The Situation
A beloved institution at a crossroads
CIFF had built a 50-year legacy as one of the country's most respected film festivals. But heading into its 50th anniversary year, the organization faced a convergence of challenges that made the status quo unsustainable.
The Challenge
Structural vulnerability
51–57% of attendees were 60+. The festival audience was 84–90% white in a city that is 70% non-white. Revenue was volatile, in 2018, the highest attendance year produced a net loss. And outside of the annual 10-day festival, CIFF had no meaningful year-round presence.
The real question was whether the organization had a framework for what to change into.
The Brief
Strategy before programming
Originally hired for "Program Revenue Strategy Design," the engagement quickly evolved into something larger: a comprehensive repositioning for the 50th anniversary year and beyond.
The work started before the contract. CIFF reached out while I was finishing another engagement, and two early strategy reports, delivered in December 2024 and June 2025, became a formal two-phase engagement in July 2025. They set the foundation for everything that followed.
How It Unfolded
From first conversation to full transformation
Dec 2024
First Meeting: Strategy Work Begins Before the Contract
CIFF reached out while I was finishing another engagement. Met with Executive Director Hermione Malone. Delivered detailed talking points, creative activation ideas (VR/AR, cause-focused programming, thematic pop-ups), and early recommendations including CIFF50 programming seeds and community outreach strategy.
Jun 18, 2025
Expansion Proposal Submitted
Delivered 15-page expansion proposal: Problem Statement, SWOT Analysis, Core Values Framework (Immersion, Belonging, Discovery, Legacy), 6 named CIFF Experiences program lanes, 3 fully developed pilot events, and next steps. Hermione responded: "I LOVE what you've put together."
Jul–Sep 2025
Phase One, Discovery & Strategic Planning
12-week engagement. Delivered: stakeholder interview synthesis, audience analysis, sponsorship commission model, CIFF 2026 master sponsorship deck, 5 year-round pilot programs (RE:FORM, Sound+Vision, CIFF HONORS, Quinceañera 20th, Corporate Screenings), RE:FORM full event book, transitional org chart, and press clips report.
Oct 28, 2025
Strategic Presentation Delivered to Leadership
"Transforming the Cleveland Film Society: From a Single Marquee Event to a Year-Round Society", 34-slide presentation defining the CFS vs. CIFF framework, 4 audience personas, Capsule programming model, Outside Voices Masterclass Series, operating guardrails, and full 12-month calendar.
Oct–Dec 2025
Phase Two, Revenue Infrastructure & Film Society Build
Built complete sponsorship operating system (CRM, pipeline, SOPs, KPIs). Delivered Film Society 2026 sponsor deck, master sponsorship spreadsheet, bespoke one-sheets, Andscape/ESPN proposal, Film Society activation calendar, membership/donor tier redesign, and 3 confirmed network partner agreements (DPA, Video Consortium, Firelight Media).
Jan–Feb 2026
Transition & Handoff
Completed outstanding deliverables, documented partnership handoffs, finalized wrap report toolkit. Engagement concluded in February 2026.
The Core Idea
One organization, many ways to belong
The central strategic insight: CIFF wasn't the organization, it was the flagship program within a larger organization. Separating these identities unlocked everything else.
Cleveland Film Society (CFS)
The organization
Year-round nonprofit developing regional independent storytellers. Mission: nurture Midwestern artists and serve as a feeder to major festivals (Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, SXSW). Activities: masterclasses, workshops, staged readings, grants, capsule events, networking.
CIFF
The flagship
The annual 10-day festival, the peak of the year that capsules and touchpoints build toward. A concentrated public exhibition and launchpad for artists. The crown jewel, not the whole crown.
From the Oct 28, 2025 Strategic Presentation, © Kelli Blake
Programming Architecture
A year-round rhythm built to sustain
Designed three seasonal Capsule weekends, a monthly masterclass series, and a full 12-month activation calendar, each element reinforcing the others and building toward CIFF as the annual pinnacle.
