Steven Feinberg |
R.I. Film & Television Office executive director
For my entire career as a creative filmmaker, along with 21 years as executive director of the R.I. Film & Television Office, I have learned about the power of collaboration. On a movie set, a writer and director often spark a vision, and then those ideas are shared with like-minded professionals who can bring their expertise and talent to the table.
When the chemistry is right and the team is rowing together, the potential is maximized – and that’s when the magic happens.
We have secured approximately $900 million worth of Rhode Island film and television production during my tenure. That only occurs with the tremendous support of the executive and legislative branches, along with many collaborators in both the public and private sectors. This includes financiers, union crew, craftspeople, small businesses, hotels, police and fire departments, universities, etc.
The positive impacts are wide-ranging, both directly during production by providing jobs, rentals and purchases, and then indirectly, when the shows are distributed across the globe in perpetuity.
An Emmy-award winning series such as HBO’s “The Gilded Age” is merely one example of this success. More partnerships grow as our tourist destinations, tourism bureaus and media thrive. A recent study by the R.I. Commerce Corp. stated that the tourism impact generated last year accounted for $8 billion. Film and television “set jetting” tourism is certainly one of the forces behind it.
Collaboration is the engine. Make friends. Dream together and do it.