The need for video is growing.

YouTube just passed Facebook as the largest social media site (according to Reel SEO). People are spending more time watching video on smart phones, tablets, and computers than ever before. Marketers know that video is key to improved engagement, brand awareness, and increased conversions.

Check out some of these stats:

What’s also growing? The Triangle area in North Carolina.

Cities in the Triangle continue to make the top 10 places to live, find jobs, fall in love, and raise kids. It’s one of America’s 20 Fastest Growing areas according to Forbes. Everywhere we look, new buildings are going up to accommodate the growth.

2013 TriFilm / filmSPARK social

2013 TriFilm / filmSPARK social

The film community is growing rapidly here, too.

I’ve heard from plenty of people moving here from colder, more crowded parts of the world. They like the warmer climate, cost of living, and collaborative atmosphere. They feel like it’s a great place to make their film dreams come true. (Who can blame them? That’s why I stayed here.)

Do you see what I see?

A group of people who need video? And a group of people who can make videos? You know what means for our area… Plenty of opportunity. Right here at home.

We have a lot of talent in this area and I feel really grateful for it. Michael Garske and Aaron Bittikofer on the set of Brewconomy in Pittsboro, N.C., on Saturday, June 7, 2014.

We have a lot of talent in this area and I feel really grateful for it. Michael Garske and Aaron Bittikofer on the set of Brewconomy in Pittsboro, N.C., on Saturday, June 7, 2014.

We have a need for video and people willing to pay for it. Plus a growing community of people with the right talents, skills, and expertise to help create videos. It’s a win-win.

There are awesome groups of film (and TV) professionals doing incredible work. There are online forums, monthly meetups, and TriFilm socials (as often as I can organize them). There’s a thriving community of filmmakers creating corporate videos, web series, fiction films, documentaries, and more. There are also huge productions coming to town.

I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I start to think of all the great things happening here, the awesome people I’ve worked with, and the talent here. We’re incredibly lucky.

Y’all are doing such awesome stuff!

There’s just one small problem.

Our film community – although strong – can be tough to find.

But there’s not ONE, easily-identifiable spot online to find us. And that can be troubling. It misrepresents the incredible stuff that’s happening here.

The people who need videos made want to find the video makers easily. The filmmakers moving here want to find fellow industry pros easily. The legislators in charge of incentives that bring big budget productions here can’t reach us easily. People who want to bring workshops and conferences for filmmakers to this area can’t find us easily.

There's a thriving film industry here but it can be tough to find easily. Here's a photo from the TriFilm at Trailblazer Studios social on 3.21.2013, one of the ways I try to help unite our film community.

There’s a thriving film industry here but it can be tough to find easily. Here’s a photo from the TriFilm at Trailblazer Studios social on 3.21.2013, one of the ways I try to help unite our film community.

So. What to do?

I believe there’s a clear answer: create a film society for the Triangle. 

What if we had:

  • A consistent way to screen our work locally on a regular basis?
  • A way to connect with people willing to pay for our talents?
  • A unified voice to keep the film industry in NC thriving?
  • A way to find resources (like grants) to do our best work?
  • A means to collaborate easily with industry professionals?
  • A way to continue learning and improving our craft?
  • A unified group of filmmakers, easily found online?

Wouldn’t it be great to have a film society? A place where we can gather regularly to talk shop? A way to get leads on new business easily? Something that’ll help all of us thrive?

A film society would serve you, the filmmaker, so that you can thrive. It would be built around your needs, feedback, and requests. It would help you stay connected and informed.

It would be a professional organization, led by a committee of people invested in helping it run well. It would be for the people and by the people, in other words.

Interest in a film society? Share your thoughts in the comments to tell me what YOU want.

I’ll be talking more about this at the next TriFilm social on Thursday, August 28th, in downtown Raleigh. Please join us. Register now.