20 Jun Philadelphia Organization Spotlight: Reel Talk Philly

BY ANDRE CHERRY

The cinéSPEAK Journal publishes a monthly Philadelphia Organization Spotlight highlighting a  local film or moving image focused organization, business, or collective doing unique and  impactful work.  

While Philadelphia is home to a thriving creative scene, it can sometimes be challenging for  film and media artists to find community. Reel Talk Philly was created to provide a welcoming space for Philadelphia artists to collaborate and build connections. The once-a-month events unite people in a happy-hour-type setting, with low stress and plenty of opportunities to meet other creatives in the industry. 

cinéSPEAK asked Samiyah Wardlaw, creator of Reel Talk Philly, about her organization’s monthly networking events, her hopes for uniting Philadelphia’s creatives, and Reel Talk Philly’s goals for the future. 

cinéSPEAK: What is unique about your organization within the Philadelphia landscape? 

Reel Talk Philly: Our events are unique in that they combine networking and a happy hour environment on a monthly basis. 

cinéSPEAK: When do Reel Talk Philly events take place? 

Reel Talk Philly: Our events happen the first Friday of every month and I think that consistency also makes us unique compared to other organizations that meet regularly. It’s something that everyone can mark on their calendar and look forward to once a month! It’s an event that’s not designed to be intimidating and I think, so far, we’ve been successful in bringing in a wide range of people that continue to come back each month!

cinéSPEAK: What inspired you to create Reel Talk Philly? 

Reel Talk Philly: As a new college graduate, I was nervous about finding a community for myself in the larger Philadelphia landscape, and I felt that many people my age were struggling with a similar thing. I wanted to create a space where people across different experience levels, ages, and professional backgrounds could socialize together in a welcoming environment. 

cinéSPEAK: How important is it to find a community as a creative? 

Reel Talk Philly: It is challenging and isolating to navigate the world being an artist or a creator if you don’t have a community around to support you. I am very grateful for mine, and so I hope Reel Talk Philly can help give that to others. 

cinéSPEAK: What impact do you hope your organization has in the Philadelphia community? 

Reel Talk Philly: Ultimately I hope the impact is that people form strong bonds and connections. My favorite part about Reel Talk has been seeing people create friendships and collaborate beyond our monthly meet-ups. I hope that being in a space with other creatives on a monthly basis helps people feel inspired to go and create.

cinéSPEAK: Do you think more opportunities will come to Philadelphia in the future? 

Reel Talk Philly: I believe that Philadelphia has the talent and the opportunity to have a lot of great projects happen here. The hope is that as [we] foster community and more visibility, larger opportunities will come which will benefit everyone! 

cinéSPEAK: Can folks get involved with helping Reel Talk Philly?

Reel Talk Philly: We’re always looking for people interested in helping contribute to the Reel Talk Philly brand. We have some new ideas that we are working on to help us engage with the community more, and are open to any suggestions or ideas that people have about how to get the most out of Reel Talk.

cinéSPEAK:  How can people get involved at Reel Talk Philly? 

Reel Talk Philly: The best way to get involved is to come to one of our events and check us out! There are a lot of interesting and talented creatives that frequent our events and coming to our events will help provide you with the best idea about exactly what it is that our organization does!

cinéSPEAK: What are Reel Talk Philly’s goals? 

Reel Talk Philly: The goal has always been to help foster community amongst people who work in/create film, TV, and other forms of media and content. The goal has always been to expand beyond our monthly events and come up with new and creative ways to further this goal. I think people will be excited and surprised by the new things that we are cooking up, because up until now we haven’t publicly talked about our plans to expand!

cinéSPEAK: Can you elaborate further on Reel Talk Philly’s upcoming plans? 

Reel Talk Philly: We are currently in the process of developing a social media series that spotlights people and organizations in the Philadelphia area that center around or work in film, TV, and content creation. The goal is to help spread visibility to all of the great things that are happening in this city. 

cinéSPEAK: What is the best way for people to stay up to date on your organization’s work? 

Reel Talk Philly: The best way to stay up to date with us is definitely Instagram, we are most active on that platform! Our instagram is at @reeltalkphilly and we also keep our website updated.

cinéSPEAK: Is there anything else you would like us to know about Reel Talk Philly?

Reel Talk Philly: We are always looking for more people to connect with so if you’re free on the [first] Friday of the month come hangout at Reel Talk Philly!

*Featured Image: Image from Reel Talk Philly’s April event. Image credit: Annie Barson.

Would you like your organization to be featured in a future spotlight? Please fill out the  Philadelphia Organization Spotlight form. The cinéSPEAK Journal maintains sole discretion over  the publishing of any information provided via the form. Questions: journal@cinespeak.org.

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Andre Cherry’s love of storytelling compels him to create art. He is a cinéSPEAK Fellow, background actor, and writer. His screenplays have placed within the Austin Film Festival and Stowe Story Labs. Andre, who originally hails from the Chicagoland area, quickly grew to love Philadelphia after moving to the area in 2014. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Illinois State University