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About Eric Raddatz
Southwest Florida personality
Southwest Florida personality
Southwest Florida personality
Eric Raddatz is one of the most renowned faces in the Southwest Florida arts and news community and has been for many years. Known as a regular contributor at NBC and iHeart radio in SWFL, he is also the host of the indie film live theater series T.G.I.M. He is the founder of the Fort Myers and Naples International Film Festivals, curr
Eric Raddatz is one of the most renowned faces in the Southwest Florida arts and news community and has been for many years. Known as a regular contributor at NBC and iHeart radio in SWFL, he is also the host of the indie film live theater series T.G.I.M. He is the founder of the Fort Myers and Naples International Film Festivals, currently serving as the executive director of the former. Eric is a veteran visual journalist and currently serves as editor and publisher of SWFL Fresh Press, formerly at Gulfshore Life, News-Press, Florida Weekly, Copley Newspapers and Gannett, winning numerous awards for all in the realms of design and presentation. Eric's award-winning news layouts have also been displayed in a number of art shows in SWFL. He also has served as the editor and creative director at Fort Myers Florida Weekly, Ave Maria Sun and Babcock Ranch Telegraph, as well as presentation editor for West Villages Journal. He is an editor, columnist, writer and filmmaker. He currently serves as executive director of FODASA and Raddatz Foundation, acquisitions and distribution for Dreamtime Entertainment, director at Outlier Brands and on the boards of many nonprofits. Head here for more of his professional accolades.
Film/ TV/ news man
Southwest Florida personality
Southwest Florida personality
Eric is a writer, director, producer and actor of several films and shows shot in and around Florida. In addition to being a film creator, he also has founded film festivals. He birthed the Naples International Film Festival, serving as executive director its inaugural year in 2009, then the Fort Myers Film Festival the following year, al
Eric is a writer, director, producer and actor of several films and shows shot in and around Florida. In addition to being a film creator, he also has founded film festivals. He birthed the Naples International Film Festival, serving as executive director its inaugural year in 2009, then the Fort Myers Film Festival the following year, also serving as the executive director. The inaugural Naples International Film Festival took place at the Silverspot Luxury Cinemas in Mercato, the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts (now ArtisNaples), the Von Leibig and Norris Center infusing Collier's artistic community. Raddatz then decided to start The Fort Myers Film Festival, established in 2010 to cater to the artistically inclined population living in Lee County. The Fort Myers Film Festival has excited Lee’s artistic community, contributing to an economic renaissance downtown, which is now a cool place to go. The festival takes place annually at the luxurious Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, IMAG, Alliance for the Arts, Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Lab Theater, Luminary Hotel and other locations in Fort Myers. He also hosts T.G.I.M., an indie film show in Fort Myers and serves as film curator at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. His podcast Fresh Press with Eric Raddatz streams on Spotify. Head here for more of his movie accolades.
Early beginnings
Southwest Florida personality
Early beginnings
Born in Joliet, Il., Eric's first interest in journalism started as a paperboy for the Chicago Tribune as a young lad. He has maintained a lifelong love affair with the arts, spending most of his career in media and news. Working as a photographer and artist for the high school paper while taking courses in photography and darkroom pri
Born in Joliet, Il., Eric's first interest in journalism started as a paperboy for the Chicago Tribune as a young lad. He has maintained a lifelong love affair with the arts, spending most of his career in media and news. Working as a photographer and artist for the high school paper while taking courses in photography and darkroom print work, he has played a part in the evolution through his years in the field of media and publishing. He has played behind and in front of the camera lens. Eric first wet his feet in the silver screen while working on the set of "Stir of Echoes" as an extra alongside the well known actor Kevin Bacon. (Yes he is within only one degree of separation.) After working in movies such as "Rookie of the Year,' "Just Visiting," "Stuck on You," and television shows such as "ER" he decided to start writing, producing and directing films of his own. "A Day to Love and Die," his first short scenic conspiracy thriller, premiered in Fort Myers in 2003 and screened at the New York Film and Video Festival. His second film "Barely a Chance," premiered in Fort Myers in 2008 and screened at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival the same year. He continues to produce, direct and star in numerous movies. For recent updates follow Eric on Twitter here.