01
Seasonal Capsules (3 Per Year)
Three weekend intensives, Late Spring (May 29–31), Summer (Aug 14–16), Fall (Oct 23–25), each with a public Friday opening, selective Saturday lab/workshop, and closed Sunday industry session. Themes drawn from a menu of 6 thematic lanes. Operating guardrails established: 46-day blackout period March 15–April 30; 288 remaining operating days for planning and touchpoints.
Program DesignCalendar Architecture
02
Outside Voices: Masterclass & Table Read Series
Monthly virtual touchpoints between capsules. Masterclasses: 6 sessions/year, Thursdays 6–6:40pm ET, 15:5:10 format (guest conversation + CIFF bulletin + Q&A). Table Reads & Showcases: 3 sessions/year, staged readings or works-in-progress with moderated feedback. Designed to keep CFS in the conversation year-round with filmmakers, members, and partners.
Series DesignCommunity Engagement
03
6 Thematic Programming Lanes
Developed the full CIFF Experiences theme menu, each designed as a capsule theme, sponsor activation framework, and community entry point: Sound+Vision (music & film), Plate to Screen (food docs + tastings), Field to Film (sports + live athletic experiences), Frame of Mind (wellness + meditation), Wild Card/Cinema Labs (experimental), and RE:FORM: Impact to Action (civic/issue-driven screenings with community follow-through and on-site Hope Hub stations).
Brand ArchitectureExperiential Design
04
4 Audience Personas
Created fully developed personas to guide all programming, communications, and membership design: Ric Sanchez (Member, 34, wants easy calendar and bring-a-friend perks), Paula Whitaker (Donor, 58, needs clear investment with visible impact), Amara Lewis (Filmmaker, 29, seeks mentorship and festival strategy roadmap), Mimi Ortega (Sr. Programmer, 46, values curated pipeline with polished materials).
Audience StrategyPersona Development
From the Oct 28, 2025 Strategic Presentation, © Kelli Blake
"I LOVE what you've put together. I'm going to dive in more deeply over the weekend, but let you know I received it and am really excited by your proposal."
Hermione Malone, Executive Director, CIFF · June 20, 2025
Revenue Infrastructure
A complete sponsorship operating system
Built the revenue infrastructure from the ground up, not just decks, but the full stack of systems, tools, and materials needed to run a year-round sponsorship operation.
Sponsor Materials
- CIFF 2026 Master Sponsorship Deck
- Film Society 2026 Sponsor Deck (v1)
- Centerpiece Film Sponsorship ($25K package)
- Passholder Lounge package
- Opening / Closing Night / Awards pages
- Andscape (ESPN) bespoke proposal
- Bespoke one-sheet system + copy blocks
Systems & Operations
- CRM pipeline (fields, stages, hygiene rules)
- Master Sponsor Spreadsheet + tracking
- Commission-based sales model proposal
- Monthly KPI memo framework
- "How to Intro" staff enablement guide
- Wrap report template + toolkit
- Network partner outreach email templates
Strategy & Planning
- Stakeholder interview synthesis report
- Audience analysis + positioning language
- Transitional org chart
- Membership + donor tier redesign
- 12-month activation calendar
- Strategic planning environmental analysis
- Press clips consolidated report
Programs & Partnerships
- RE:FORM full event book (run-of-show, access plan, timeline)
- Outside Voices Masterclass framework
- Outside Voices Table Reads framework
- CIFF HONORS program concept
- The Wardrobe Room experience concept
- Confirmed: DPA, Video Consortium, Firelight Media agreements
"What you're proposing makes a lot of sense and helps to break us out of the static infrastructure you called out in the SWOT analysis."
Hermione Malone, Executive Director, CIFF · June 25, 2025
What Was Left Behind
Not a report. A transformation roadmap.
Every deliverable was built for implementation, not the shelf, complete with the tools, systems, and frameworks needed to execute.
2
Signed Contracts,
2 Phases
34
Slide Strategic
Transformation Deck
3
Confirmed Network
Partner Agreements
10+
Partnership Decks
& One Sheets
6
Thematic Programming
Lanes Designed
4
Audience Personas
Developed
2
Ongoing Series Designed
(Masterclass + Table Reads)
1
Complete Organizational
Repositioning
