media kit - Art of Brooklyn Film Festival

MEDIA KIT
THE FIFTH ANNUAL
ART OF BROOKLYN FILM FESTIVAL
MAY 13-17, 2015
theartofbrooklyn.org
aobff.org
WHAT IS THE ART OF BROOKLYN FILM FESTIVAL?
AoBFF is the only independent, international film festival for, by and
about the vibrant Brooklyn indie film community — a local scene with
far-ranging influence.
Brooklyn is a creative stimulus and home base for a growing set of
international filmmakers. We celebrate the borough in all its diversity and
our circle of filmmakers and guests extends to all its neighborhoods and
around the world. Every film we program has a connection to Brooklyn.
We’ve screened a documentary by an Italian filmmaker about a Hassidic
Brooklyn rapper, an Australian horror film by a Brooklyn-born filmmaker,
Japanese and Canadian films that were shot in Brooklyn, and a Turkish film
directly inspired by Brooklyn’s diversity — in addition to scores of films by
Brooklyn-based filmmakers across genres.
> F ounded in 2011, AoBFF is the only film
festival in the world that’s all about Brooklyn.
> Every film we program has a connection
to Brooklyn.
> Created by working artists to serve the
whole borough, not just select north
Brooklyn neighborhoods
> Celebrating the diverse voices of the
Brooklyn creative community
We embrace every neighborhood and community in the borough.
And beyond. That’s what we mean when we say we are:
Brooklyn-Born, Brooklyn-Based and Brooklyn-centric.
“I love what AoBFF is doing. Their mission to focus on Brooklyn films and filmmakers
speaks to me because I was born and raised here and it influenced who I am as an
artist. Hollywood has always had a love affair with Brooklyn, which now has a festival
worthy of its incredibly diverse film scene.”
AoBFF Judge, actor and lifelong Brooklynite ANNABELLA SCIORRA (The Sopranos, Jungle Fever)
WHY BROOKLYN?
Brooklyn is the site of the first great cultural movement of the 21st
century. Rising real estate prices in Manhattan have driven the young,
creative class to Brooklyn, creating a renaissance in food, the arts, handmade and crafted goods, and independent film.
But Brooklyn did not have a major film festival of its own until AoBFF.
Founded and run by Brooklyn-born and based working artists, AoBFF is
the first large-scale, borough-wide platform for independent film.
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City’s boroughs, with about 2.6
million residents. We host the world-renowned Brooklyn Academy of Music,
the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the second largest public art collection in
the United States, housed in the Brooklyn Museum. But our independent
film scene has mostly been confined to small screening series and niche
festivals that are attached to individual neighborhoods. Until now.
> Brooklyn is now a world-famous center for
art and culture.
> Brooklyn’s indie film represents the best
of New York City’s unique global/local
personality.
> The “New Brooklyn” scene only touches a
few neighborhoods, but AoBFF reaches out
to the entire borough.
> Our mission is unique. We’re not just located
in the borough; we are for, by and about the
Brooklyn independent film scene.
AoBFF is the only independent international film festival devoted entirely
to the Brooklyn independent film scene. In order to submit filmmakers
have to explain how their films are connected to Brooklyn. No one else
does that.
“Brooklyn is long overdue for a major film festival. I heard about the AoBFF in
Los Angeles from (producer) Dustin Williams and asked to be a judge.
These guys are smart and well-connected, and I’m excited about this festival
— it could be Brooklyn’s Tribeca.”
AoBFF Judge, Film Director ELLIOT LESTER (Blitz, Love Is The Drug, Nightingale)
WHO IS OUR AUDIENCE?
We designed AoBFF as a new kind of independent film festival that speaks
to Brooklyn as a whole, where many demographics overlap. AoBFF brings the
new, young, artist-and-makers Brooklyn community together with Brooklynites
from neighborhoods traditionally underserved by film festivals.
Our inclusive approach has paid off, garnering us a broad audience base.
In 2012 AoBFF welcomed attendees from every single zip code in Brooklyn.
Then we doubled attendance with a record 2,000 guests for our 2013 festival. In 2014 we expanded into ethnically diverse Bay Ridge for the first time,
and our packed houses were delighted that an indie film festival came to the
south Brooklyn neighborhood. Our audience is as eclectic as the films we
screen but they are generally between 21 and 45 and our gender breakdown
is roughly 50/50.
Our guests all love independent film and Brooklyn. They seek out and
follow what we do, and take notice of businesses that support us.
> Our typical guests are 21-45, evenly split
between men and women.
>E
thnically diverse young professionals,
born-and-raised Brooklynites & transplants.
>2
012: Attendees from every zip code in
Brooklyn, plus DC, Florida, California and
as far away as Turkey.
>2
013: Ticket sales double to 2,000 guests.
>2
014: Our most films, screenings and
Brooklyn neighborhoods to date.
SOCIAL MEDIA REACH:
Through social media, we stay connected to thousands of friends, fans and
filmmakers who have opted in by purchasing tickets, submitting films,
following us etc. Our social media reach across multiple platforms is
approximately 10,000.
“I have always loved Brooklyn... These surroundings deserve to be celebrated
with a festival possessing the Art of Brooklyn’s vision: to be a major industry event
that gets everyone excited about the things we already know. The whole idea of
bringing New and Classic Brooklyn together. Nobody else is doing that, until NOW.”
