There’s no business like show business.
Local show business that is!
After seeing the filming of this new local entertainment TV show. We knew we needed a one on one interview with Cincy Entertainment creator Michael Baker.
CV: Tell us briefly about the show, how it got started, where it has been picked up, what channel it’s on, dates and times.
CE: First things first. I want to thank Cincy Vibe for taking the time to come see the show. We were excited to hear that you were interested in us, knowing the huge amount of talent in the area that we have yet to work with, thank you.
CE: In early 2008 I (Cincy Entertainment creator Michael Baker) enjoyed doing TV, commercials, print ads, acting in several independent films. I even started my own small film company (Fade to Gray Films), which produced 5 short films. I found such an incredible amount of talent in the area I was overwhelmed.
One of the biggest things I found was there wasn’t any forum currently where local talent could showcase their projects to a larger audience. So Cincy Entertainment was born. I developed the concept to give back to the area that had been so good to me and allow others to get their projects out there.
Currently we are on Time Warner channel 25, the first Saturday of each month at noon. It also replays 4 times more locally on channel 15. We’re also mirrored in Northern Kentucky on Insite (channel 7) Wednesdays at 7pm. Additionally we have our website cincy-entertainment.com which has all episodes there. We are on the web at Vimeo, ITunes, Blip TV, AOL Video, YouTube and a few others. So you see we are OUT THERE and growing
CV: What’s the focus of the show?
CE: The main focus of the show (the first season) was independent shorts, interviews with film makers, local music (unplugged) comedy commercials were used as sponsors and whatever else we could find. It has always been my contention that no matter how good or bad the projects were we would help you promote it on the show.
CV: What aspects are staffed by student/apprentices?
CE: We have always been staffed by volunteers; many have never been in a TV studio before. We have used students from Ohio Center of Broadcasting and Brown Macke College. Our on air talent comes from all over, from talent agencies to friends. Every single person that has worked with us walks away with a lot of knowledge about the industry and we continually receive praise from the colleges and agencies on how their students/talent have grown from the experience. My current crew has been with me now for at least 6 shows, a wonderful group of people.
My goal has always been to give every single person who works on the show an opportunity to try anything they want, whether it is technical or on air. I am always looking for more crew and talent. A one hour show usually takes 12 hours of my crew’s time and a total of 6-8 hours editing/mixing, to which is my personal time. And yes I know I’m not the greatest editor HA-HA. But the shows content speaks loudest.
CV: What funds the program?
CE: Now the million dollar question “who funds the show” well, currently my very shallow pockets and trust me they are tattered and worn out. But we hope to change that this season. We created a business plan to raise more awareness of what we are trying to do for the local community and help make the show bigger and better this season. I never created Cincy Entertainment to create revenue I simply wanted to give back. But now a season later I see this HUGE GAP in local entertainment and our ONE OF A KIND show in the area and hope that local merchants, businesses and even talent can see the worth of this kind of show and start to help/advertise/promote us monetarily . We are currently seeking sponsors for our promotional T-Shirt give-a-ways. We are reaching such a huge part of the area and as we all know promoting on the “Networks” is very expensive. Here it’s all local where your business is coming from and your giving back to local community.
CV: What’s coming up in the spring season?
CE: So what’s in Cincy Entertainment’s future? Well, now that we have a voice out there and are being received well we are stepping up the entire show to a new level. Our first venture was just this week as we invited five of the area’s funniest comedians to strut their stuff. What a night it was, we even had a studio audience and several of them actually stated they were going to attend some of the comic’s upcoming shows. See, it works. Our next studio taping features two magicians, one of which was a huge part of the Abracadabra team which played at The Playhouse in the Park. We are having our first full live band Peaceful War in the studio which we hope will open the doors to more bands out there wishing to get more exposure. I am in talks with the Cincy Rollerblade Girls, Dante, Gypsy Belly Dancers and a lot more but I don’t want to give away the bank. So we are wide open for any entertainment unique to the area so CALL US.
We know not every show hit’s the mark, but what television show does? It has been and will always be, giving back, promoting the local talent in any venue in our great city.
This is your show Cincinnati we are asking for your time, talent and help in promoting what we are trying to do. Feel free at any time to contact us at
cincy-entertainment.com.
CV: We can testify that there is much talent here in Cincy and we’re not just talking about the comedy. We’re talking about the producers and crew of the show and everyone who has a hand in creating it.
Make the effort to tune in, have a laugh and keep an eye on this cool local program, Cincinnati has been famous for many locally produced shows over the years and this latest program is the new generation of cool local Cincy television.
