BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO The sky’s the limit for Gregg Cannizzaro, whose LIC-based company Go Indie TV Networks will be airing this year’s World Supermodel Pageant in Fiji, but he never forgets his roots and the western Queens neighborhood he continues to call home. Cannizzaro started his career working for the technical production team for HBO after receiving a bachelor’s degree from New York University. He then decided to move to Los Angeles, where he became the producer and sketch comedy director for E! Entertainment Television’s Emmy Award-winning series “Talk Soup.” Although he had fun in his position, he knew he was ready to take a chance on bigger projects. In those early days, Cannizzaro said he saw that there was a “need for the voice of the independent filmmaker to be heard,” but the problem was that these filmmakers were applying to film festivals, spending money and not getting anywhere. Looking to make a difference and create a platform where these filmmakers could move on up and share their films on an international level, in 2000 Cannizzaro, along with his now-wife Paula, formed Indie Gems Films. The full-service production company is dedicated to financing and producing independent films and television programming from either original material submitted or material developed in-house. Indie Gems Films became “a voice for the independent filmmaker,” Cannizzaro said. Bringing the company back from Los Angeles to Long Island City, Indie Gems Films then became the parent of Go Indie TV Networks, a streaming video entertainment channel with the mission to bring the undiscovered artists to an international arena, with no cost to them. Along with being available online at goindietv.com, films or television programming are also streamed through channels available on Roku in the United States, England and Canada. With taking on different projects together with Go Indie TV, such as working together with Garageland in Ireland and hoping to expand into a Hispanic division, the network MR Raj Suri Photo by has announced it would be the official media partner for Gavin A. Dooley’s World Supermodel Pageant taking place in Fiji this November. Working together with Natalia Marletta, general manager at The Pearl South Pacific Resort, Spa & Championship Golf Course on the Fiji Islands, where the pageant will take place, Go Indie TV will live stream the show, bringing it to an international televised audience. Together with his work in the entertainment business, Cannizzaro is also involved in other endeavors both in Los Angeles and Long Island City. For the past few years he has collaborated with Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla to recreate New York City’s annual celebration of the Feast of San Gennaro, in Los Angeles raising money and recognizing individuals of Italian heritage. Born and raised right off Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City, Cannizzaro still owns a home in the western Queens neighborhood and recently became a partner, together with Nick Guitart, of the brand-new Opendoor Restaurant at 10-09 50th Ave. “There are a lot of fond memories here in Long Island City,” he said. “To me my grandmother, grandfather, mother and father — their Gavin A Dooley, CEO, World Supermodel Pageant Natalie Marletta, general manager, The Pearl South Pacific Resort, Spa & Championship Golf Course spirits are alive here. I know they’re here. I just wish they were physically here to see my success in television and film.” Just like Go Indie TV Networks and all his other ventures, which strive to bring together artists and help them get to the top, Opendoor Restaurant also has a back room art gallery where artists can come and showcase their works for a month’s time. Cannizzaro said he hopes the space can serve as a spot where artists can get together, talk and network. “Here is a home, here is a tribe where we understand each other. There is no face back there in the back room, all there is is art — period,” he said. “You also don’t have to be an artist, you can like mingling with artists. Come down to Long Island City and enjoy yourself. Have a good time.” For more information visit goindietv.com, indiegemsfilms.com and opendoorrestaurant.com.
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