Ted Crockett and Anastasia Brown leverage new trends
in the entertainment industry
NASHVILLE – The Nashville Film Festival, a 49-year-old arts institution completes its 10-day run today (Saturday) with record growth in overall revenue and participation from film fans and industry insiders.
According to Ted Crockett, CEO, revenue is up 33% over last year. Ticket sales the first weekend exceeded sales for the entire festival in 2017. “It’s amazing,” said Crockett. “We think people are realizing they like our new location at Regal Hollywood Cinema at 100 Oaks Mall. There is plenty of parking, but the parking lot is packed every night.”
It’s not just fans who are taking notice of Nashville’s festival. This year more filmmakers, screenwriters, and musicians were onsite due to a strong emphasis from the festival leaders to link talent with opportunities. Festival leaders actively bring music supervisors, film buyers and agents to the festival to find new Nashville talent. “Helping our creators make deals is what drives me,” said Crockett. “As a former music business manager at Flood Bumstead McCready and McCarthy, I understand how important it is to put real opportunity in the hands of talented people and seal the deal.”
“It’s a passion Ted and I share,” said Anastasia Brown, president of the board of directors, and Nashville’s best music supervisor connecting Nashville with Hollywood. “I am motivated to protect art and those who create it and you have to do that financially. I began to see that around 2003. With syncs in film and TV, you secure money for musicians. No one can steal their work. No one can stream it. It’s security for them.”
Crockett and Brown have leveraged the trend they see for more and better content in film and television. According to Brown, in 2018 is there are more content buyers than ever before and the content is better than it has ever been for decades. “Women are more empowered now than at any time in my entire career. Voices are stronger and not one dimensional. The result is going to be profound, entertaining and diverse.”
2018 is Crockett’s last year as CEO of the festival. “After 15 years with the festival, and six as CEO, it’s time for me to take on a new challenge,” said Crockett. During his tenure, Crockett has developed relationships with Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, ABC, CBS, Kennedy Marshall, Good Deed Entertainment, Lionsgate, Walden Media, Mosaic, Three Arts Entertainment and such celebrities as Sheryl Crow, Rascal Flatts, Dolly Parton, Ashley Judd, Naomi Judd, Nicole Kidman, Tim McGraw, William Shatner, and many more.
Anastasia Brown continues on the Nashville Film Festival board of directors through June.