Shooting in a Green Room - No, Not that type of Green Room!
Corporate video production can have it's challenges. One of these challenges is locations as we don't often get to choose where we shoot. If we're lucky, we get a scout day or pictures of the location we're supposed to shoot in or we've been there before and already know what we're walking into. In these cases, we are prepared with the correct lighting and grip set up to make everything look great. But sometimes we go into a location blind as to what we'll be working with. At these times it's best to bring a versatile lighting set up because sometimes a green room is exactly that.
Recently in Las Vegas, we walked into a room where the windows had such a strange tint on them that all the light coming into the room was an eerie green in color. These were large floor to ceiling windows and there was no time or enough crew to gel them accordingly. Luckily we had brought four Litepanel Gemini 1 x 1 LED panels. With these lights we were able to dial in the amount of green to match the light coming in from the windows and then after that, it was simply white balancing the Canon C300 Mark II cameras accordingly. The room, despite looking eerily haunted, looked perfect on camera and the subjects, instead of looking sickly, appeared vibrant. It's a simple technique but would have been much more difficult to pull off without the right tools. It's one of the things FiveSix is known for, everything turned out great in a less than ideal situation. Effective video production is about being prepared, even if you're tossed into a glowing green room.
Render This - New Mac Pro Arrives at FiveSix
Sometimes you just need a little extra power to spice things up in the office. Here at FiveSix Productions, we've been running a few different workstations for some time now, a couple mac trashcans from awhile back and a couple newer imac pro machines. But with the new Mac Pro out, we decided our Edit 1 Bay could use an extra boost. So far so good. We run the Adobe Creative Cloud suite working primarily with Premiere Pro and After Effects but also DaVinci Resolve for some color correction. This machine takes on video editing, real time 2D and 3D graphics creation and powers through the renders at a much better click than its predecessor, but I should hope so for the price tag. We didn't load it up with all the extras and purchased most of the additions from outside of Apple, though we did opt for the afterburner card to help with quick encoding. We're only a few weeks in but our editors can surely tell the difference.
There isn't much else to say. We've cut a commercial, half a dozen corporate videos and a short film so far and haven't had any issues. We'll update soon once we've really put it to the test and have some hard data of our own to report. Until then, happy cutting!
Gigantic, fire-breathing Praying Mantis!
Las Vegas, if you've ever heard of it, is a pretty neat place; there's nice weather, plenty of great out-door activities, lots of entertainment, and a really good cinnamon roll place on the west side of town called "Cinnaholic". There's also this wonderful and ... eclectic... little place called Fremont Street East, it's a magic place filled with a tapestry of things that hipsters like. I'm no hipster, but I say, to each their own; it's good those folks have something special. Anyhoo, FiveSix Productions recently got to do an early morning shoot on Fremont Street where "old Las Vegas" mixes with the new. There's iconic hotels such as the 75+ year old El Cortez, and a gigantic, fire-breathing Praying Mantis near the relatively young, Container Park. The old architecture, glowing neon, and local art that adorns the buildings, all mix together to create a great environment to capture some really beautiful images. For your next Las Vegas video production, consider getting away from the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas Blvd., and head on down to downtown and Fremont Street; and, hey, if you need a helping hand, give FiveSix Productions a call, we'll be happy to join you.
Orange County video production
In an effort to reduce confusion, we're changing our official description from Los Angeles Video Production Company of Orange County to simply Orange County Video Production Company of Orange County.
Southern California, if you haven't noticed, is a big place, and there's never a shortage of video production work to be done. It's not just big budget films in Hollywood with explosions, lasers, beautiful movie stars, and all that- there is production everywhere. From Irvine to Thousand Oaks to San Bernardino, and all points between, there's a bountiful bouquet of commercials, corporate work, web videos, short films, documentaries, etc.
While we dream of Hollywood stardom like the next guy and gal, we here at FiveSix Productions love what we do, and where we do it. Producing industry-leading content, while striving to become the best Orange County video production company is what we're all about.
