Trekking Through Appalachia
Trekking Through Appalachia, a journey through the American South.
While FiveSix Productions' motley crew call either Las Vegas, Nevada or Long Beach, California home, we certainly love to travel. We are no strangers to jet streams and interstates. We travel throughout the year, but late spring and early summer seem to have us gone more than not. While I'm writing this, we have a crew down in Laughlin, Nevada, filming along the Colorado River. Later this week, we'll be taking our talents to Baltimore, Maryland for some crab cakes and football, (Apparently, that's what Maryland does.). Last week however, we had the pleasure of going all Clark Griswold, and road tripped till the wheels fell off. After a quick flight into Dallas, we hit the road and spent time in charming cities like Shreveport, the always fun and unique New Orleans, and up in the beautiful hills of North Carolina. Southern Charm is real, and we were charmed from the bayou to Appalachia. We said our goodbyes to Dixie in Atlanta (couldn't find Donald Glover, unfortunately), and returned back to our west coast homes. We certainly can't wait for our next trip down south, but have plenty of work to do- so, we're out. For your next Las Vegas or Long Beach video production, or anywhere you find yourself in this crazy world of ours, let us know, and we'll be ready to roll!
New Canon 5D Mark IV!
Canon 5D Mark IV.
The Canon 5D Mark IV line of DSLRs from Canon is one of their finest product lines. The newest edition is the 5D Mark IV, and it definitely doesn't disappoint. Our 5D Mark II was a great camera, and we definitely had some amazing times together, like that one-time lapse we did, or that time we took a bunch of great still images. Alas, the gods didn't see fit for us to be together forever- as it was stolen away by a thief in the night.
We found the courage to put the broken pieces of our hearts back together, and upgrade to a 30.4 Megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, with a DIGIC 6+ image processor. Our fingertips have found warmth on the 3.2" touchscreen LCD monitor with 1.62m-Dot resolution. We have found renewed purpose knowing that the Mark IV records DCI 4K video at 30fps, and provides 8.8MP still grabs.
The Mark II definitely left a hole in our hearts, but, with time, the Mark IV can perhaps fill that void with its awesomeness. It's already on its way to film in the beautiful and mysterious state of Michigan, childhood home of Dumb and Dumber co-star Jeff Daniels. We hope we can be a part of your next Las Vegas video production and Long Beach video production soon.
Video production on the famous High Roller at the Linq.
While only a few years old, the High Roller at The Linq has quickly become a very popular attraction for tourists and cameras alike. Whether you're hitting Sin City for some fun, or, filming a commercial, television show, or the like, the Linq provides excellent views of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.
It's not just a matter of stepping into a pod with your crew and talent and hitting record though. First, of course you'll want to contact the fine folks over at the Linq (they're nice folks) and make sure it's cool to film; here's where you'll not only get permission, but you can also see if they can make any concessions for you. Once you get into your pod, you'll note that there is no power available- so, bring batteries. Second, there's not a ton of room- while you're not in the coat closet, you won't be able to put that jib up. Next, depending on what time of day you're in there, you may have quite a battle on your hands with the sun. During the day, your view is less than stellar... while Vegas tries valiantly to make everything look nice when the sun is out, we all know this city looks best bathed in neon. So, you may be thinking to yourself, "Okay Jim, no problem there, we'll shoot at night.", well, after availability, you'll want to remember that those pods do reflect something fierce, so you'll need to get creative lighting your talent. Once the sun goes down, and the strip lights up, it's absolutely stunning (for about 15 minutes at the top).
I can go on, but, you're probably bored to death if you've made it this far. So, instead, go give it a shot, or, let FiveSix Productions do it for you- no fuss, no muss. Put your beloved video shoot in the hands of the best Las Vegas video production company!?
New shoulder rigs coming soon!
Every once and a while, you get that spark of imagination, the creative juices begin to flow... and suddenly, you have created something totally righteous. That's just what we're doing here at FiveSix Productions. We realize that to expand and improve upon what we can offer to our clients, and to continue to push the limits of what FiveSix Productions is capable of, well, we need to never stop expanding on our gear and skill sets. That's why we're building a pair of sleek, dynamic, and versatile shoulder-rigs that will allow us to push beyond what we've been able to do with our older shoulder rigs.
Now, don't get too excited, we didn't opt for the edition with the sparklers and mini-fridges, but we are pretty sure these will work just as well. Coupled with our new Tilta Nucleus-M follow focus system, and our upgraded power-distribution solution, anything from our Canon C300 Mark II's to our RED Epic Dragon will be set free. We are excited to announce that our new DJI Ronin 2 will also benefit from our Nucleus-M follow focus system, and between that and our shoulder rigs, series of sliders, jibs, and tripods, we've completely set our photography free.
Make sure to ask about our new shoulder rigs and DJI Ronin 2 when booking your next Las Vegas or Long Beach video production project with us.
The Three Best Cameras for Convention Coverage
Whether you find yourself in one of the expansive convention centers in Long Beach, Los Angeles, or Anaheim, or in one of the gargantuan convention spaces in Las Vegas, the right gear is crucial to getting the best end product. You'll most likely find yourself focusing on a few staples of convention/trade shows, depending on the client. So what are the three best cameras we would recommend for filming conventions?
