Thank You Carrie!

If a Google search was executed to research the history of FILO Productions, Inc., most people would find that FILO opened on or around 2001, with two St. Paul gentlemen as the backbone of the company, who had a passion for events and the sports industry; but what most people wouldn’t know, is that the 3rd person (EVER!) to be hired full-time and become a part of the FILO team was a young girl named Carrie Hagen.

Since 2004, Carrie has graced FILO Productions with her presence to help grow the company in every way possible. Carrie has, and forever will be, a giant part of the FILO family. Her energy, passion and “give it to you straight” attitude is something that will forever be remembered. That, and the fact that at one point in time, she couldn't live without Diet Coke, bubble gum, sushi and iron man competitions (in one form or another), will forever be associated with Carrie “Bibs” Hagen.

A few weeks ago, Carrie “Bibs” Hagen brought to FILO’s attention that she would be moving on, with her professional career, at another company. Some of the messages and thoughts that were difficult to put in words at the time, have finally been put down on paper below:

"Carrie, your ability to keep the FILO boys in-line will be missed and I am excited for your new venture and your future success.” -Brian Buron

"I would just like to wish her good luck and say it was great to work with her over the past few years and I know the next group of people that get that opportunity will feel the same.” -Dan Fosse

"It was always a good way to start your day by walking through the door and seeing Carrie at her desk with a warm greeting and a smile!” -Nathan Aadland

"My best memories of Carrie were first at Jam Session and later at Hope Rocks, when I saw how she rolled up her sleeves and worked her butt off to set up and tear down those events. I learned quickly that Carrie not only kept the office in order but also got her hands dirty, and she will be missed!” -Lou Bavaro

"Carrie was an important part of the growth and the culture of FILO. She will always be a member of our family.” -Kevin Weinhandl

"Carrie was the heart and soul of the office atmosphere. I felt like she was my second mother for eight hours a day. She always kept me on task while making sure the essential business items were take care of on a daily basis, such as filling out event packets, expense reports, filing, and more.” -Andy Acosta

I still, myself, am not quite sure what Bibs means or where it came from, although I’m sure she’s explained it over 100 times now. There is, however, one thing I am quite sure of, and that is Carrie will be missed. She will forever be associated and recognized as one of the most important pieces in the history of FILO. However you look at it, Carrie had a big hand in helping make FILO what it is today, and for that….we all thank you, Bibs.

We all wish you well and our doors will forever be open to you. Good luck with everything and anything you do moving forward. We all know that your tenacity will lead you to success in one form or another, regardless of what you do. Thank you for all the hard work and years you’ve put in. We truly wouldn’t be where we are, without you.

Love, 

The FILO Crew

FILO Partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of America for Nickelodeon Event

On Saturday, September 21st, FILO Productions and Boys & Girls Clubs of America teamed up at Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play to produce a family-fun activities area.

During the one-day festival in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, over 3,000 people passed through our event space that included a pitching inflatable, hitting inflatable, custom signage and photo opportunity; in addition to two PGA inflatables. Over 450 photos were taken and given away during the 6-hour event, which created more than 25,000 impressions for BGCA.

FILO was responsible for creating and producing signage, load-in, setup, event activation, strike and load-out. FILO was also responsible for managing signage and some equipment at the NBA exhibit space, inside the Nickelodeon festival.

“The atmosphere at the event was spectacular with so many families playing and smiling together that day,” said Lou Bavaro, who was on-site for FILO. “It was packed, and the kids couldn't get enough of the photo opportunity and the inflatables.”

RENS Inaugural Gala Dinner

FILO Productions Inc. took part in the RENS Inaugural Gala Dinner at Cipriani Wall Street in lower Manhattan, NY. Dan Klores, an award-winning filmmaker and playwright, and Co-Founder/Executive Director of the New Renaissance Basketball Association for youngsters, hosted the Gala which honored John Marino, Managing Partner/Director of DKC Public Relations and Orin Snyder, Partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Donors and guests at the event were also welcomed by the likes of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, as well as NBA Legends Bernard King, John Starks, Sam Perkins and others.
The Gala event featured The Big Money $hot for a chance to win $250,000. Of the 85 tables spanning the luxurious New York landmark, 25 tables each costing $20,000 were given the opportunity for one representative per table to shoot a 3/4 court shot.

FILO’s event day responsibilities included the installation of sport court, event signage, and the basketball hoop system. Throughout the planning stages of this project, FILO worked with a New York based Event Associates, Inc. to assist in the shipping, warehousing, and travel logistics of the NBA owned assets. All proceeds from the event went to the New Renaissance Basketball Association.