Our team and network of professionals have decades of experience in every aspect of the production process. From nurturing and developing your initial idea, throughout the final edit, we work relentlessly to deliver beyond your expectations. From our office in Long Beach, we're centrally located in the Los Angeles/Orange County metroplex, and we're excited to work with you on your next project!
Live Event Video Production
While FiveSix Productions is known for our exceptional commercial and web videos, one sometimes overlooked area is our ability to aid in live event video production. Our experienced crews craft up industry-leading content to be played at your event, but we also have talented, experienced crew to aid during your event. Whether you need man on the street interviews of event goers, recordings of break out sessions, general sessions, happy face videos, or just gear to accomplish these tasks, we here at FiveSix Productions have what you need. We pride ourselves on being the best video production company in Long Beach, Orange County, Southern California and Las Vegas, and we are focused on make sure that you, our clients get more than you expected.
Along with our staff members, we have accumulated a long and distinguished list of freelance cinematographers, camera operators, audio technicians, grips, PA's, and on-site editors that will make sure that every aspect of your live event video production is perfect. Give us a call today, and let us know what you have planned for your next trip to the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Anaheim Convention Center, or one of the many, many convention and meeting centers in the Las Vegas metro area.
Filming at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas
One of our most frequented Las Vegas video production venues is Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Delano, hotel Four Seasons hotel, and the 2 Million square foot Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
This property is gigantic! In Mandalay Bay, there are 3,309 rooms, a huge casino floor, about two dozen restaurants, a House of Blues venue, a theater or two, and an events center that is a little smaller than MGM Grand Garden. Then, there is the Delano, which has an additional 1,117 rooms, all of which are a minimum of 750 square feet- so we end up doing a lot of in-room/suite shooting there. Delano has a couple of restaurants, one of which is at the very top of the hotel, and includes amazing views of the strip, mountains, city, etc. The Four Seasons is hidden, but a gem once you find it; it's really beautiful, occupying four of the floors of Mandalay Bay near the top, and then there are some meeting rooms, restaurants, and a nice looking lobby on the ground level. The best way to get to the Four Seasons is to simply valet there, but, if you want to push in from M.B., you need to head towards the pool/M.B. valet pickup.
Mandalay Bay is located at 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119.
Parking is easily accessed from Las Vegas BlVd and Mandalay Bay Rd., but we prefer Frank Sinatra Dr. Mandalay Bay is an MGM property, so everyone pays to park, including the new convention center parking garage. Pushing gear in easy, but you definitely get your steps in if you're parking at Mandalay Bay garage and going to the convention center.
The convention/meeting space is located on the south and southeast end of the property, and our friends at Encore handle in-house audio/lighting services. There’s not always communication between the client and the house, so make sure to bring enough power and audio cabling, just in case it isn’t always set. We’ve also gotten into the habit of bringing a lavalier kit, XLR turnarounds, XLR to 1/4 inch, and various other cables for when we run into various and differing audio boards, we’ll be set. This is one of the largest convention venues in the city, and an expansion was just completed. Biggest tip: parking is usually easy, but beware, when big conventions come in, the convention garage fills up really fast.
If you're in an oversized vehicle, there's an auxiliary lot across Vegas Blvd, just take Four Seasons Drive and go behind the Shell Station- kind of a pain in the butt, but hey, buy a smaller truck.
The most important item, however, is that there are two Starbucks. They are both really far from the convention center- the closer one, of course, has the longest line. The other is located near House of Blues... so, it's good to stop on your way.
Stoked For The New Year!
Now that the holiday decorations are put away, the confetti has been swept away, and the last of the sparkling cider has been sipped, it's time to get back to the fun and adventure that is Las Vegas video production! One of our favorite times of year is the winter and spring, as it brings great trade shows like CES 2017 to town. The fun doesn't stop at trade shows though, now that the kiddo's are back to the class room, mom and dad are back to getting some work done, and that means we have work too! We're excited to see what the new year will bring us, and we sure can't wait to reconnect with all our great clients and production contemporaries, as well as meet some new faces. So, don't hesitate to reach out for any project you need help with, and we will see you on set, real soon!
Best Shoot Ever!
