The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is throwing its annual Behind the Camera fundraiser at the Cleveland History Center, with acclaimed film historian and Northeast Ohio native Scott Eyman serving as the event's featured guest. The gathering will dig into a surprising chapter of movie history: Ohio's own role in the birth of the motion picture industry, including the fact that Warner Bros. got its start not in Los Angeles but in Youngstown.
A Date Still Being Sorted Out
Exactly when the event happens depends on which source you check. The film commission's own online event listing, posted on the Greater Cleveland Film Commission website, schedules the fundraiser for November 6, 2026, at 6 p.m. But Cleveland.com, which reported on the event, put the date as Nov. 9 in its headline. Hoodline could not independently confirm which date is correct, so anyone planning to attend should double-check directly with the film commission before making plans.
What is clear is the location: the Western Reserve Historical Society's Cleveland History Center at 10825 East Boulevard in Cleveland, per the commission's own listing. According to Cleveland.com's reporting on the seed story, the evening will begin with a VIP cocktail hour and meet-and-greet with Eyman, followed by a moderated discussion led by WKYC anchor Betsy Kling.
Who Is Scott Eyman
Eyman is being billed as an expert on Hollywood's Golden Age, and his resume backs that up. The film commission's event listing describes him as a Pulitzer Prize finalist and National Society of Film Critics Award winner, and per the seed reporting he has written books on John Wayne, Cary Grant and Cecil B. DeMille. He's also a Northeast Ohio native, giving the evening's focus on regional film history a personal angle.
The fundraiser's premise — that Ohio played a foundational role in the early movie business — includes contributions from stars like Clark Gable, Bob Hope and Dean Martin, according to the seed reporting. The Warner Bros. connection to Youngstown is likely to be a centerpiece of the discussion given how central it is to the evening's framing.
Tickets, Admission and Where the Money Goes
Fundraiser tickets range from $75 to $150, according to Cleveland.com's reporting, though the GCFC's own event page does not list a current ticket price for Hoodline to independently confirm. Admission includes a drink ticket, heavy hors d'oeuvres, free parking and after-hours access to the Western Reserve Historical Society's museum exhibits, the commission's listing says.
Proceeds benefit the film commission's workforce training initiative, branded “Reel Education, Real Jobs, For All,” per the film commission's event page. The GCFC describes itself as the only 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to driving economic development and job creation by building up Northeast Ohio's film and television industry, as stated on its own website.
A Growing Local Industry — With Some Disagreement on the Numbers
The fundraiser arrives as the film commission touts a strong run for the regional industry. The GCFC has attracted projects including James Gunn's “Superman,” Hulu's upcoming NFL drama “The Land” and the film “Buddy,” according to Cleveland.com's reporting on the seed story. The GCFC says its work has generated thousands of jobs and over $131 million in motion picture production direct spending since 2024.
That figure doesn't perfectly line up with other reported numbers for 2024 alone. The Land reported that GCFC booked $77.8 million in direct spending in 2024, employing 2,926 people in Northeast Ohio, while Cleveland.com separately reported that filmmakers spent $78 million shooting six projects in the region that year. The Land also notes that more than 300 productions have filmed in Ohio since 2007, and that 2024 productions alone spent $28.59 million at 406 local small-business vendors.
Part of a Bigger Push, and a Companion Exhibit
This isn't the film commission's first Behind the Camera event this year. Cleveland.com reported in December that Star Wars producer David Lester headlined the GCFC's annual Behind the Camera gala on Jan. 9, also held at the Cleveland History Center, with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and museum admission included and tickets priced at $50. The format for the Eyman event closely echoes that earlier gathering.
Visitors curious about Cleveland's film history don't have to wait for the fundraiser to see more. The Cleveland History Center is currently running “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga,” an exhibition exploring Cleveland's film legacy, which is scheduled to run through January 31, 2027, according to Cleveland.com's reporting on the seed story. Fundraiser attendees get after-hours access to the museum's exhibits as part of their admission, pairing the Eyman talk with a chance to explore the broader history on display.