If you're shooting with an exhibitor/vendor who has a booth and reps there, you'll most likely be filming their booth, showing off how amazing and unique it is, spotlighting any new products and cool demonstrations they have, filming any special guests, and helping to create online marketing content. You'll no doubt be interviewing sales associates, managers, and various other company employees; you'll also be trying to get man-on-the-street style interviews and soundbites with attendees. With this kind of shoot, you're more likely to be able to have a "base of operations", so you don't have to be so run-and-gun with your gear. Here, I'd recommend the Canon C300 Mark II, you have the ability to shoot all the way up to true-4K, for a really beautiful, functional image. While carrying multiple lenses can be cumbersome, the quality of glass, functionality, and variety will really expand your creativity and range. This is an exceptional camera that provides versatility, functionality, and world-class imagery.
Let's say you find yourself shooting for a client that may be exhibiting, or maybe they're from a trade publication of sorts, and your mission is to get general coverage of the show, and to interview and showcase other companies that may be friends and associates. The name of the game at that point is: RUN AND GUN! You need to be mobile, light weight, and all encompassing. If you've ever been to Times Square, Disneyland in the summer, or any Starbucks when I'm running late to work, you'll have an idea of what it's like at shows such as CES, SEMA, and NAB. Despite science, you have less space to exist in than the area your mass occupies. So, add a camera and hopefully tripod to that, and... well... godspeed. Here, I'd recommend the trusty Sony PMW300. As long as you don't need to shoot 4K, you'll get a great 1920x1080 image that'll look great online, and is easy to work with in post. The camera isn't heavy, it's menu is easy to navigate, and the best part, you have a zoom lens and servo. This camera does have a small plate that extends to give you a bit of a shoulder mount, but it's recommended to have a compact tripod or proper hand held rig.
Lastly: maybe you're a lone-wolf. Let's say you have a blog about something great, and Trade-Show X comes into town, and you just have to go check it out, and get some great video coverage. You don't want to lug around a big camera, you don't want to spend all your beer money on gear, and you really only need some highlights. Here, I have three, low-cost, light weight, compact options that'll do the trick. The Canon 5D Mark II or Sony a7S with a good zoom lens would do great for video and photos! You can also opt for the DJI Osmo which will give you a great, HD image, smooth moves, and won't get you chased out by grumpy exhibitors, because you'll look like every other attendee.
There you have it, the best of the best. If you have an upcoming shoot, reach out to the fellas over at f11 Rentals, and they'll get you set up with the perfect gear for your upcoming shoot. Or, if you'd prefer to have us take care of your Las Vegas video production or Long Beach video production, we're glad to help too!
FiveSix Productions Rocks out at Vinyl!
FiveSix Productions, part of the Las Vegas Production Group, got the chance to rock out at Vinyl at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino with one of Rolling Stone's top 100 drummers of all time (go to #66)! That's right, Mr. Kenny Aronoff, banged the drums and shared his knowledge and wisdom with a select group of eager convention goers. Aronoff found stardom as the drummer for John Cougar Mellencamp during their heyday in the eighties and nineties, and has sense become one of the best and most successful session drummers in the world. FiveSix was honored to film this special, two hour engagement that included cool stories, inspirational tips, and awesome drum solos to some of his most famous songs. Two Canon C300 Mark I's and the amazing SoundDevices 664 did their things, and we got awesome footage! Since it's the busy season, it's time to wrap this up and prepare for our next Las Vegas video production shoot. Keep on rocking, friends.
Really Long Lenses!
FiveSix Productions (the Las Vegas video production company of choice) has a nice set of lenses, but occasionally we have need for lenses that don't fit into our normal repertoire, enter a 200-400mm L-Series with a 1.4X zoom. This puppy has been just what the doctor ordered. We got to take it out on a rare-short film we're shooting right now (refreshing change of pace), and the fellas are taking it out, deep into the Nevada desert to shoot something so exciting, my trembling fingers can't complete the words.... So, while we pride ourselves on owning the best of the best, we certainly know when and where to get supplementary gear to make sure we deliver on time, in budget, and beyond what's expected!
Canon C300 Mark II and RED Epic Dragon Updates
Hello friends. We here at FiveSix Productions find that kindness and cooperation often goes a long way. We like to help our production friends and partners be the best that they can be. We were doing our routine upkeep of our computers, cameras, etc., and were going through some firmware updates. It can sometimes be hard to remember to stay up on that, especially when we get into these busy periods. Long story short: if you have a Canon C300 Mark II, there is a firmware update that will be available July 28th (Thurs.), and RED just put an update out a couple days ago. So there you have it, go make sure you're reaping all the benefits of these awesome tools. If you don't have an Epic Dragon or C300 Mark II, but need one, give our friends at F11 Rentals a shout, and they'll get you squared away.
FiveSix Goes Golfing
We all know the harmful effects of too much sun and pollution, but we aren't much for heading professional medical advice, and we certainly know how to live dangerously. One of our favorite early spring clients came through, and we were back on the golf links, soaking up the rays, breathing deep, the sweet, city air, and driving our golf cart like we stole it. The day took us from fairways, greens, and tee boxes, to the clubhouse, and eventually, back to the Encore Resort where a ceremony was held to cap off the day. We tackled the day with our reliable Canon C300 Mark I and a Sound Devices 633 audio mixer with our best microphone and boom (complete with all the wind-diffusion we could find). All in all, it was a great day, and as soon as our sunburns heal and our lungs clear up, we'll be ready for another round of Las Vegas video production.