The PHILO Project Principals
Gerald Kolpan
Founder & Creative Director
Gerald Kolpan got the idea for The PHILO Project back in December of 2012. Tim Whitaker, Executive Director of the youth program Mighty Writers, needed a video for the organization - and fast.
Working through a miserable cold, Gerald produced the "Mighty Sportswriters" video in five days and was delighted to hear that it had brought donations in to Mighty Writers just as quickly. "Why aren't I doing this every day?" Gerald asked himself. "There must be hundreds of small non-profits in the Philadelphia area that need good video and can't afford it."
And so, The PHILO Project was born.
Gerald comes by his television credentials honestly. Formerly a commentator and reporter for NPR's All Things Considered, he spent 21 years as the Features Reporter for WTXF-TV 29 in Philadelphia; and his
stories were seen nationally and worldwide on the FNC, CNN and Conus networks
Gerald has received numerous honors for his work, including eight Middle Atlantic Emmy Awards. He has also won awards from the Associated Press and The Radio and Television News Directors Assocation, as well as a Best of Philly award from Philadelphia
Magazine.
Also a writer, Gerald's two novels, Etta (Random House, 2009), and Magic Words (Pegasus - W.W. Norton, 2012), have recieved critical acclaim from such diverse sources as Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Chicago Sun-Times, USA Today, and OK! He is a graduate of the University of the Arts.
PHILO PROJECT ADVISORY BOARD
Thom Cardwell: Philadelphia Film Alliance
Erwin Carner: Principal, Post Acute Partners
Larry Ceisler: Principal, Ceisler Media
Dominic Colaizzo: National Chairman, Aon Insurance Risk Solutions Practice
Charles Hardy III, Ph.D.: Professor of History, West Chester University
Annette John-Hall: Writer and reporter for WHYY radio
Roger C. LaMay: General Manager, WXPN Radio, University of Pennsylvania
Ann Mintz: Arts consultant and fundraiser
Henry Nevison: Documentary Filmaker
The Greater Philadelphia Film Office is the proud fiscal sponsor of The PHILO Project.
The GPFO is a film commission representing southeastern Pennsylvania that officially serves the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia.
The Film Office was first established in 1985 as a part of Philadelphia city government. In 1992, GPFO became a regional economic development agency, incorporating as the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, in July, 2000. Since 1992, GPFO has had an enormous impact on the local economy with projects totalling more than 4 billion dollars.
PHILO is pleased to be an approved project under GPFO’s Fiscal Sponsorship program, which allows eligible projects to apply for foundation grants available only to non profits and to offer individual donors a tax deduction for their donation to approved projects.
This program is operated under the Film Office's Greater Philadelphia Filmmakers. Established in 2001, Filmmakers is a natural extension of THE work that the Film Office has fostered throughout its tenure. In addition to attracting production to the region for the purpose of economic development, the Film Office is committed to nurturing the local industry in every way possible. ‘Filmmakers’ is designed to meet the needs of local media artists and technicians with seminars, business and technical training that helps both aspiring and experienced film professionals:
Filmmakers seeks to create an environment that inspires and encourages ongoing dialogue and activities, and to survey and meet the needs of the local film & video community.
GREATER PHILADELPHIA FILM OFFICE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nicole Cashman, Chair
Sharon Pinkenson, GPFO Executive Director
John Brazer
Karen Daroff
Preston Elliot
Sheila Hess
Peggy Kelly
Lori Landew
Henri Moore
Jonathan A. Seidel
Steve Thorne
Ukee Washington
Alan L. Zeiger
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Cosmo DiNicola
Glenn Gitomer
Nancy Glass
David Haas
