Movie entrepreneur sings local college's praises

The word, known locally for a few years, is now out in Hollywood: The filmmaking studio lab at Sarasota-based Ringling College of Art and Design is a top-notch destination for aspiring filmmakers.

So says Hollywood A-lister Edward Burns, the latest star to speak to Ringling students. Burns is a writer, director and producer, with credits that include “The Brothers McMullen” and “Sidewalks of New York.” He told Ringling students at a Nov. 15 presentation he was blown away by the quantity and the quality of the school's film equipment — a response the school hears frequently.

“People (in Hollywood) are starting to really know about this place,” Burns told Coffee Talk during a break from meeting with students. “I think within a few years, a Ringling kid is going to make the next big movie.”

Burns might live in New York, and work in Hollywood, but he says he's essentially an entrepreneur. Instead of investing in a small business, however, Burns says he spends at least $100,000 of his own money on each movie project. “There really is a risk there,” says Burns.

And like any good entrepreneur, Burns spends a good amount of time figuring out how to stay ahead of industry trends. For example, going back to 2007 he accepted the fact that people would soon watch movies using technology, not necessarily in a movie theater. And that was before tablets and smartphones were prevalent.

That's why in 2007 Burns released a movie he wrote, produced and starred in, “Purple Violets,” exclusively on iTunes. The move was widely panned in Hollywood. “Nearly everywhere I went,” says Burns, “people said I was crazy.”

Doubts have since followed Burns, especially when he did a digital-only release of his film “Nice Guy Johnny” in 2010. But Burns remains steadfast on the idea that Hollywood will be forced to adapt to new technologies for showing movies, and he wants to be at the front of the line.

“(We have) a business model that has been rightfully attacked,” says Burns. “It's fiscally irresponsible of us to hold to the theatrical release dream.”