship here, and I’m forever grateful that I finally got it. I’ve already learned so much and have met so many incredible people that I would have otherwise never known. I look forward to helping the Commission bring jobs to Cleveland in any way that I can.

My name is Molly Chambers and I am a junior at St. Joseph Academy in Cleveland. My school requires every junior to take part in a shadow project, where we spend three days working with and observing professionals working in the field we are interested in. When I was talking to my guidance counselors about this project, they suggested that I look into shadowing someone at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.

Molly taking pictures while on a scout with Production.

One of the core pillars of GCFC’s mission is workforce development. We work with local educators to help students who have a desire to enter a career in media production gain exposure to the industry. Throughout the year, several opportunities are available to students interested in the media production industry to come work with us and learn not only about the industry, but also about non-profit organizations and day to day office life. We also host students for limited time shadowing and senior projects, which can last anywhere from one day to one week.

Jereme Gelske is one of our Spring 2018 interns from Kent State University. This is his take on the cultural phenomenon that is the “Black Panther” movie, and the reactions of the Cleveland crowd at our exclusive fundraiser screening.

It’s no secret that Black Panther was one of 2018’s most highly anticipated films, but what many didn’t anticipate was how incredibly successful the film is already turning out to be.

Sitting at a kingly 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, Black Panther is the highest rated Marvel film of all-time, beating out both Iron Man and Logan. According to Fandango, Black Panther’s pre-ticket sales have been consistently out-pacing every other superhero film ever made, including Batman v Superman and Captain America: Civil War.

At this rate, Black Panther easily has the potential to surpass Deadpool as the highest grossing February movie release. This weekend’s box office report will give us the exact numbers regarding ticket sales, but it’s safe to say that the King of Wakanda can hold his own against the ever-growing world of superhero films. So aside from shattering records, what makes this movie so special?

Ever since his first appearance in Fantastic Four #52 in 1966 (and kicking all four of their butts in that issue nonetheless), King T’challa has proven to be a major character in the world of comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby during a time of extreme racial controversy in the United States, T’Challa stood as a symbol of strength and heroism for countless African Americans. The film is able to convey that same message to modern audiences, also in a time where equality isn’t where it should be.

The character of T’challa was the first major black superhero to hit comics and the first one to lead a feature film of this scale. Sure, the Wesley Snipes Blade trilogy, Catwoman and Steel (yeah, the one with Shaquille O’Neal) already exist, but it’s fair to say that these didn’t do much to even out the film-making landscape. Much like Wonder Woman did for women, this film proves that diversity is a truly fantastic thing and should be embraced not only by movie studios, but by the world. Black Panther’s success is the first step on a long road of diverse leading roles in the film industry. With Captain Marvel (led by Brie Larson) on the way, and almost certainly a Black Panther sequel down the road, the future is bright for comic book fans!

In celebration of Black Panther’s release, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission hosted a special early screening of the film on February 15^th, and the audience was ecstatic. Fans of all backgrounds attended this showing with popcorn in their hands and perma-smiles on their faces. Fans who attended received custom t-shirts, posters and entries into a raffle for an epic action figure and a full set of Funko Pops.

As soon as the end credits began to roll, the theatre erupted with a round of applause. WKYC covered the event and even got to speak with some of the fans. Check out their coverage HERE.

This film was so incredible because its messages were for all types of audiences. No matter what kind of person you are, no matter what you look like, there is a message in this story for everyone. It balances political awareness with superhero epicness in a way that no other superhero film has done. Celebrities, independent organizations and fans are all banding together to purchase tickets for low-income families to see this film. If that doesn’t convince you to head out and see this movie, then I don’t know what will……

Maybe Brie Larson?

Long Live the King!