Scott Dunham: A Detroit-Windsor Event

This coming together of numerous different factions is just one example of how complex a business is to run, though it is more obvious than some. Scott Dunham had many different venues to deal with when bringing a film festival to Detroit, many venues and many different organizations were a part of this event, just as there are many different groups involved in the running of a business. I think that this is an excellent showcase of the different meldings that have to be done, the different people that are contacted - in this case, the schools, local businesses and people that were a part of this, as well as all the people that are contacted to be informed of the event. These people dedicated time from their own busy lives to help with this event, knowing from the get-go that this wasn't going to be just a for-profit venture; as Scott said, it was more of a showcase for Detroit and Windsor, and while they could have cheated and paid to have someone else do it, they showed their commitment to the job by dedicating so much to it and doing things themselves. This teamwork is so essential to the business world today; global corporations are growing and becoming more and more commonplace, and these groups were fairly close, there was still a lot to do to succeed in this venture and this is a great example to look at for future collaborations.

The DWIFF is an event that is an example of what can be accomplished when a small group of individuals set a goal, and succeed because of common interests. Scott Dunham had a vision of a festival aimed to benefit Wayne State University, The College for Creative Studies, the University of Windsor, the DIA, and the Detroit Public Library. These organizations and venues collaboratively designed a festival that would result in differentiating themselves from similar institutions, and work to promote a relationship with the citizens of the metropolitan area and Windsor. The only way that this was able to succeed was because of Mr. Dunham’s clear approach that the festival would be a non profit endeavor. This ensures that the profits of the event would stay with the DWIFF, and ensure the sustainability of the festival for years to come. Another result may have been that the venues were not auctioned off to the highest bidders. This would result in the intended vision of Mr. Dunham, that the educational institutions would gain the most from the festival. The innovation also could not have come at a better time. I suspect that the people involved forecasted Michigan future involvement in the film industry. The tax incentives for production companies have brought well know movies to Detroit, such as Whip It, and Gran Torino. An International Film Festival is a needed addition for the development of a film production culture that will positively impact the two neighboring cities. Hopefully another result will be the retention of creative talent in the city of Detroit. In the text of Effective Small Business Management the authors describe how small businesses can often detect and act on new opportunities faster. Scott Dunham’s film festival is an example of how innovation is the greatest strength of an entrepreneur.

A Detroit-Windsor International Film Festival seems like a great idea to boost the industry, the area economy, and help the way the world views Detroit. With the Michigan tax cuts to filmmakers, why let hollywood reap all the real benefits from the filming in the area? An annual Detroit film festival would allow our area to take pride in the art that is being made in the area. Partnering with area colleges is also a great way of increasing benefit while keeping costs for the festival low. This festival will grow college film programs especially at Wayne State, and boost the technology programs at the neighboring College for Creative Studies. I appreciate the level of planning that has gone into this event. Having good leadership is a great way to ensure that all of the orchestration is done right and done on time. Unfortunately however, the marketing of this event has been less than effective. I live in the Metro Detroit area, not more than 30 minutes outside of Detroit. Provided that this event is still up and running, two festivals have happened already and I have not once heard of this. I would have definitely made my way down town to view the films if I had known about it. This presents an opportunity as us Metro Detroit's are ready to head downtown but are looking for a reason to come. I also appreciate the connection between Detroit and Windsor in this festival. We are so close to Windsor, it would be a true shame not to tap into their artistic abilities for this festival. Uniting with Windsor, and making this event for the community by the community has great potential for putting Detroit back on the map in a positive way. Thanks and Good Luck, Richard Rich

The Detroit-Windsor International Film Festival is great for the cities of Detroit and Windsor, Wayne State and College for Creative Studies, and for the film industry in general. None of this is possible without the proper leadership. Selecting the proper staff of dedicated hard workers with the same goal in mind is the most important aspect of this entire process. John Kelly and Scott Dunham are two of the major components of why this festival is such a success. As entrepreneurs they must be great leaders. Leadership requires the ability to influence and inspire others in order to achieve the pre-determined goals. I liked in his video that the main goal was not to make all of the money in the world and retire a millionaire. The goal was to keep this festival "Detroit Style." This style of leadership is hard to find. It is hard to find an entrepreneur that can look past the money aspect of the business world and focus solely on supplying the community with a non-profit, Michigan funded festival that brings in revenue for the city of Detroit as well as publicity in the film industry. When selecting a staff there are a few different areas that need to be addressed. A team must have different qualities. A few different qualities discussed are wisdom leaders, servant leaders, leaders that can inspire, a "coach" so to speak, a performance manager, a relationship manager and finally a financial fitness executive. In order for an event like this to go smoothly there must be a great mixture of leadership roles that coincide with each other. Other roles that come with putting on a festival of this magnitude is the financing sector as well as the marketing approach taken. With this being a non-profit festival there are many different ways to collect money. Choosing the right sources, knowing where to look, being creative, and being organized and prepared can help raise money for such an event like this. This festival only worked with companies that are right here in Michigan in order to keep the money in the state. This is a great opportunity for Detroit. Marketing a festival of this magnitude must have been hard. I remember watching commercials for this on the television and I remember that it sent out a great message to the watchers. A few things that I would recommend when attempting to market a festival of this size would be to target specific markets, determine the advantages and disadvantages, and create a marketing mix that meets customer needs and wants. I think that this festival is a great boost for Detroit in the media world and for the community itself. Thank you to John Kelly and Scott Dunham for organizing an event like this! Sincerely, Dean Hamlin EMU College of Business

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