Short Summary

Tampa Beer: Crafting the Bay is a love story to the Tampa Bay craft beer scene.  Tampa has a long history with beer; in fact, the first brewery in Florida was established here and is still standing.  The coolest thing about beer is that it means something completely different to everyone.  Beer is brewed in the same way, with the same ingredients, yet you give a recipe to 10 different brewers, you will get 10 different variations of that same beer.  Every beer has a journey from grains to glass and that drink you get at the bar is not just a beer, it's a beverage that has had multiple hands brew it - every beer starts with the farmer who supplies the grains to the brewer who throws them all together.  Our documentary features those people - the brewers that spend their lives brewing and learning and always getting better.  We meet many of the faces behind the beer and learn why they do what they do here in Tampa.  Tampa has recently exploded over the last few years in the sheer number of craft breweries opening up and has been dubbed "the craft beer destination of the Southeast." We learn what makes Tampa so special - so much so, that Yuengling's only brewery outside of Pennsylvania is here!  Every beer has a story and this is Tampa Bay's.

Like us, most of the craft beer drinkers don't really understand the drink.  People have always asked, "Why is craft beer so expensive?"  People drink beer quickly, slam the glass down and run off to the next brewery without really giving the drink much thought.  I filmed a short promotional video for a local brewery over three years ago and only then - meeting the people behind the drink, seeing the process that goes into creating this "craft"  beverage - did I truly appreciate where it came from and what I was drinking.  I made it a point to create a film that not only showcases who these brewers are and the history that Tampa has with craft beer, but puts the drink back in the spotlight as one that people can appreciate when they drink it.  

What We Need & What You Get

We are looking to raise $20,000 to help us complete this film.  We were safely able to begin production in July of 2020 and have just completed filming.  But this is just the beginning.  Over the next few months, my team and I will begin editing all of our footage together to tell Tampa Bay's story.  Once we have our film edited together, we will be hiring a composer to create original music for the film, as well as a few other people that will be able to take this film to the next level.

The funds that we raise will go towards:

• Hiring a composer to create an original score for our feature documentary
• Hiring a sound designer to clean our interview audio and do "soundscaping", which is creating ambient noises, the popping of bubbles when an image of beer being poured is shown to really enhance the imagery
• Securing Errors & Omissions Insurance, marketing and submission to local and national film festivals and all associated legal fees.

Should we not receive our full $20,000 wish, the funds we have raised will be used for music composition and cleaning up the dialogue so that we can have a fully finished film.

And you will receive some AWESOME PERKS!  Everything from shirts only available to backer's of this campaign to movie posters to digital downloads and a ton of experiential rewards that will be sure to satisfy any craft beer lover!

The Impact

This documentary is very special to me because it's been a passion of mine for the last two and a half years. I've always loved beer but I drank it just for taste and never really understood how it was made, what the ingredients were, or the hard work that someone had to go through to build the brewery that I'm sitting in, enjoying their lager or IPA.  But seeing the passion and hard work that these brewers have put into making sure I have this amazing experience with their beer really opened my eyes that there was a story to be told.

I've met some incredible people along this journey and saw how beer has truly changed their lives. It has given them the opportunity to make friendships and connection not only within the craft beer industry, but also within their community that they never would've made without beer.  It has benefitted the city and the local economy, provided jobs for thousands of people and put Tampa Bay on the map for having some of the best craft beer in the Southeast.

My hope with this documentary is that not only will it teach you what beer is and how it's brewed, but that you will gain an understanding of where that beer came from. That you will raise that glass to say "thank you" to the brewer that spent years learning how to perfect that beer so that you can enjoy it.

Our local craft beer scene helps the Tampa Bay economy and contributes to local business. My hope with this documentary is that we will be able to benefit the city and local community here in Tampa by showing the world that this is a craft beer destination and one that you want to check out first-hand!  Now more than ever, breweries need our help and support as they begin to recover from the effects of COVID-19.  

Risks & Challenges

The toughest challenge that we encountered with this documentary was-by far-filming during a global pandemic.  We successfully, and safely, completed filming, but now our challenge is delivering the best quality film to our audience.  Every step going forward will be easier as the remaining tasks and contributions can be completed without required physical proximity. However, we risk not having the funds to complete this process.  We are hopeful that there are enough people out there (like you!) that love craft beer or have even experienced Tampa Bay's craft beer scene, and that we'll be able to achieve our funding goal to be able to see this film through to completion.

Other Ways You Can Help

Times are financially unpredictable for many at the moment. If you can't contribute but appreciate what we're trying to create, please spread the word, follow us on Instagram & Facebook and be sure to share our campaign with your beer-loving friends!  You can also find behind-the-scenes stills and short video content on our social channels.

The Filmmaking Team

James Blankenfeld - Director, Producer, Director of Photography

James has been behind the lens of a camera for the last 10 years.  Before moving to Tampa, he spent five years living in Manhattan where he was a camera operator for reality television shows like Project Runway, My Fair Wedding, & The Celebrity Apprentice.  James owns and operates his production company Blu Kamera Media in Tampa, as well as his wedding videography company, Imagery Wedding Films.

Ian Corry - Cinematographer

Ian is a graduate of Florida State University and is a very talented camera operator.  His work favors the real-life scenes of documentary films, with a clean and commercial edge that is polished and visually stimulating.  His work shows a strong technical proficiency and creative ambition that is well suited for any production environment.  Ian currently owns and operates his own company, Yellow Tree Studios, in St. Pete, FL.

Daniel Peacocke - Cinematographer

Born in South Africa, Daniel is a talented cinematographer that has been working in the United States for the last three years producing amazing content.  Daniel brings raw and emotional camera work to this documentary, matching perfectly with the grittiness that is the craft beer industry.  Daniel currently owns and operates his own production company BreakBox Studios in Anna Maria, FL.

Justin Wright - Composer

Justin is a Southern California-based composer and producer that specializes in telling stories through music.  Every composition he releases is carefully crafted to take the listener on a journey. Each album is intended to be like a book, leading the listener along a path of transformation through music and emotion.  Instrumental music has the power to lead people through a story that they can individually create in their minds as they listen. 

Over the years Justin's compositions have been synced in thousands of videos via licensing agencies.  MTV, Progressive Insurance, TBS, GoPro, Harley Davidson, Square Inc., and countless other filmmakers have found that his music fits perfectly with film.  Using his extensive knowledge in audio engineering, and wide experience working with other composers, Justin blends together classic tones of acoustic instruments with the progressive sounds of the digital world.