A Filmmaker's Journey

Cleveland's distance from the movie meccas of Hollywood and New York City isn't stopping one area writer/director from his grassroots attempt to find local funding and build a buzz around his first feature-length film, "Ivan's Journey."

"This is definitely a Northeast Ohio project," says writer/director Matthew Gregor. "Cleveland is the optimal place for me to have my base of operations. It's quiet, there are no distractions, and the infrastructure is absolutely amazing and just ready to support the film industry."

Originally from Holland, near Toledo, Gregor spent his life writing, acting and directing both for the stage and on smaller film projects. The full-length "Ivan's Journey" borrows from many popular genres, blending horror with psychological drama. Gregor set out on his own mission to court local investors.

Along with a small circle of backers, Gregor set up a limited liability corporation and launched a comprehensive Web site (www.ivansjourney.com), where potential investors can go over the film's detailed business plan, read the screenplay and keep up to date on the film's progress. It's a Web-based approach to keep investors new to film comfortable with the enterprise.

"Film is a risky investment, but there are a lot of risky investments," says Carmella Calta, founder and CEO of Staffing Solutions Enterprises and the project's corporate consultant. "Clevelanders are used to investing in property and businesses and stocks, so it's different from what they're used to."

Gregor hopes his approach will show potential backers that his project is creative, but also fiscally responsible. "Every piece I create has an eye toward being crafted to be successful artistically and financially," Gregor says. "A lot of artists don't invest a lot of time in learning how to write a business plan their investors are going to understand, and I think that's an irresponsible attitude to have."

Buzz is building around the project, and the funding goal of just under $1 million will hopefully be met by early next year.