Introduce Yourself : A Cleveland phoenix story by Chris Karel

In 2010, I left education and followed my dream of becoming a filmmaker. I enrolled in the Digital Media program at Virginia Marti College of Art and Design in Lakewood, Ohio and immersed myself. Quest complete! Now I seek a second home to grow my craft. As I search for the right production house in Cleveland, I continue production on my first transmedia documentary: Ripples of Change. Ripples of Change, is the culmination of my teaching experience, community volunteer and film studies. Ripples of Change aims to directly impact Lakewood. In 2014, Ripples of Change will debut at the Cleveland International Film Festival. It will be either a story of success because the film will show how the Lakewood community secured funding for the future, or it will be a cautionary tale about economic setbacks. I am looking for a production environment that will enable me to become a highly sought after video content producer. I have freelanced with many of the top firms in Cleveland, and life as a freelancer has been a wild ride thus far: voiceover work, on-screen industrial acting, creative brief writing, and locations scouting. Next quest: find the right full-time place to immerse myself.