The Columbus Film Office is broadening its scope beyond traditional film production to embrace the full spectrum of creative industries, from gaming and music to podcasts and digital content creation. The Columbus Creators Mixer on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. at The Loft in Columbus will provide information on “How to Become a Storyteller” and “The Economics of Storytelling,” which will include creators across all disciplines, providing education on storytelling fundamentals and helping participants understand what resources are locally available to them.
The evening will feature two fireside chats exploring different aspects of the creative industry. “How to Become a Storyteller” will feature Paul Pierce, longtime producing artistic director of the Springer Opera House, and playwright and screenwriter Topher Payne, a three-time Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award winner whose work has been produced worldwide.
“The Economics of Storytelling” will bring together Columbus Film Commissioner Joel Slocumb and Carrie Sharpe, a financial controller and production accountant with more than 22 years of experience managing film and television budgets from $4 million to more than $200 million.
“We want to help educate our locals who are either already storytellers or wish to become one by providing the tools and resources they need,” Slocumb said.
The mixer will also feature information about the Local Filmmakers Grant Program, which opened for applications in January and offers five grants of $10,000 each. Applications are being accepted through the end of February, and a representative will be available at the event to walk attendees through the application process and answer questions about eligibility and requirements.
In addition to supporting local film projects, the office has robust efforts to attract outside production. Columbus offers an incentive of up to $300,000 for larger productions filming in the area.
Building a strong local creative community, Slocumb believes, provides a more stable foundation for long-term growth.
“We want the community and industry to be aware of the support our office is able to provide,” Slocumb said. “That’s one of the purposes of this event: to demonstrate what we can offer and to potentially connect them with other creators who can support them on their journey.”
