fbpx

This Year’s CVIFF Attracts Hollywood Heavyweight Mike Costa

This Year’s CVIFF Attracts Hollywood Heavyweight Mike Costa

It’s almost time again for the Cabo Verde International Film Festival (CVIFF). As always, the festival, to be held on the island of Sal on October 16 to 19, will attract film submissions from around the globe. One of the other normal draws of the film festival are the various workshops and panels the CVIFF hosts.

One of the most interesting of this year may be “Why Cape Verde Should Have a Film Commission,” which will be moderated by Hollywood heavyweight Mike Costa. Costa, who is of Cabo Verdean heritage, was born and raised in Southeastern, Massachusetts.  He attended the University of Nevada in Reno where he studied Broadcast Journalism and Television/Film Production and graduated with B.A.

After graduation, Costa packed his bags and headed to Hollywood. There he found work with NBC in Research and ABC in Broadcast Operations and Engineering. He was also accepted into the highly selective Guy Alexander Hanks/Marvin Miller Screenwriting Program sponsored by Bill Cosby and the USC School of Cinema-Television.  Subsequently, Costa was hired as a staff writer and story editor for the hit television show “Roseanne.” He went on to write for Warner Brother’s television on several projects which included the first season of the hit series, “The Steve Harvey Show.” He also was writer on “The Gregory Hines Show” pilot for Sony Television.

In 1998 Costa went to work for NBC’s “In The House” starring LL Cool J, where his responsibilities as a writer grew to that of a producer. The following year, he joined the staff of the syndicated television variety series, “The Roseanne Show,” as a writer/producer.

Today, he freelances as a writer/producer for Isis Films, a production team in Marina Del Rey that produces music videos and commercials for some of the industry’s biggest names: Time-Warner Corporation, Miller Brewing Company, Motown, Warner Brothers and General Motors. His latest project is a documentary film, Proud to be Cape Verdean – A Look at Cape Verdeans in the Golden State, which he wrote, produced and directed. Side Door Entertainment, Costa’s production company is currently in pre-production with “The Heart of Porto Novo” a  love story that takes place on the picturesque Cape Verdean island of Santo Antão.

He also helped start a non-profit called Cape Verdeans of Southern California.

As Costa heads to the CVIFF, he aims to show “Why Cape Verde Should Have a Film Commission.”  “The potential to introduce viewers from around the globe to the breathtaking beauty of Cape Verde through film is endless,” as the CVIFF panel promotion stresses.

The discussion, combined with a PowerPoint presentation, will touch on film commission operations, an overview of economic development, film incentive programs, scouting and
location photography. “Working with production and clients within the local jurisdiction and effective marketing techniques, economic development impact and reporting, and the importance of alliances and partnerships such as working with crew, guilds, unions, and economic development officials as well as the business aspects of film production would also be reviewed/discussed,” according to the CVIFF.