We had one of the best shoots ever a few days ago! It's hard to tell which shoot is our favorite or the best, but this one really holds weight! We got to spend the day with round after round of amazing dogs! We were shooting the last day of a week-long convention over at the Venetian, and for no other reason than dogs are amazing, the hosts of the show brought in wave after wave of therapy dogs for the tired convention goers. These dogs certainly served their purpose, as the attendees, clearly exhausted from a week of hard work, perked right up with big smiles and renewed energy. Now, I'm not going to lie, I myself took a moment or five to stop by and get some shots of the pups, and I may have gave a head scratch or two. Again, it's so hard to pick our favorite shoot, but if you bring furry friends, it certainly moves you ahead in line.
Shelf Life of Video Footage, #videoproduction, #corporatevideo
This industry isn't cheap. It's not cheap to have a video made, it's not cheap to run a video business. That is, of course if quality is a concern. As a result, video content is often recycled, re-cut, re-used and re-purposed over and over and over. This can be a very good thing or it can be detrimental. There is a fine line on when to stop using the same footage.
Video shot in SD(standard definition), unless it has historical quality, should probably be put to the side as of today. Using footage with this type of look for marketing or social media will only make you look out of touch or dated. I'm not saying it wasn't great footage when it was shot, just that it's time has come. Archive it and let it go, it's time to update your footage.
Video captured by phone should be used only once. This shaky, low res footage can be useful when something happens currently and only if it's relevant. After the initial push or use, this should be archived or lost. And no vertical video, unless it has the potential to go viral...in a good way.
Poorly shot video, even if it is in HD, should not be used. Just because video has great color or is shot at 1920 x 1080, doesn't means it's good. If it's too shaky, isn't framed correctly, blown out or too dark, it's not worthy risking a reputation to keep using it. Just because it was shot and paid for doesn't mean it is worth using on a continual basis.
With that said, if video has been captured in the last few years with a professional camera and crew, it should be good for awhile. But the shelf life isn't indefinite on anything. Fashion changes, hairstyles change, places change. Even if these things aren't the focus in video footage, they are there and they are recognized, even if only by the subliminal. They have an effect, they tell your viewers that you are no longer on the cutting edge.
When planning a video shoot, one thing to keep in mind is where else can this footage be used and how long should we use it for. There should be a life given to each project and to the video before it is archived. Keeping footage relevant and up to date is important and should be given thought before each production but just as important is re-use. The further you can make your footage go in a positive way, the more cost effective it becomes. Then when you look at everything you used the media for, you may realize it wasn't so expensive after all.
Green Screen - Perfect for Corporate Video Production #greenscreen #videoproduction
St Patrick's Day, almost over, but I thought it might be a good time to talk about green screen. The video equivalent of a blank slate oozing with imaginative possibilities. Appropriate? When most people think of green screens, they think of big budget movies where the actors are flying around, destroying things or doing unbelievable super acts in fantasy worlds. They're used for that but they are used far more often in corporate video production and corporate storytelling than most people realize. We do a good amount of corporate video production and there aren't too many weeks that go by where we aren't either shooting with a green screen or sending out an estimate for green screen production.
In Las Vegas, there are so many conventions coming through town and it's a great place for corporations to either show off products, grab customer testimonials or gather together executives to speak on camera. Instead of using a boring convention room with blah coloring and no dimension, a green screen offers so many more options, it's tough to pass up. We key out the green and boom, you're creativity runs wild but mostly simple wild, nothing crazy. We have a few on hand from a simple pop out 6x6 to a paper roll 10 foot wide to a full on 10x20 wraparound fabric. These can all be taken on location and built to whatever specs the client is looking for. It's an effective and creative solution.
Green screen is not out of anyone's budget. That's another misnomer that people tend to have. It's an additional cost for sure but the quality and flexibility of post production because of it is far more valuable than saving a few dollars. If for your next production you haven't thought about it, ask us about green screen and you'll be glad you have fun options to play with down the line. If all else fails, you can always put the CEO talking about EBITDA in the middle of a corn field.
Now, in honor of St. Patrick's Day I leave you with one of my favorite themed commercials, even though it's a couple years old.