FILO a Finalist for Stillwater Summer Festival (2014)

FILO Productions, Inc. was selected as one of three finalists to present an idea or concept for a 2014 Stillwater (MN) Summer Festival that will take place at Lowell Park, next July.

FILO first heard about the Stillwater Summer festival and the possibility of it going out for RFP at the end of July when Manager, and long time Stillwater worker, Tom Butina, overheard the city wanted to bring the festival back.

“It was like Christmas morning for me when I heard it was coming back! Lumberjack Days was one of the greatest festivals in the state of Minnesota—everyone loved it,” Tom mentioned.

Lumberjack Days hasn’t been around since 2011 after some legal issues and unpaid bills with the former event producer. For decades, it was an annual event that brought in anywhere from 20,000-60,000 people over a 3-day span.

Over 28 packets of the RFP were sent out to companies and personnel interested in the project. The three finalists presented their proposal to the four city council members, the mayor of Stillwater and Bill Turnblad, community development director, who led the RFP process.

FILO’s experience, reliability and credibility with some of the biggest name brands around the world helped grant them a spot in the final three. They proposed a FREE, family-friendly event that would include three separate areas: a kids event area, a cultural area to showcase the historical fabric of Stillwater, and a small concert series area that would include two small, local, headline bands on Friday and Saturday evening. They also included a lumberjack exhibition zone to incorporate the authentic history of Stillwater.

The proposals were heard on Tuesday, October 15 and a decision should be made by Tuesday, October 29.

MN Wild Opening Weekend

With the Minnesota Wild in a new division for the upcoming 2014 season, they wanted to kick the year off with a bang. Part of that bang was creating a pre-game fan festival with interactive activations for Wild fans, prior to face-off.

FILO Productions set-up a photo op. display and a customized Minnesota Wild hockey inflatable for the first two games of the 2014 season. The displays were set-up above the ticket office and on Kellogg Boulevard prior to game-time at the Xcel Energy Center. Wild fans partook in pre-game activities that included shooting at the hockey inflatable, listening to a live broadcast of KFAN, enjoying a live band, face painting, autograph signings and walking away with a FREE photo souvenir.

FILO is proud to be working with the Minnesota Wild and looks forward to more collaborative events in the future. Keep an eye out for FILO as you enter the Xcel Energy Center for Minnesota Wild home games this season.

FILO Co-Produces Hope Rocks to Benefit Faith’s Lodge

Earlier this year, FILO was engaged by Faith’s Lodge to be the production partner for the organization’s signature fundraiser, Hope Rocks, and on September 13th months of hard work paid off with an amazing event.

More than 700 people attended and over $100,000 was raised for Faith's Lodge, which provides a place where parents and families facing the serious illness or death of a child can retreat to reflect on the past, renew strength for the present, and build hope for the future (www.faithslodge.org).

Now in its sixth year, Hope Rocks was held at The Depot, Minneapolis, and featured a private BoDeans concert plus a surprise opening performance from A Firm Handshake. Sammy Brown and Reed Redmond sang their song “Clouds” as a tribute to fallen band member Zach Sobiech, who captured the world with his musical message of love before passing away on May 20 from osteosarcoma.

“It was one of the most moving experiences of my life to see so many people come together and support each other and look toward hope in times of ultimate grief,” said FILO’s Lou Bavaro, who co-produced the program with Kevin Weinhandl. “We are all proud to have been a part of it.”

The event also included a silent auction, live auction and other fundraising components that were facilitated by BidPal, an electronic registration and auction system using smartphones.

FILO’s responsibilities included: consulting with Faith’s Lodge on programming and elements; element procurement; producing and managing the audio/visual needs of the full program; producing and managing the sound for the BoDeans and A Firm Handshake; providing a total 10 FILO staffers and additional laborers for the day of event to assist with setup, registration, photo opportunity management, auction management, talent management and/or whatever was deemed necessary.

”The FILO staff was amazing. Their attention to detail and personal service were just icing on the cake,” said Faith’s Lodge Executive Director Kelly McDyre. “It was the professional job they did in the production and arrangements that wowed me and I can’t wait for the next opportunity.”

“By the way, FILO was true to form,” McDyre added. “They were the first ones at the venue that day and the last to leave.”

FILO Heads to Canada

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has launched NBA.com/playball, a new multi-faceted campaign in Canada aimed at increasing youth participation in basketball across the country. The NBA BIG Tour will visit five Canadian cities in September and October, offering BIG Talent and BIG Entertainment in local markets.

