Geoffrey Belinfante
JAG External Relations Chair
Geoff Belinfante has spent his entire professional life producing television shows, commercials and corporate videos for Fortune 500 companies and professional sports leagues like Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. After spending 5 years at a New York based advertising agency as a commercial producer, Belinfante was the founding line producer of Major League Baseball Productions where he created and produced shows like This Week in Baseball, The Baseball Bunch, Pennant Chase and ESPN Baseball Magazine. In 1985 he was named senior vice president executive producer of the Phoenix Communications Group, the successor of Major League Baseball Productions. During his 22 year career with Baseball/Phoenix he also produced every World Series Film/home video from 1975 through 1997, numerous television specials, and countless DVD’s on Baseball from historic compilations to entertaining blooper shows. While with Phoenix, he used his production expertise on behalf of the National Hockey League for 10 years, creating shows like Hockey Week, all the Stanley Cup Home Videos, and other Hockey Compilations for home video distribution. He also help market the original Arena Football League, creating commercials, sales presentations, internet content, and satellite media tours to help promote ticket sales and television coverage. In addition to his experience marketing sports leagues, Belinfante helped create Sports New Satellite, a sports news feed service that provided highlights and feature material to over 400 television in the US and Canada. He is now External Relations Committee Chair of the Jersey Access Group.
New Jersey’s Film Industry: A Renaissance in the Garden State
With production on the rise across New Jersey, the NJ Motion Picture & Television Commission has taken steps to help enhance production in the Garden State, including the development of their Film Ready program and their new NJ411 business and crew directory. This panel will explore these initiatives, and touch upon how JAG members, many of whom have extensive production and state knowledge, can participate, and assist in helping New Jersey maintain its position as a top destination for production. Panelists: Charles Riccardi, Operations & Creative Director ; Moderator: Geoffrey Belinfante, External Relations Chair, JAG
Storytelling
The biggest challenge to anyone who has tried to produce a documentary or television show is to effectively communicate your message to an audience. That communication begins with knowing how to tell a story that is both compelling and entertaining. There are always decisions to be made as to the best way to accomplish this: is the story best told linearly? with re-enactments? with animation? using stock footage? How many interviews should be included, can there be too many talking heads? Where should I use a musical montage? Join Emmy and Peabody award winning producer George Roy as we explore the different techniques available to producers and how to use them creatively. Guest Speaker: George Roy, American sports documentary director, producer, and editor; Moderator: Geoffery Belinfante, External Relations Chair, JAG
Grants for PEG and Community Stations
As funding for Municipal and Community Channels becomes more and more difficult to come by in Municipal budgets, stations have to be more creative in the ways they find funding. Some stations have been successful in finding grants to fund programming, operations and even capital equipment. This workshop will explore sources stations can explore for grants to supplement the funding they receive from their municipalities. Panelists: Professional Grant Writer or Writers; Panelist: George Ruotolo, Chairman/CEO, Ruotolo Associates; Amanda Hicks--Associate, DIBHicks, LLC; Dianna Pell GPC, Dianna Pell Associates; Reed Carlson, Associate, Ruotolo Associates; Moderator: Geoffery Belinfante, External Relations Chair, JAG
New Programming Ideas- Best Practices (Roundtable)
Tired of the same programs year after year? Is their content in your community beyond council meetings and summer concerts? This panel is designed to give you some ideas on where to find new programming opportunities to enhance your program schedule. Discover new sources of programming that you might have overlooked right in your own backyard, and then learn how you can use AI to help create those programs. Panelists Ed Cologna, Station Manager, Newark TV; John Morley, Independent Producer; Aime Alonzo, Station Manager, Old Bridge Television; Moderator: Geoffery Belinfante, External Relations Chair, JAG
Problem Solving Forum: Goals & Obstacles (Roundtable)
It’s important for every institution to set goals in order to grow and improve, but setting realistic goals and achieving them can be challenging. Those challenges can vary depending on the goal and what you are trying to achieve. In many cases achieving that goal depends on finding money, sometimes it’s knowing how to handle local politics; sometimes it’s understanding new technology; and sometimes it’s just a matter of not having enough personnel to execute new plans. This roundtable will be an interactive investigation on the ways JAG members have found to “sell” programs to councils; solved technical problems to reach a goal; or redeployed personnel to cover additional needs without adding staff. This roundtable will help you find ways to address those challenges. Panelist: Don Smith, Station Manager, Cranford TV; Craig Yetsko, Station Manager, North Brunswick TV; Anthony Pagliuco, Station Manager, East Brunswick; Moderator Geoffery Belinfante, External Relations Chair, JAG