Comedian and musician shares the secrets of being a professional online contest winner.
Filmmaker Joel Levinson Wins Big in Dayton
Dayton native Joel Levinson is a comedic genius. OK, make that a total genius. After all, how many other people can find a way to pay the bills and support a family by being a professional online contest winner?
Yet Levinson has done just that, entering more than 700 online video contests and earning cash, prizes, equipment and free trips across the globe, plus some unusual awards such as a year’s supply of chocolate milk. Levinson has found great success combining three of his passions: film, comedy, and music.
Levinson spoke at a recent Film Dayton networking event about his contest experiences, which he counts as invaluable to launching his film career. The audience roared with laughter as Levinson screened some of his favorite contest entries. Among the winning clips was a six second video story about packing a suitcase for travel brand Condé Nast that earned Levinson an all expense paid trip for two to Dubai.
Even if he doesn’t win a contest, Levinson sees each new video as a learning lab and a chance to experiment with new colorization or editing techniques or to try out a new piece of equipment. As he wisely observed “Maybe you’ve won something, maybe you haven’t, but at least you’ve learned something.”
The idea of art for art’s sake and enjoyment is the same philosophy Levinson applied to his music and comedy project 2776, a collaboration with his brother, Stephen. The project was not about money – the proceeds go to charity – but about having fun, testing new material, and seeing that material performed by some of the nation’s top comedy stage performers.
“The big city is no longer a place for cultural expression,” Levinson stated. Lower costs and a strong network of community support make Dayton a welcoming home for artists and filmmakers. Levinson knows it is easier to take larger creative risks when the cost of investment to do so is low. That is why the filmmaker came home to settle in Yellow Springs after spending several years as a working artist in Los Angeles.
With two film projects in the works including a feature to be shot in Dayton in 2016, Levinson is part of a growing movement of independent and studio filmmakers bringing productions to the Miami Valley. His vision for the future is to make it easier for producers and directors to find local talent through a centralized database for area actors, tech crew and set locations. Again, pure genius!
If you or someone you know is looking to connect with Dayton’s film community, one of the easiest ways to do so is the monthly Film Connections social event sponsored by Film Dayton. The event typically takes place the last Tuesday of the month at Think TV, 110 S. Jefferson Street, at 7 pm. For more details, visit www.filmdayton.com.