On Saturday, September 7th, the NBA BIG Tour made its debut at the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, the capital of the Canadian province. While claiming the largest mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall played host to the interactive tour which offered a variety of entertainment to mall shoppers.

Fans flooded the mall for a chance to see Patrick Beverly of the Houston Rockets and 7-time NBA Champion and NBA legend Robert Horry. They were also treated to a performance by Buckets Blakes of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters. To highlight the programming, mall-goers had a chance to take photos with the NBA Championship Larry O'Brien trophy.

FILO Productions Inc. sent two members of its team to the kickoff event, where they played an integral role in the overall operations and programming for the run of show. FILO’s job duties included: crafting detailed truck packs, arranging trucking logistics, and onsite consulting throughout set-up and strike execution.

The NBA BIG Tour runs through October 19th making stops in Calgary, AB, Vancouver, BC, Toronto, ON, and concluding in Montreal, QC.

FILO returns to the US OPEN

Director Carrie Hagen recently returned from her 11th appearance for FILO at the US OPEN in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., where she helped manage the ATP World Tour Suite for the fifth time.

The ATP formally defined as the Association of Tennis Professionals joined when a handful of the game's leading players met at the US OPEN to discuss the need for a players' association.

Carrie shared duties with longtime suite hostess Shiela Campion, and was responsible for welcoming and serving guests of both the ATP and Proskauer Rose LLP, the law firm that shares the suite.

“It is an amazing experience as I get to dress up every night and interact with some of the most interesting people from all over the world,” Hagen said. “The best part is that each year I see a lot of the same people. It is almost like my own US OPEN family.”

FILO’s engagement with the US OPEN has taken on many forms over the years from the US OPEN SmashZone to the ATP World Tour Booth to Carrie’s current responsibilities with the ATP World Tour suite.

Other responsibilities with the ATP World Tour Suite have included setting up the suite, shipping and receiving logistics and food and beverage selection.

“It’s truly an unique and special event for FILO.” Said Carrie

Christmas Comes Early For FILO

“Is it December already?” asked a patron walking down the streets of Manhattan as he saw FILO’s Andrew Westphal plugging in a few snow cannons outside of Radio City Music Hall earlier this month.

Indeed it wasn’t. It was only August…but the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall teamed up with FILO Productions, Inc. to produce Christmas in August, a one-day promotional event with custom wrapped vehicles, more than 12,000 ice cream pops, snow cannons, Santa Claus and even two camels.

The one-day tour around New York City was to promote the 2013 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, presented by Chase. The annual show is one of the largest in New York’s history and runs November 8 through December 30. The production promises to lift spirits and create lasting memories for new audiences as well as for families that have made this cherished production a holiday tradition.

On Tuesday, August 13, FILO traveled around with a Christmas Spectacular-themed food truck and a wrapped double decker Gray Line bus, to hand out more than 12,000 “Rox Pops,” (apple-cranberry flavored ice pops created by People’s Pops, specifically for the Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular).

The tour made stops all around the city including Radio City Music Hall, Bryant Park, Madison Square Park, Beacon Theatre, Union Square and Park Slope, Brooklyn.

At the initial stop for both vehicles, Radio City Music Hall, the Rockettes and Santa Claus unveiled a one-of-a-kind ice sculpture that was created to celebrate this year’s production and new show scene, ‘Snow’! It seemed as if every member of the New York press was there for the spectacle, resulting in national coverage.

As part of the project, FILO assisted with overall event operations, procurement of equipment for the promotion, providing and managing brand ambassadors and acting as a liaison to ensure the Christmas Spectacular-themed food truck was flawless.

The tour was an enormous success as the city of New York was covered in snow throughout that Tuesday. All 12,000 ice cream pops were handed out and the countless number of smiles and impressions made by the Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall and FILO Productions, Inc. that day will live on through Christmas.

Tickets for the production are on sale now and may be purchased through the website at http://radiocitychristmas.com/offer/partner or the Radio City Box Office. Use code PARTNER to save 25% on select tickets & performances.

2013 Tour Comes To An End

The 2013 NBA Nation Tour presented by Sprint has come to an end. The League’s mobile interactive basketball experience traveled to eight of the nation’s largest markets, had 21 event days and eclipsed a total event attendance of over 1.1 million people. The FILO road crew logged over 1,400 setup, teardown and show hours and was on the road 44 out of the 54 days during the two months of the tour. The traveling FILO crew consisted of Brian Buron, Andy Acosta, Tom Butina, Luke Hvidhyld and Dan Fosse. After FILO’s 7th year running the Tour, the crew now has a combined 18 years of NBA Nation experience.

