by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Many years ago, someone “in the know” in the film and television industry told Cindy Smith the only way to make it in the industry was to move to New York or Los Angeles to prove herself.
Last week, Smith and her husband Jerry collected their second Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Lifestyle Directing for “Passport to Europe” — the company’s daily show on the Travel Channel that’s hosted by Samantha Brown.
That New York-or-Los Angeles warning is a distant memory and the Smiths and their highly-successful company are proving you can base yourself in Jacksonville and still top the likes of Martha Stewart, Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray.
Cindy Smith is a founding member of the Jacksonville Film Commission and still remembers that conversation, especially when she sees the two Emmys and several regional Emmys on a table in the company’s Southside office. She said she was told you can’t produce Emmy-quality shows in Jacksonville.
“This is my dream come true,” she said. “it shows that, of course you can if you put the right team together.”
PineRidge shoots and produces shows worldwide and the payroll reflects that international essence.
“We have people from London, Taiwan, Australia, New York,” said Cindy Smith, the company’s president. “It’s such a team effort.”
This year’s Daytime Emmy went to Joan McCord, Jerry Smith and Sid Goldberg but, as Jerry Smith pointed out, PineRidge should have gotten a Daytime Emmy for field production of the show, also – but that category doesn’t exist.
“Our directors also produce and actually create the shows in the field,” said Jerry, who started Jerry Smith Film & Television Company in 1970 in Milwaukee. He moved to Florida in 1983, married Cindy two years later and also bought her company — a six-woman company called Howard Production Services. “Our directors have tremendous authority over how the show is handled.”
Overall, PineRidge has been nominated eight times for a Daytime Emmy. Three years ago, they won for “Great Hotels” which airs at noon on the Travel Channel just before “Passport to Europe.”
Cindy Smith said the company is so busy right now she considered foregoing this year’s awards show.
“I didn’t want to spend the money and we don’t have the time because we have so many things going on right now with our new series,” she said. “Then, I thought, this is ridiculous. We need to be out there.
“I couldn’t believe it when they announced we won. It’s so against the odds.”
Cindy Smith said the second Daytime Emmy proves the first wasn’t a fluke and may pave the way for more in the future.
“It means a lot,” she said, “More than I realized.”