HOLLYWOOD EAST

Maybe it is the snow day and consequently the amount of free time I had on my hands today, but here are some ideas I want to bounce off of you.

This week I found the door swinging much wider open in Stamford.  They have properties there and the incentive to grow that area.  A commercial realtor has found me a nice place and says there are more old warehouses, etc. that are privately owned and, given the economy, need to move.  Buying or leasing a place is a cost to consider, as well as renovating it.  When she asked me what would be needed, i.e. ceiling height, parking, handicapped, I realized this could all really happen now!

Then I met with Lisa Durkee (producer, entrepreneur and all around cool person). Her son studies voice with me. J  She explained that Stamford is being called “Hollywood East”.  I asked if she made that up because I had never heard that.  But apparently Maury Povich, and other TV/film related things are starting to be shot there, as well as indie film projects, commercials and studios that are springing up.  It makes sense, as it is just 45 minutes from NYC and on the Metronorth train line and next door to Greenwich.

Think about this.  What if we linked arms with the film folks who already have a foothold there?  Bringing in talent that is theatrically trained to add to the pool of growing film folks would be a good thing.  That is why so many companies go to NYC as the pool of talent is larger there.  So… if a city like Stamford is trying rejuvenate their downtown.  If there are privately owned spaces that are good deals in those areas, certainly there must be city-owned properties. And if the city has an interest in improving and becoming something cool, why not build off of the “Hollywood East” idea by joining forces with the budding film folks there?  Why not propose ideas that tie in the local restaurants and businesses that are already in my marketing plan? Why not use all the social media/marketing at my disposal in my plan to push both the theatre folks and the film folks ahead together and in doing so, build a real “Hollywood East”?

Why not have Lisa and I put together a whole web show that is called “Hollywood East” and highlight all that is happening there? Behind the scenes. Not a slick reported show, but the real stuff.  The growth happening.  Feature it on our website. 

Then I thought, the White House has a press corp.  Why can’t we create our own press corps for that area and our “Hollywood East”?  I know enough newspaper reporters and normal media folks.  But more importantly, I can help create bloggers and a ‘press corp’ in that area. Know how?  Colleges.  They are the best at using the Internet to spread ideas right?   So since I just happen to teach at two colleges, I certainly have enough clout to walk into the local colleges and talk to the heads of their marketing/pr departments to propose ideas that would benefit the students, the colleges, and our “Hollywood East” press corp ideas. They actually used something like that as a project to help Habitat for Humanity fund raise at Western Ct State University. I am just taking it a bit further as a ‘project’.  I can offer internships, talks with producers, real experience in their majors as incentives. How easy is that and what a no-brainer for all?  Good PR for the colleges too. Working together we could turn this into a real PR coup for the area.

You know what else? Why wouldn’t it be ok to call us, “The UBS New Paradigm Theatre” if that local big business wanted to be our sponsor to help renovate the place?  What big and small businesses wouldn’t want to be a sponsor if they were advertised on our show and in our huge internet/social media marketing (which keeps garnering me those raised eyebrows).  And the best thing about utilizing the Internet the way it’s supposed to be used (read: NOT like an online newspaper, but a space to share and be intrinsically involved with others) is that it is by and large….free. 

I would love your feedback on the blog and even more, would love you to share this blog with others. I want to walk into those business and be able to say “We have a following of 300 folks already on our blog, don’t you think we can find our audience?”. 

I am sure of it. 

Side note:  here is the link from wickapedia about Hollywood East:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_East