Today we’d like to introduce you to Rose Gaffney

Hi Rose, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

Three years ago, I started Loving Local NYC as a passion project to highlight small businesses in New York City through high-quality, short documentary videos posted to Instagram. I don’t charge businesses to be featured and make all content available for their own use. Slowly but surely, word got out and the businesses I featured on the page started recommending me to other people. Now the project is a mix of businesses I reach out to and businesses that come to me!

So far, I’ve filmed two seasons of Loving Local NYC, a total of 28 businesses so far, and look forward to start filming again in Spring 2025 for season 3!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Not at all! It’s been a rough ride but I believe that comes with a lot of passion projects.

My continuous and biggest struggle is funding for the project. I do not make any money from Loving Local NYC and I am also strongly against having businesses pay me to be featured; essentially, that would make LLNYC an advertising page and that is the exact opposite reason I wanted to start this project. There are plenty of pages and websites for businesses to pay for exposure but that gatekeeps the local businesses that can’t afford to pay for advertising. When we gatekeep local businesses like that, we also deny them a chance to tell their story to a wider audience.

My other immediate options were to open up to ad monetizing opportunities, find a sponsor or connect with the City of New York for city-sponsored funds; these are also options I am against as they interfere with the precepts at the core of this project. I can’t control any monetized ads that would appear on my videos – I don’t like the idea that my plea to support local businesses is followed by an Amazon ad. Sponsors have an obligation to make sure their brand is represented well and might pull funding if a business doesn’t align with their own tenets; the City of New York might do the same if a local business speaks critically on small business policies in NYC. My allegiance is to the small businesses of the amazing city I have the privilege to live in and if that means I have to turn down funding, I am happy to refuse it so I can tell the real stories of the businesses that make this city unique and incredible, without any compromises to which businesses can be featured or what they say.

So what do you do when there are few ways to generate money, but lots of stories to tell?

I chose to tell the stories. In any way, by any means necessary and with any time I have.

I have three jobs, in filmmaking and outside of it, that sustain me financially. In between those jobs, I film, edit and publish Loving Local NYC features. I’m a crew of one, so it’s easy for me to coordinate shoots without having to worry about scheduling other team members. Filming in seasons has helped a lot, especially as the project grows. I take the late fall and winter off and plan in advance, which takes a lot of pressure off my work schedule and other projects.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

What sets me apart from other freelance filmmakers is my compassion and willingness to teach clients about what I do, especially if it is their first time working with a professional filmmaker.

Media can be intimidating and I have spent over ten years honing my skills in this industry. I found that you can be the most knowledgable filmmaker in the business but that doesn’t mean anything if you can’t talk to clients in a compassionate way and put people at ease. I’m proud of the way I can make clients and interview subjects relax in front of a camera and help them approach a project with confidence.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?

The best way to support Loving Local NYC is to support the businesses I feature! Buy their products or services, leave Google reviews for them that mention LLNYC, share the videos on social media and tell your friends about these cool businesses you found. If you live in NYC, go to markets, storefronts and events for LLNYC businesses and tell them that you discovered them through my project.

If the project gets big enough, I might be able to pursue grant funding for the project. Private grants often have fewer stipulations than city or sponsor funded projects. They often last for a shorter amount of time, or allow me to choose which categories of features get funded, which opens me up to keep telling uncompromising stories. I have to prove to grants that the project has a possibility of growing with their help, which can only happen if people support my page by following, commenting and engaging with the project.

If you own a small business in NYC, or know someone who does, reach out to me to be featured on Loving Local NYC! You can reach me at [email protected] to get started. It’s completely free for businesses to participate.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovinglocalnyc/

Image Credits

In order of appearance:

Rue du Paradis
Jonathan Castro Designs
Puppy Kitty NYC
Craftsman Ave