A CHAMPION FOR INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS
Eric Vollweiler Brings Diversity and Unity to Film Festivals and Entertainment Events
Eric Vollweiler is a champion for independent filmmakers. He has produced and promoted many independent film festivals and events over the years, Independent Filmmaker Day in particular. With over 830,000 members, Independent Filmmaker Day is a community that helps independent creators from around the world develop new projects, connect within the industry, and champion collaborative and impactful storytelling at all stages.
It is a community of directors, producers, actors, and film buffs. The event hosts day-long events held alongside premier film festivals~ such as Cannes, Sundance, and TIFF~ that foster the development, production, and promotion of projects in film, media, and beyond.
Rubenstein Business Law and Artists United presented Independent Filmmaker Day during the Sundance Film Festival in 2020, which was produced by Eric Vollweiler.
Notable attendees included Kym Jackson (American Crime Story, NCIS, This Is Us) and Angela Northington, who most recently served as senior vice president, content acquisitions and programming, for Urban Movie Channel.
Eric is no stranger to producing events during Sundance. He has produced the Indieslate Magazines Sundance Film Festival Event, which took place at the Spotted Frog Book Store back in 2006. Eric was also the producer for the 8th Annual Latino Filmmaker Network events during the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
What would you like our readers to know about you and the work that you do?
The focus of my work is to create film festivals and entertainment events by producing and marketing them. I love working on all genres through diversity and unity. The focus for me when I’m working on a film festival is to celebrate and honor the independent filmmakers and actors. No matter if the festival is online or in-person, it provides a platform where his or her work has been chosen to be screened in front of an audience. The benefits of going the film festival route to me is not just winning awards or getting distribution, depending on the film festival, but understanding what marketing and public relations do to fill the seats of the film screening.
What have been some of the proudest moments of your career so far?
I learned early on that education and knowledge in the industry I wanted to be involved in was the only way I would climb the ladder. So I did nine internships and volunteer work in public relations and marketing on Broadway and Equity Theater. I was involved with extras casting for motion pictures, TV, commercials, industrials, and voiceover work, and also interned in the casting department at a major studio where I was involved with A- and B- list actors and learned how the Hollywood industry worked from the studio point of view. Then, I finally understood the demographics and the two types of audiences that create a film festival.
What are some of your latest projects and what are you currently working on?
Presently, I am working on my third year of the Woods Hole Film Festival based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, my third year of the Hip Hop Film Festival in New York City, and my first year of the I See You Awards in Detroit, Michigan. I am also working on my second film event in Brooklyn, New York, which is the Dumbo Film Festival and it’s my second year working on the Lake Placid Film Festival in Lake Placid, in the Adirondacks in upstate New York.
For anyone who aspires to follow your career path, what are the most important aspects to consider?
The most important thing I learned from a young age was that knowing what direction or path in the film or TV industry you want to go is your first step. Educating oneself as much as possible is necessary, no matter if that means going to a community college, a private college, or any program that offers the study of one’s craft. Don’t give up and always be persistent going after your craft. Also, research and find your mentor in the area where you live or plan to move to. Never ask for a job when starting, always ask for an informational meeting. This is with respect to the visionaries and successful ones in the industry that have worked many years to accomplish their own crafts. I will also say that understanding public relations and marketing, no matter what art form you are involved with, will help you get discovered.
What impact do you want to make in others' lives through your business?
One of the best quotes I received from producing my first event in Hollywood came from a casting director by the name of Mali Finn. She said, In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus says to Scout, “You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them”. The best training for young children is to give them this opportunity by creating characters in theater programs where children are acting for the sheer joy of it, not for money or fame. This experience not only creates better actors but better human beings.
How can our readers keep up to date with all the things you have going on?
Visit www.evshowbizproductions.com.
Learn more about Eric, Founder of Vollweiler Agency, at https://www.vollweileragency.com/
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