Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael DeSanto. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michael, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the big film-related projects FilmToledo is involved with each year is the CommUNITY Film Fest. It’s a film festival featuring short films created by individuals with developmental disabilities. Each year, we partner individuals with local film professionals to help create their films. We also work with the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities to host and manage the event each year.

This will be the 9th year for the festival and it’s been amazing to see how it continues to grow each year. Seeing everyone share their personal stories on film, or create their own narrative films or music videos, is really inspiring. And we go all out with the red carpet treatment, showing the films on the big screen at the Maumee Indoor Theatre, giving out awards and bringing the whole community together.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve been involved in the Toledo / NW Ohio film scene for the last 15 years, starting out with my own YouTube videos and sketches, moving to micro-budget independent films and shorts, and getting involved with other local filmmakers and film production companies.

We formed FilmToledo back in 2018, hosting local film events and educational workshops. While a lot of our work was on hold during the pandemic, things have really ramped up in the last couple of years. We have over 50 local business partners and organizations that we work with to bring events, workshops and educational offerings to people interested in getting into the film industry. We do location scouting for film projects of all sizes looking to shoot throughout NW Ohio. All of this helps to boost our local economy and bring more film jobs to our area.

This type of work requires a diverse skill set. In my freelance career, I do everything from photography to videography to graphic design to writing and directing. Networking is a huge part of the job, and I’ve been fortunate to bring some really skilled people into the FilmToledo board and staff. Everyone has their own unique connections and abilities and it makes our organization stronger.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Toledo has been my home for most of my life and I want to see it grow. The film industry has become more diverse and fragmented. You no longer need to move to Hollywood to make movies. There are opportunities to more locally and regionally.

I really want to see Toledo and the NW Ohio area grow creatively and offer more opportunities for filmmakers and creatives locally. We have a lot of untapped potential and we’re surrounded by several large film industry markets such as Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. I believe we can offer an affordable alternative for film productions and build a stronger film presence here.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

In the independent film world, I like to say that you have to wear a lot of hats. Everyone is a writer / director / producer / editor / VFX artist / actor / etc. I was doing independent film work at the same time I was doing freelance photography, graphic design and the occasional wedding video, and on top of that I was still working a day job. Even now, I work multiple jobs while doing the day-to-day work for FilmToledo.

It’s a tough business and you have to have multiple income streams and flexibility in order to survive. We often talk to high school and college film students or aspiring actors and it’s something that I always try to reinforce. You have to be willing to work multiple jobs and hustle if you’re serious about a film career. It can take a long time, but it’s worth it in the long run.      

Contact Info:

• Website: filmtoledo.com
• Instagram: filmtoledo
• Facebook: reelfilmtoledo
• Linkedin: filmtoledo
• Twitter: filmtoledo

Image Credits
Doug Hinebaugh, Grant Beachy