HomeMy WebLinkAbout23 - Newport Beach Film FestivalCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
3300 NEWPORT BOULEVARD
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
(714) 644 -3200; FAX (714) 644 -3250
Hearing Date:
Agenda Item
No.:
Staff Person:
REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: Request for Assistance from Newport Beach Film Festival
December 13, 1999
23
Sharon Z. Wood
(949) 644 -3222
SUGGESTED
ACTION: Endorse the Newport Beach Film Festival, and allocate $7,000 from
Economic Development capital account for start -up costs.
The newly organized Newport Beach Film Festival has submitted the attached request for an
endorsement and financial assistance from the City. The assistance request is for $7,000 to
$10,000 for start-up costs, such as supplies and marketing materials, and up to $40,000 for
theater costs in order to keep all the screening venues in Newport Beach.
Staff had discussed the possibility of City assistance with the former Newport Beach
International Film Festival. That organization never provided the information staff felt was
necessary to justify a significant amount of assistance. Therefore, the only assistance approved
by the City Council was a Cultural Arts Grant of $3,000 in 1998.
The new organization has provided an "optimal" budget, and has worked with Edwards Theater
Corporation to determine the cost of scheduling all screenings at Newport Beach theaters. The
board of directors includes many people from the Newport Beach community, including the
Executive Director of the Conference and Visitors Bureau; and staff from the City's Economic
Development Division has advised the Festival organizers regarding benefits the City would like
to realize from the Festival.
The "optimal" budget attached to the letter of request reflects the sponsorships and in -kind
services the Festival hopes to receive when it is established. With those assumptions, the
Festival would not be operating at a loss. However, this level of contribution is not expected to
materialize in the first year or two, and the Festival needs help to get established. They are
asking the City to provide start-up assistance immediately, and to consider additional assistance
with theater costs after the Festival has met goals on which both parties agree, such as receiving a
certain level of sponsorships or in -kind services.
Staff of the City and the Conference and Visitors Bureau believe that the Film Festival is an
event that can benefit Newport Beach, both culturally and economically. The Economic
Development Committee discussed the Festival at their meeting of October 27, 1999, and voted
to support it because of its economic benefits to the City. The previous festival attracted 15,000
to 25,000 patrons for the four years of its operation. With improved organization and all the
screenings in Newport Beach, the potential for hotel stays and restaurant patronage will increase,
providing more revenue to the City at a time of year that is off season for these businesses.
It is not unusual for cities to support this type of cultural event because of the attendant benefits
to the city. For example, the Cities of Palm Springs, Santa Barbara and San Francisco assist film
festivals with amounts ranging from $30,000 to $150,000 annually.
The Economic Development capital budget account has $55,000 remaining. Staff recommends
that the City Council allocate $7,000 for Film Festival start-up costs from this account. When
the Festival has received sponsorships and assistance from other sources, and can demonstrate
that all screenings will be in Newport Beach, staff suggests that the City Council consider
assisting the Festival with theater costs for the 2000 event.
SHARON Z. WOOD
Assista t ity Manager
Page 2
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4540 Campus Drive
Suite 100
Newport Beach
California
92660
November 26, 1999
Members of the City Council
City of Newport Beach
P.O. Box 1768
Newport Beach, CA 92658 -8915
Dear Members of the City Council
phone
949.253.2880
fax
949.253.2881
www
newportbeachfi I mfest. com
I am writing to request your support for the upcoming Newport Beach Film Festival. This years
festival will take place between March 3e and April e, 2000. In contrast to previous years, the
festival board and organization is seeking to hold 100% of the screenings and seminars in Newport
. Beach. After preliminary discussions with the Edwards Theater Corporation, we are tentatively
scheduling the opening night screening at the Big Newport, and all subsequent film screenings at
the Island Theaters.
Initial cost projections for all screenings is between $38,000 - $40,000. Further, our organization is
in need of seed /start-up funds. These funds will be targeted to such necessary items as letterhead,
marketing materials, as well as phone, call for entries information and other infrastructure related
line items.
We are seeking not only your endorsement of this event, but also a financial commitment to our
efforts. Initially we are requesting $7,000 - $10,000 for start-up costs. Additionally we would
request the City of Newport Beach to support the screening costs for the year 2000 festival, not
exceeding $40,000. The funding for the screenings would only be allocated after certain mutually
agreed upon goals have been met.
Your investment at this critical time will yield great returns, not only for festival, but for the city as a
whole. Included is a preliminary budget, and a list of our board members and advisors. I look
forward to the opportunity to share with you the overall vision of the festival, and what it means for
our community.
Sincerely,
,Sri.
Gregg M. wenk
Executive Director
• Newport Beach Film Festival
RIUV -09 -1999 05:30 Pf9 P.02
2000 OPTIMAL BUDGET 0
INCOME
SPONSORSHIPS CASH
200,000
IN -KIND
565,000
ADVERTISING
50,000
TICKET SALES
70,000
MERCHANDISE
10,000
APPLICATION FEES
6.000
TOTAL
901,000
rvr�r• rrr
INCLUDED
GENERAL & ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICE RENT
25,000
PHONE
INCLUDED
POSTAGE
INCLUDED
SUPPLIES
3,000
ENTERTAINMENT
8,000
MANAGING DIRECTOR
30,000
LEGAL & ACCOUNTING
3,000
SUBTOTAL
69,000
MARKETING
AGENCY EXPENSES
186,000
CASH.!IN -KIND
ADVERTISING
TV
25,000
IN -KIND
OUTDOOR
250,000
IN -KIND
RADIO 1
15,000
IN-KIND
RADIO 2
15,000
IN -KIND
RADIO 3
15,000
IN -KIND
PRINT 1
75,000
IN -KIND
PRINT 2
10,000
IN -KIND
PRINT 3
10,000
IN -KIND
FILM OUTPUT
4,500
TRAILER DUPLICATION
5,000
CLIPPING SERVICE
600
LIGHTPOST BANNERS
11,000
PROGRAM PRINTING
20,000
POSTER PRINTING
3,000
PHOTOGRAPHY
2.000
VIDEOGRAPHY
3�OQ
SUBTOTAL
650,100
.
140V -09- 1999 05:31 PM
•
EVENT OPERATIONS
THEATER RENTAL
30,000
ABBY RENTALS
20,000 IN -KIND
HOTEL - MARRIOTT
25,000 IN -KIND
SEARCHLIGHTS
1,500
VIP HOSTING
2,500
LIMOUSINE
2,500
FILM SHIPPING
3,000
STAGE & LIGHTING
5,000
AUDIO /VISUAL
2,Q0Q
SUBTOTAL
91,500
TOTAL
810,600
INCOME 901,000
EXPENSES 810,600
TOTAL $902400
PLEASE NOTE: EXPENSES INCLUDING OFFICE SPACE,
PRINTING, & SHIPPING MAY BE REDUCED OR GIVEN IN -KIND.
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