“With the magnitude of the NBA Nation Tour, it is essential to bring a team together of experienced individuals who specialize in all aspects of mobile touring programs,” said Tour Manager Andy Acosta. “We were able to accomplish this, making the 2013 Nation Tour a success.”

Talent Coordinator Tom Butina, in regards to his summer experience said, “It was a pleasure working with the talented and dedicated NBA staff. Together we planned and executed an amazing summer tour.”

The 2013 NBA Nation Tour was a great success and FILO Productions, Inc. is already looking forward to 2014.

 

FILO Contributes Over $10,000 This Summer to Local Charities via Sponsorships, Fundraising Games, Donations and Volunteering

The FILO crew has been busy at fundraising events and on golf courses this summer having fun and, more importantly, contributing over $10,000 to local charities. For the third straight year FILO sponsored The Sanneh Foundation’s Golf 4 Goals event; Paul Molitor Golf Classic for Friends of St. Paul Baseball; and the Face Off Classic benefiting Friends of St. Paul Hockey. On top of direct donations, FILO also operated its famous Golf Plinko game to raise an additional $350 on average.

“Being a team player is one of the core values at FILO and that extends to our community,” said President Kevin Weinhandl. “Giving back is part of who we are and we have fun doing it!”

FILO also helped out with the 30-Days Foundation’s A Stroke of Luck Golf Tournament and Get Your Cape On fundraising events; the Memorial Golf Tournament and Wine Tasting fundraisers for Todd Western Charitable Organization; and the 11th Annual Leo Lewis Celebrity Golf Classic.

   

Knicks and FILO Create Partnership; Produce Surreal Playoffs Party in Manhattan

Playing for Now is the slogan the New York Knicks implemented for the 2013 Playoffs. After receiving the 2 seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2013 NBA Playoffs, the time was now for the Knickerbockers to put everything they had into giving back to the community and the city of New York…and that’s exactly what they did.

The Knicks created the 2013 Knicks Playoffs Borough Tour presented by Chase throughout the first round of the playoffs for not only the city of Manhattan, but all five boroughs (the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan). Before Game 1 of the first round even began on Saturday, April 20, New York’s team combined Chase bank branch appearances with alumni autograph sessions, Knicks brand ambassadors, scavenger hunts and “what would you do for tickets?” competitions all over the boroughs.

As part of the activation and promotions, the New York Knicks also hosted their 2013 MSG Fan Fests outside of Madison Square Garden for every home game throughout the playoffs. One home game even included an exclusive Chase “Blue Carpet” ceremony.

It was a spectacular few weeks as all five boroughs were painted orange & blue and wrapped in the infamous #knickstape. Everywhere you looked, you saw the Knicks.

FILO’s role included producing a mobile barber set-up for Knicks Playoffs Cuts, where fans could show their Knicks pride by receiving custom colored haircuts and attempt to win Playoff tickets. FILO also assisted in the signage production of all Knicks Playoffs branding, provided a plethora of brand ambassador’s and hosted each home game Fan Fest with a FILO emcee.

Lou Bavaro of FILO Productions traveled everywhere with FILO’s brand promoters from the Cotton Club in Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge to the Staten Island mall, in an attempt to build brand recognition for the Knicks and hand out endless give-a-ways for the fans of New York.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me…for FILO…for everyone. I’ve lived in New York for a long time and there are some spots I visited with (and for) the Tour that I had never been to in my life. I’ve never seen anything like this before--the Knicks reached out to every fan possible amongst the five boroughs and they did it the right way. It didn’t matter if you were living in Staten Island, Astoria or in Midtown Manhattan. We were coming to bring the Knicks to you and I think that says a lot about an organization and to their fans.”

After the New York Knicks beat the Celtics in 6 games on Friday, May 3, the Knicks and FILO Productions went to work on a grand spectacle event in Herald Square for Game 3 during the 2nd Round of the NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers.

8 days later…the Knicks and FILO were in Manhattan hosting more than 50,000 people for the Knicks Playoffs Fan Fest & Outdoor Viewing Party presented by Chase. The Broadway Plaza event (between 34th and 35th streets) brought Knicks fans everywhere together. The event included the Knicks full basketball court with competitions and prizes, multiple DJ’s and emcees, the Knicks Playoffs Cuts exhibit, a fully branded Knicks photo booth, the Knicks Groove Truck and most importantly, a roughly 500 square foot jumbotron screen with a LIVE feed for the game.

