– by Margie Doyle —

The Gang that brought off the 1st Orcas Island Film Festival 2014!

The Gang that brought off the 1st Orcas Island Film Festival 2014!

After the stunning success of the first Orcas Island Film Festival (OIFF), organizer Jared Lovejoy said at a Chamber of Commerce meeting earlier this summer, “It’s from a little island, but it’s a big international film festival.”

This year’s festival will be October 9-12, the last three-day holiday weekend of the year. Lovejoy and other OIFF organizers Donna Laslo and Amanda Sparks are now working to obtain sponsors for the Festival.

Lovejoy attributed the success of last year’s festival to three main factors:

1) the volunteers, who partied famously at the end of festival celebration at Random Howse last year. “It was a lot of work to get people together and everybody had great fun,” said Lovejoy;

2) donation of local venues — the Sea View Theatre, Orcas Center, and Random Howse;

3) the contributions of Carl Spence, Artistic Director for the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) and part-time island resident, who was able to draw films from other film festivals around the world.

The long-term goal of Orcas Island Film Festival, a non-profit, is to grow the festival to the island’s capacity.  “With the space to grow (such ast the Odd Fellows Hall and the Community Church, who have both expressed an interest), we could get 2,500 people here for the festival weekend,” says Lovejoy. “Statistics show that $100,000- $150,000 would be paid to the local economy over a weekend.

“Economically, it  can be a game changer for Orcas Island.” Lovejoy compared it to the Telluride Festival, which brought people to a remote area where they returned annually once they’d seen its natural charms.

Laslo said, “We’re on the ‘golden corridor’ north to Bellingham and Vancouver and south to Seattle and Portland. Plus, it’s unusual for a small community to have several venues, such as the Sea View Theatre, Orcas Center and Random Howse.”

In 2014, it cost $37,000 to produce the festival, with expenses lowered by a grant from the San Juan County Lodging Tax Association c grant of $9,000, and the cost-free donations of venues and projection equipment. The organizers realized about $2,500 in profit, “and it’s unheard of to make any profit the first year,” said Lovejoy.

This year the cost to produce the festival is estimated at $58,000. Organizers are trying to minimize expenses, yet local support is critical to the film festival’s success. Festival organizer Donna Laslo says, “We can’t do it without support right now. We need more funding to cover basic costs so money from ticket sales can go towards next year’s Orcas Island Film Festival.” Early money also buys time to lock in arrangements before this year’s films, directors and other visitors to the film festival are already booked.

Festival organizers are asking the local business community “to consider ways the festival might work for you; to be mutually beneficial.”

The goal is for Orcas businesses and organizations make a commitments to sponsor by August 14. Payment in full is needed by Sept. 15 “to make it easier for everyone,” Lovejoy says.

Fund raising benefits include Tiers 1, 2, 3;

  • Tier 1 Partner at the $2,000 or above level, includes show and gala passes, and promotion of your company name and logo
  • Tier 2 Supporter at the $500 level , includes show and gala passes and VIP gift bags
  • Tier 3 Friend at the $300 level includes show passes,and company promotion

This year, Amanda Sparks is again lining up sponsors and her contact address is amanda@orcasfilmfest.com

Jeanne Beck of OOA is coordinating volunteers. She can be reached at jbeck@orcasfilmfest.com

Lovejoy says, “The whole point is to generate a sustainable economy with specialized tourism emphasizing agriculture, well-being and the arts. These kinds of events typically have a low impact on the community and maintains the pristine and beautiful character of the island.

“It shows how tourism can be a beneficial driver to local economy — support artists, work with the lodging and hospitality sector, and maintain year-round arts programs.”

Lovejoy sees local participation with the OIFF as a way to build culture within the community.  “People can help most by spreading the word on their personal and business websites, inviting friends to stay at their home to help the island grow the festival without stressing lodging accommodations,” he said. “Anything helps including, — especially — ideas.

“We do really want to do whatever ideas people can cook up,” said Lovejoy. “This is a way to build culture within a community.”

For more information, go to orcasfilmfest.com

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