We had the good fortune of connecting with Greg Reitman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Greg, what do you attribute your success to?
Like all businesses, your brand is an extension of your identity. As the CEO & Founder of Blue Water Entertainment, we’ve taken our brand and identity to the next level. With the advent of COVID-19, the online business is now the new norm. In response, we’ve taken notice how important is to protect one’s brand online. In 2020, our production company, Blue Water Entertainment launched the online virtual Blue Water Summit in conjunction with the online Blue Water Film Festival. We believe the environment is of the utmost importance and is synonymous with the Blue Water brand.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
David Lynch says, ‘All I wanted to be was a painter’. I feel the same way. As an artist, author, filmmaker, and now Founder of the Blue Water Film Festival, I feel the same compassionate artistic self. All I want to do is create. The mission of Blue Water Entertainment is to tell cinematically compelling, intentional, and empowering stories that make a difference in our world. Cinema is the place where dreams are made and where life stops. In the magic kingdom of storytelling, Blue Water Entertainment’s slate of films focuses on current issues that impact our daily lives — from politics, social justice and poverty to religion…and of course, the environment. Whether it’s writing a book, documenting an issue, producing the Blue Water Summit or the Blue Water Film Festival, it’s all the same. It’s bringing our collective truth of our big blue planet message in a way that serves humanity. We must fundamentally understand these truths and to live accordance by the rules of nature and the natural laws. My path has not been easy and there were many times when I questioned the path of producing impact content as an author, filmmaker, producer, executive producer in the entertainment industry. I always come back to the same thought. Why now? Why me? As I continue to grow and create, I realize the utmost importance of these global messages and the role of the content maker. Here, at Blue Water there is nothing more important than a healthy planet which begins with a healthy self.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Our vacation begins in San Diego at the Hotel Del Coronado learning of Marilyn Monroe start in the entertainment industry with the filming of “Some Like It Hot”. After a healthy lunch of smoothies, we proceed over to the city of Del Mar and spend a few hours at the Del Mar race tracks. Afterwards, we continue driving up the coastline stopping at Dana Point catching the Catalina Express ferry to Catalina Island, home of my first documentary film, “Hollywood’s Magical Island – Catalina”. Upon arrival, we check in at my favorite hotel on the island, “The Avalon Hotel”, and then head out to the waterfront for dinner at the Blue Water Grill. We conclude the evening entertainment at the historic Casino Ballroom theatre watching Steven Spielberg classic film, “Jaws”. The next morning, we hike up to Wrigley Botanical Gardens. After the hike, we walk down to Pleasure Pier and grab some healthy salads for lunch. We do a little shopping in the town before heading back on the ferry to the mainland. We than continue up the coastline to Laguna Beach and spend the remaining afternoon visiting the art galleries, in particular the National Geographic exhibit and the Wyland Gallery. We conclude the evening with an Italian dinner at Il Fornaio. The next morning, we hike up Temescal Canyon enjoying the Malibu breeze and coastline. After the hike, we drive a few miles up the coastline and stop at Malibu Seafood for lunch. After lunch, we continue to drive up the coastline stopping off at the Malibu Vineyard for some wine, cheese, and end the evening with a beautiful skyline sunset. The next day, we continue driving up the coastline stopping at Santa Barbara. We spend most of the day in town at the local shops and conclude with fine dining. The next day, we continue to drive up the California coastline heading to the Paso Robales Vineyard spending the remaining two days drinking on the vineyard, and then return home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Behind every brand or marketing plan there is always a master friend, helper, mentor who guides one to the finish line. For me, there are a few extraordinary individuals sharing their wisdom in helping me to understand the principles of producing and executing a successful marketing and distribution plan. My marketing career began in the United Kingdom working alongside Mike Thompson, EVP Sales & Marketing at Simon & Schuster Int’l. Here, I co-wrote and co-executed my first marketing initiative as a Marketing Manager with the acclaimed book publisher. When I returned stateside, I had the opportunity to meet Executive Producer, Lenny Shapiro where I enrolled in his marketing, distribution and finance class at UCLA. After completing the class, Marilyn White, Head of the Film program convinced me to intern for Lenny. Here, I learned first-hand the mechanics behind the marketing machine. Consequently, Lenny and I became close friends. I had the privilege of having Lenny advise me on the marketing and distribution strategies of all my commercial films that I have produced. Fast forward twenty-five years later, I became an adjunct professor at NYU-Tisch teaching the essentials of marketing & distribution which I fully attribute to my mentor, and friend Lenny Shapiro.

Website: http://www.GregReitman.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregreitman/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greitman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GREGREITMAN
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greitman
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBLUEWATERCHANNEL/featured
Other: http://bluewaterfilmfestival.org http://bluewaterinstitute.org http://www.bluewatercompany.com IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0718644/

Image Credits
Greg Reitman, Author, Filmmaker Producer, & Founder of the Blue Water Institute