AoBFF Judge, actor and frequent B’klyn resident ERIC MABIUS (Signed Sealed Delivered, Ugly Betty)
THE AoBFF TEAM
JOSEPH SHAHADI – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Joseph Shahadi has had a long nonprofit career, notably at the W.T. Grant Foundation,
The Green Circle Program and the World Game Institute. Most recently he was Festival
Coordinator for the DUMBO Dance Festival, where he curated and produced its first ever
site-specific works, staged along the Brooklyn waterfront. Joseph also served on the
DUMBO Dance Festival Board of Directors. He earned a Ph.D. in Performance Studies
from New York University where he was awarded the Corrigan Doctoral Fellowship and
the Performance Studies Award. Joseph is also a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist, director and dramaturg. His work appears in several private collections and has been
exhibited in New York, regionally in the United States and internationally in Europe.
Contact Joseph at [email protected]
JASON CUSATO – FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Jason Cusato is a native of Brooklyn, which is a major influence on his work as an
From Left: Jason Cusato, Anthony DeVito and Joseph Shahadi.
award-winning independent filmmaker. His film “When Broomsticks Were King” won the
Photo courtesy Jason Speakman/ The Brooklyn Paper
Independent Features Film Festival Buzz Award and Rochester International Film Festival’s
Shoe String Award. His latest feature, “Apostles of Park Slope”, won Best Comedy Feature at the 2010 Manhattan Film Festival and Outstanding
Feature at the 2010 Atlantic City International Film Festival. Jason brings his skills in producing and community fundraising as well as his love of
independent film to The Art of Brooklyn, where he is excited to be an ambassador for Brooklyn filmmakers. He has received attention for his work
from NY1, The New York Daily News, Huffington Post and News 12 Brooklyn. Contact Jason at [email protected]
ANTHONY DEVITO – DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Anthony DeVito has over 20 years experience in the world of advertising and marketing as an art director, copywriter and creative director, working
on ads and campaigns for television, print, interactive and social media. He is also a SAG-AFTRA actor and comedian and a native Brooklynite.
He writes comedy for TV, stage, film and the web. Acting credits include HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Rescue Me with Denis Leary on F/X, NBC’s
Late Night With Conan O’Brien, Best Week Ever with Paul F. Tompkins, independent films Apostles of Park Slope and A Box Came To Brooklyn and
national commercials. Contact Anthony at [email protected]
MONICA PRESTIA – MANAGER, CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and raised in Brooklyn, Monica has over 20 years experience in advertising and marketing in television, print, interactive and social media. After a successful advertising sales career at global multi-media companies like News Corp., WXRK-FM Howard Stern,
and Bloomberg L.P., Monica launched her fashion eCommerce, StefaniBags.com and pioneered one of first specialty e.Boutiques in contemporary
handbags and accessories. Her company was voted “a must-click style site” by People StyleWatch and was published in Vogue, Lucky, Nylon, Instyle,
Women’s Wear Daily, Self, and more. As an entrepreneur, her well-edited company focused on independent, emerging contemporary designers.
Her love and passion for culture, the arts and all things Brooklyn drive her instinct and spirit. Contact Monica at [email protected]
OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS
“I couldn’t be happier with the professionalism and quality of AoBFF. Everyone involved did an incredible
job programming and presenting the films. Brooklyn has always been my favorite borough… and not just
because my mom lives in Bay Ridge. As AoBFF continues to grow I hope the filmmaking community will
give the borough even more attention than it’s received already.”
Actor and AoBFF Award Winner JOEL JOHNSTONE (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good,
Very Bad Day, The Newsroom, Getting On)
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
Named #1 of A.R.T.S.Y. Magazine’s Top 7 Film Festivals
“The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival is an indie gem that
showcases the best of the borough…
In three years, the festival has become a
hub for the area’s indie film scene.”
“Seems like every neighborhood in North Brooklyn these days
has its own localized film festival that may or may not feature
locally focused content. In contrast, [AoBFF] is a platform for
Brooklyn-centric independent film…
a film festival for Brooklyn, by Brooklyn
and about Brooklyn.”
“[AoBFF) envisions carving out a large swath of the borough that
is currently underserved by cultural institutions and essentially
untouched by the new trend-setting
Brooklyn... Who will make these good
films for the AoBFF audience?
Brooklyn filmmakers, of course.”
“Seeking to promote Kings County’s cinematic
indie cred... this showcase features independent filmmakers — both first-timers and
Hollywood vets — who have lived and worked
in the borough.”
“The Brooklyn movie scene is certainly no small potato... But like
many arts events in the borough, film festivals often hover over
select neighborhoods and communities, giving filmgoers only the
smallest taste of how diverse and varied Brooklyn truly is. The
Art of Brooklyn Film Festival
aims to change all that.”
Also seen in:
OTHER PROPERTIES
BROOKLYN ON DEMAND
BrooklynOnDemand.com
“Like Netflix for Brooklyn”
Brooklyn On Demand (BKOD) is the only Video On Demand channel
dedicated to the Brooklyn independent film scene. BKOD is a new
pay-per-view platform designed to help Brooklyn-centric filmmakers
present their work to a worldwide audience.
BKOD showcases films that have emerged from the Brooklyn
independent film scene. Presented and curated by the Art of Brooklyn
Film Festival, BKOD is devoted exclusively to Brooklyn-born, Brooklynbased and Brooklyn-centric films and filmmakers — from all over the
world. BKOD launched on September 8, 2014 and has been immediately successful, garnering national and local print and TV media.
THE ART OF BROOKLYN WEBSITE TheArtOfBrooklyn.org
Our official website is re-launching this year as a hub for Brooklyncentric culture news: film, art, photography, food, television, comedy,
fashion, dance, and more.
We are creating our own branded content — articles, interviews, and video as well as aggregating
Brooklyn-centric content from other media sources. Our goal is to make our site a destination for fans
looking for news they won’t see on every other culture/lifestyle site.
“Brooklyn, the home of hipsters and carefully crafted artisanal
food, is now home to a small batch of carefully curated indie
films. Brooklyn on Demand is the only pay-per-view hub...
entirely dedicated to indie films made in the borough.”