Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Thompson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Bryan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I founded the production company Imani Films in 2012. The company’s first production exposed audiences to the often misunderstood “wet-foot-dry-foot” law, a former US immigration policy that stated that anyone who fled Cuba and entered the United States would be allowed to pursue residency a year later. The film “Noventa” is a story about Cubans with conflicting opinions about how to execute a dangerous plan to escape the Communist island country. “Noventa” won Audience Choice in Film Miami Fest 2015, Best Actress (Margarita Romero) in Film Miami Fest 2015, Best Short Film in the Miami Independent Film Festival 2015, and Official Selection at the 2016 Hollywood FL Film Festival.
In 2014, I produced the sci-fi/action series, “The Cell”, in which I wrote the script, produced it, directed it, choreographed all fight scenes, and executed my own stunts. “The Cell” has already achieved multiple international accolades including Best Directing and Best Visual Effects at the Los Angeles Web Series Festival 2013, Official Selection at the Hollyweb 2013 (Hollywood, CA), and Official Selection at Carballo Interplay 2013 (Spain).
That same year, I also founded Florida’s first international film festival for web series; the Miami Web Series Festival (“Miami Web Fest”) The exposure from this event has contributed to the success of several independently produced web series who subsequently secured distribution with Netflix, Vivendi, and other prominent networks.
In 2016, I tackled the issue of immigration law reform, producing the 90-minute feature film “El Sueño”, which highlights the heated debate about the Dream Act. The film won Best Feature Film at the Festival de Cine Latinoamericano in Fort Worth, Texas. This film was recently acquired by the distributor American Cinema International, Los Angeles, CA.
Miami Web Fest 2018 was particularly special because our special guest was famous Hollywood voice, TV and film actor, Keith David, famous for movies like “Platoon”, “Something About Mary”, “It Lives”, “Dead Presidents”, and most recently as the title role of Pastor Greenleaf in Oprah Winfrey’s “Greenleaf”. The event also featured Hollywood director Bobby Roth, director of Prison Break, Hawaii Five-O, and the widely acclaimed series “Lost”.
Before the change of mayor, I was also awarded the Key to the City of Miami by Mayor Tomas Regalado.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I started Miami Web Fest with no external funding and no sponsors. This presented lots of logistical challenges because the nature of the business is unpredictable. The operating costs were way more than I expected, but I didn’t want to short-change the filmmakers on the experience and I have always understood that reputation is everything. As for my films, we have had challenges every time, mostly due to scheduling conflicts with crew members that were suddenly unavailable at critical stages in the production. In the end, it all boils down to the fact that budgetary constraints made operations more difficult. Luckily, made it through the rough start to gain community and corporate support.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Miami Web Fest is a 4-day festival showcasing the hottest new web series content from around the world. The event is designed to create a work-play environment, attracting Miami’s vast and multicultural community of art enthusiasts. For attendees, Miami Web Fest is a “window into the future” of new media, allowing the general public to see independently produced shows before they are discovered by big television networks and media entities such as Netflix. It’s also a chance to party and mingle with the stars of the New Digital Age at some of the most exclusive hotspots in Miami!
The five (5) things I am most proud of as a company is the very things that set us apart from other festivals:
1. MWF features TV Executives as Speakers, Panelists, and Judges. These have included executives from HBO, Netflix, Comedy Central, Discovery Network, TV One, and more.
2. MWF features celebrity actors and directors (from South Florida and Hollywood) to attract the local community.
3. MWF holds events at venues that are attractive to the local community.
4. MWF shows content from the festival on video screens at parties at the hottest nightspots in the city to promote the festival and provide a unique experience (“ScreenBash”)
5. MWF Board of Advisors is comprised of influential community leaders designed to drive high-level interest to the festival.
What were you like growing up?
As a child, I was creative and extroverted. I used to make up fight scene choreography imitating television programs. I liked to sing and won several competitions. I also liked to draw superheroes and play competitive sports.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.miamiwebfest.com
- Email: info@miamiwebfest.cm
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miamiwebfest/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiamiWebFest/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiamiWebFest
Image Credit:
Jayson Casta
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
