Gregg Schwenk hangs up the phone. “Hansen’s,” he said.
The Corona-based drink company just signed on as a sponsor of the Newport Beach Film Festival.
“They heard about us,” said Schwenk, founder of the festival in its eighth year and under way at various theaters in Newport Beach through Sunday.
Sure, film festivals are all about artsy, independent movies. But signing sponsors is the real part of running a film festival, Schwenk said. They’re the financial backers, providing cash and donated services, such as theaters and food.
The festival’s budget is $300,000 to $400,000 in cash and about $2 million in donations.
Schwenk’s pitch: “We are a unique opportunity.” Sponsors reach a “high-end, well educated, inquisitive audience that likes to be exposed to fine things,” he said.
Starbucks Corp. sets up mini coffeehouses. Absolut is promoting its pear-flavored vodka. Filmmakers and stars arrive in Jaguars. Restaurants Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Bar, Aire Global Cuisine, Roy’s Newport Beach and Wahoo’s Fish Taco, host parties. Fashion Island hosts the opening night’s red carpet gala.
Sports agent Leigh Steinberg, credited as the inspiration for the movie “Jerry Maguire” and one of the founding sponsors, likes to mingle and dine with directors and actors. Last year, his daughter, a fan of the movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” got one of the original golden tickets from the movie. “My kids met McG,” Steinberg said.
That would be Joseph McGinty Nichol, producer of “The O.C.” and the “Charlie’s Angels” movies.
“It’s glamorous and fun,” Steinberg said.
Some of the celebrities who have turned up at past festivals include Newport native Will Ferrell, Alan Arkin and “Crash” director Paul Haggis.
This year, Hayden Panettiere, who plays Claire Bennet on TV’s “Heroes,” is expected to show for the movie she stars in, “Shanghai Kiss.” Others expected include Chad Lowe, whose movie, “Beautiful Ohio,” opened the festival last Thursday.
Steinberg, who helped launch the festival eight years ago with a $50,000 or so donation, has another interest: He’s always looking for films to fund. His bent is sports.
Irvine’s ChopShop Entertainment Inc., which does editing work for action sports companies, has sponsored the festival for four years. Each year at this time, it puts in about 50 hours, said Ken Anderson, vice president.
The company does it to support the industry and for branding, he said.
“Every time you go to a screening you’re going to see ChopShop on the screen,” Anderson said. “For us it’s been worthwhile.”
The festival employs about 30 people. Few are paid. The staff swells to about 400 around festival time, Schwenk said. Most of the workers are volunteers who love movies.
“They come year after year,” he said.
The festival is a year-round job for Schwenk. He calls it his “night job.” Plans for 2008 are already in the works, he said.
Schwenk teaches film studies part time at California State University, Fullerton, and is developing a film marketing program there. He enlists his film students to work at the festival. Chapman University and Orange Coast Community College also get into the act.
Schwenk never has made a film. He’s not what you would call a film buff. He didn’t even start teaching until after he started the festival. His thrill is the business side, using his background in mergers and acquisitions from investment bank RSM EquiCo Inc. in Costa Mesa, part of H & R; Block Inc.He also has a business consulting practice.
Schwenk has history in Newport Beach, which is partly why he started the festival there. He was raised in Newport and attended Newport Harbor High.
“Newport Beach is close enough to Hollywood but far enough away where you feel like you’re somewhere special,” he said.
Schwenk made his move to start his own festival on the heels of a failed Newport Beach film festival. He went to the city, the chamber and the visitors bureau and pitched his idea. Schwenk already had served on the city’s economic development committee, so many knew him.
Newport Beach is one of the largest sponsors, contributing $75,000 to last year’s festival and $85,000 this year. An extra $10,000 was added to this year’s budget to help promote the city’s John Wayne Centennial Celebration. The festival is showing several of Wayne’s films.
The first year of the festival, fewer than 10 people showed up, he said.
“We had two screens,not even theaters,” he said. Now, “We’re into our second five-year business plan.”
Janice Arrington, the county’s film commissioner, said the festival helps her get access to filmmakers. “Rush Hour 3” and “Iron Man” recently shot scenes here, she said. More than $500 million is spent annually in OC on film production, Arrington said.
The festival, one of hundreds across the country, made its mark two years ago with the U.S. premier of “Crash,” which went on to win an Academy Award. The festival’s film scouts saw “Crash” at the Toronto International Film Festival, Schwenk said.
Last year, 36,500 people attended the festival. Attendance has grown 17% to 22% each year, according to Schwenk.
The call for film entries goes out in the summer. Submissions ramp up in the fall. By December, they’re pouring in. This year the festival will show about 400 films from all over the world. It’s one of the strongest Latin and Asian film lineups the festival has ever had, he said.
The festival also is big on action sports flicks, given OC’s surfing and skateboarding roots. This year features the largest selection of films with an OC connection.
“Chasing the Dream” is about eight Huntington Beach High School kids trying to become professional surfers.
The festival is no Sundance. Studio heads don’t come to shop for movies. Steinberg thinks that will come.
“It’s much easier to drive to Newport Beach,” he said.
