Creative Segment Leader Spotlight: Chad Ervin with Vermont Production Collective
Creative Segment Leader: Chad Ervin
Pronouns: He/him
Organization/Business and Position: Vermont Production Collective, President; Owner at Well Told Films
Creative Segment: Film & Media
Medium: Networking and Professional Development
Creative Zone: Statewide, VCN Steering Team Member
Website/Public Media:
Vermont Production Collective Website
VPC Instagram
VPC Facebook Group
The Creative Segment Leader Spotlight series explores the seven Creative Segments that make up Vermont’s diverse creative sector by shining a spotlight on the people who work within them.
Tell us about your work/business or organization and how it came to be:
Vermont Production Collective is a grassroots organization connecting established and aspiring professionals in the film and creative media fields. VPC was founded in 2020 by a group of film and media professionals in response to our struggles to find collaborators within the state. Though there are many thriving pockets of innovation, support, and connection these groups are disconnected from a larger statewide network depriving them of opportunities for cross-pollination, mentorship, and undertaking more ambitious projects.
Share something exciting you/your organization is working on:
We are co-hosting a panel discussion and networking event at the Made Here Film Festival on April 15th, from 5-7pm at the Burlington Beer Company. The panel discussion will feature a conversation and Q&A with two talented young Vermont filmmakers: Sierra Urich whose documentary “Joonam,” which premiered at Sundance this year, explores her quest to make sense of her fractured Iranian identity while growing up in rural Vermont. Liam O’Connor-Generaux’s “The Butterfly Queen,” appeared in festivals around the country and is now touring the region is a “farmpunk fairytale about getting your gosh-darn friend back” which explores the nuanced love of friendship with attention normally reserved for romantic love in films.
Describe something that has changed for you and your work during the pandemic:
In the film and media industry generally, there was a tectonic shift to remote workflows in which collaborators are often spread all around the country. This enabled many film and media professionals to move to Vermont, many returning to be closer to family, and gaining a quality-of-life improvement while still remaining connected to professional networks nationwide. These recent arrivals and returnees have been very motivated to connect with local professionals in order to form professional and friendship bonds. So, coming out of the pandemic we have seen a resurgence of interest in connectedness, both from people who have been living and working locally for a long time and from recent arrivals.
Share something special about being a creative within your town or community:
When creating film or media projects that are distributed nationally or worldwide there is often a disconnect between the creation and the impact to the audience. When you do work on local topics and engage with the community it isn’t uncommon to be recognized by a neighbor, who thanks you for your work and relays how it was important to them personally, and that is extremely heartening and energizing.