The one day event took place on Saturday, May 11 and included New York Knicks Legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Hall of Famer Bernard King, Earl Monroe, Larry Johnson, Dean Meminger, Cal Ramsey and the Knicks City Dancers.

The Knicks weren’t able to pull off a “W” against the Pacers that night, but every fan in attendance, all of FILO and everyone from the New York Knicks had created an experience and memory that will live on forever. New York and its team (the Knicks) were playing for now.

Another Grand Slam Tour for “Play Ball! Minnesota”

“Play Ball! Minnesota” wrapped up its three-month mobile tour on June 1 at St. Paul’s Grand Old Day festival – marking the team’s 10th stop on the road and 13th event.

This was FILO’s second year producing the “PlayBall! Minnesota” tour, which made its way across the state to stops such as: the Earth Day Half Marathon in St. Cloud, Arthritis Walk in Baxter and the Med City Marathon in Rochester.

“Baseball is beloved throughout Minnesota, and that’s been evident in the excitement and participation we’ve seen on this tour,” said Dan Fosse of FILO. “From kids to parents to grandparents, everyone lights up when they hold a baseball bat and take a swing. ‘Play Ball! Minnesota’ gives everyone the opportunity to experience the love for the game.”

FILO was responsible for managing all aspects of the tour, from pre-launch planning and routing to on-site staffing and activation. Our brand ambassadors registered approximately 350 new emails and handed out thousands of “PlayBall! Minnesota” branded giveaways.The tour touched an estimated 5,000 people, allowing the Twins organization to carry its message across the state and collect important information to communicate with followers and fans of baseball.

"PlayBall! Minnesota" and FILO will come together again this Sunday June 16th when the Twins and the Minnesota Minute Men honor the 2013 Play Ball! Mr. Baseball and Ms. Softball Award Winners at a banquet at Jax Café. FILO recently joined the Minute Men to help market and grow the organization, which exists to do good will through sports.

Grilling for Friends of Farnsworth

On June 4th Farnsworth Aerospace Elementary celebrated its 10-year anniversary and FILO was there to help – managing the audio/visual for the parade and program and feeding the staff, students and families. Our first experience utilizing FILO’s new 8-foot branded bbq grill proved to be a rousing success as we cooked and served 1,000 hot dogs and sides in just over an hour. In addition, FILO provided all the audio/visual components needed to liven up the parade and project the formal program, which took place in the school gym.

“Thank you so much for helping celebrate Farnsworth's 10th Anniversary of Aerospace last night,” Jill Wall, Program Manager, wrote in an email.“Your grilling was top notch, the music truck in the parade, your incredible staff helping, donating the paper products = Farnsworth LOVES having FILO as a continuing partner!”

Now that we have this first grill fest under our belts, FILO plans to offer the service to individuals and organizations in the near future so keep an eye out for the official announcement!

 

FILO Hits The Road Again

FILO has been a key part of the NBA Nation tour presented by Sprint for the last seven years, bringing the league’s interactive basketball experience to fans across the United States and promoting the NBA, its programs and its partners. This year’s tour will reach its midway mark this Father’s Day Weekend with a stop at the Taste of Randolph in Chicago. The first three stops were in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Charlotte, and were all met with great fanfare.

The 2013 NBA Nation Tour presented by Sprint is highlighted by the Sprint Unlimited NBA Experience and includes the Kevin Durant Unlimited Free Throw Competition and Steve Nash’s Fast Break Challenge. 

Other experiences include the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown, a Dribble to Stop Diabetes interactive tent, NBA Fit Clinics and, of course, the Official Ambassador of the NBA Nation Tour presented by Sprint, NBA Legend Darryl Dawkins. There is also an 18-wheel, 53’ interactive show truck where you can play the latest video games or capture your photo with a state of the art mock locker room set-up.

“The NBA Nation Tour presented by Sprint has found success in the first part of the tour and looks to carry that momentum into our next stop in Chicago,” said Tour Manager Andy Acosta. “As the NBA Finals are in full swing the excitement of the NBA is growing and we look forward to finishing the tour on a high note.”

The NBA Nation Tour presented by Sprint will be present at 8 stops across the country (total) and has the potential to reach more than one million people on impressions alone.

Some of FILO’s responsibilities and duties include eight full set-ups and tear downs of a footprint greater than 20,000 square feet, general operations management, signage production, equipment refurbishment, high-level talent management and managing a staff of more than 50 workers.

FILO Productions’ crew had a combined 13 NBA Nation Tours under their belts heading into this summer and for the second half of this season will be visiting Washington DC, New Rutherford, NJ, Philadelphia, PA and Dallas, TX.