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Filmmakers Promote Homeownership
By Amilda Dymi
ISELIN, NJ-Creating an example of efficient partnership between local artistic creativity and original marketing, Chase has launched "The Chase Legacy of Homeownership Film Challenge," a first of its kind collaboration between the bank, the film industry and up-and-coming talent, showing how good business can embrace a good cause.
Following the vision of passionate and creative marketing executives, Chase partnered with BlackFilm.com, HBO (Home Box Office) and Kodak Motion Picture Film, to discover emerging filmmakers in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and New York.
The goal, according to Chase executives was to "share their vision of legacy preservation within the African-American community through the lens of a camera."
Executives believe in the unique power of the camera, which has the power to bring fourth stories of African Americans who built, sustained and passed on their legacy through homeownership.
Kodak provided free equipment, production material and assistance needed to produce their films.
The "Chase Legacy Film Challenge" initiative kicked off at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Going forward, Chase's emerging markets and marketing manager, Veronica Seale, told NMN that her goal is to make different and unique synonymous with Chase.
"That's how we get attention and reach our mark and hopefully reach more consumers than we normally would."
The way this event is incorporated into the Chase Legacy of Homeownership Event is by inviting the filmmakers to communicate with the audience in their hometown and ask the audience to vote for the films.
It is a highly effective marketing venue that reaches out to local communities in multiple ways.
Ms. Seale agrees, "That's what we always look for. I have to make sure that every dollar I spend, it feels like I'm spending 20." It is important "to not do this as a one-time event" but build a long lasting relationship, she added. For example, copies of the films will be given to loan officers to deliver as a gift to new clients.
The finalists were Vincent Singleton from Chicago, with "The Porter," Crystle Clear Roberson of Atlanta with "Next Door's Next," Adetoro Makinde of New York with "Ties That Bind" and Marc Newsome of Houston with "Here Comes The Neighborhood."
"What is interesting with these filmmakers is that they took completely different approaches to the topic. I was impressed by the quality of the content as well as the quality of the actual product," Ms. Seale said.
"After the public vote one of them will receive The People's Choice Award to be announced in New York at the HBO headquarters at the end of July. The winner will have their film shown on HBO."
"The Chase Legacy Film Challenge is an important opportunity for us to help bring to light the creative genius of rising filmmakers and to infuse the film industry with new ideas and perspectives," said HBO vice president of market development, Lucinda Martinez-Desir.
As to how did the executive came up with the idea to incorporate African-American housing legacy, wealth building, marketing and support for the arts, in one single event: Like all great initiatives, she said it was spurred from cooperation and good will efforts.
"It was a collaboration, as is with most of our efforts," Ms. Seale explained.
"We were approached by the head of BlackFilm.com, said Valerie Moore, who wanted to start an independent film contest. She was trying to do some fund rising for the project and also figure out how it should be structured."
And that is where Chase advertising and marketing executives come into the picture coordinating efforts between HBO and Kodak.
"We had the fortune to announce the contest at the Sundance Film Festival 2008. We had a networking reception to honor filmmakers of color during the festival. A Sundance representative came to our reception, which was full and a lot of fun, and actually acknowledged Chase for being the first to do something like this at the festival. It encouraged them to add diversity as a component for the event next year," Ms. Moore said.
The goal, she said, was to use the ties Chase has with the "Legacy of Homeownership" initiative created to promote the fact that one can build a better life legacy for generations to come through greater homeownership opportunities.
"There is more than the financial legacy that Chase celebrates. What we also celebrate is diversity, culture, and the artistic side of our communities, and from that perspective film is an automatic response, because it is one of those things that never dies."
Ms. Seale is very excited about her project.
"What we are trying to do is: really engrain this" not just in cultural events, but in the thinking process of investing, managing your money, and make it "more of a natural conversation around the dinner table."
People can get involved by simply viewing these films, which lead into conversations about legacy.
The films themselves represent what the filmmakers see as being their legacy, she said.
"We did not restrict them. We just asked that homeownership be an element, we did not want it to overwhelm the artistic message."
The winners received a $5,000 cash price and various Kodak products.
Their four original five-minute movies were available for public view online until June 30.
Participants were filmmakers from four major metropolitan cities that have been associated with the Chase legacy tour program.
"Their five-minute treatment had to be intriguing enough for them to be selected," she said.
A panel of judges selected them.
It included HBO executive Pat Lomax, director, Honey & Beauty Shop; Billye Woodruff, actor and music producer; Bryce Wilson, casting, director, Robi Reed & Associates; Doran Reed, producer and founder of Duly Noted Inc.; Effie Brown, director of Ebony Jet Entertainment Group; Gail Huggins-Porter, director of development at Focus Features; Samantha Taylor Pickett; and Sylvain White, director, Stomp the Yard.
Founder of blackfilm.com, Ms. Moore praised The Chase Legacy Film Challenge as one of the most meaningful grant programs available to filmmakers.
"Not only are we providing them with funding and industry resources, but we are inspiring filmmakers to reflect and celebrate the meaning of legacy and homeownership in the African-American community," Ms. Moore said.
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