Andrea - Showing At The Best Dam Short Film Festival
Studio FiveSix was selected to show our first short film, Andrea, at the Best Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City. Andrea shows on Feb. 15th in the 8:15pm block of films. We're very excited to be included and are happy that our premiere showing is going to be in neighboring Boulder City. There was a good deal of work and planning that went into creating Andrea, mainly because it was our first narrative piece and we were finding our way through the process. Since then we have shot a second short film called Maybe Tomorrow that is still in post production but will be out shortly. We'll be at the festival this weekend so if you are there, stop by and say hi.
Cast Away - Casting A Short Film
At FiveSix we do video productions of all types including corporate storytelling, commercial, reality, social media, political, event, documentary and short narrative films. The last one in that list is fairly new to us and I'd like to chat about how the casting was done in a entirely different manner than our normal process.
For most of our productions in town we use local talent. There is a good pool of models, actors and actresses in Las Vegas to choose from. We normally utilize the local agencies and find a group that fit our demographics for each project. Then, together with our client, we choose the talent that fits the look and feel we're going for. We call the finalists in for an audition, all in one day, and then pick the final group. This happens within a day or two. It's a fairly simple process and one that we have become quite efficient in over the years.
Now, when we started casting for the short films, it was different in two main ways. The first was that the entire production was financed by FiveSix. We didn't have the budget to bring in talent agencies and pay the costs that go along with using their services. A different route was needed. With a little research we discovered that there are plenty of great resources on-line that give you access to thousands of talented actors and actresses. Sites such as Backstage and Casting Networks are great communities that help both producers and talent match together on a project. We ended up posting our projects on backstage.com and having a great pool of talent to choose from. We were able to advertise our day rate for each role and get only those people willing to work for that rate. It helped tremendously in budgeting for the films.
The second main difference in casting for the short films was that we searched over the entire country and not just locally. This brought us a couple of challenges. We ended up doing many auditions through recorded video and not in person. One of the best parts about casting live is that you can ask questions and try giving different direction with lines. You can get a general feeling of how the actor moves with you as you craft a role. This isn't so easy with a recorded audition. We found that we were able to quickly get a feeling about a particular role when auditioning in person but with recorded auditions it took many more views and lengthy discussions within our team. I would always advocate for in-person auditions but when you're on a tight budget and quick timeline, that's not always possible.
Moving forward, due to our ability to find what we were looking for through the on-line talent sites, I think we'll utilize both local agencies and on-line communities for any future auditions. On a last note, casting is fun but also difficult for all parties involved as it brings about more rejections than acceptance. I admire anyone who is willing to put themselves out there like that and audition for a role. Good luck!
Golden Knights' Engelland on Vegas Tragedy
FiveSix Productions got the opportunity to work with the Vegas Golden Knights.
This time, reflecting on the recent tragedy at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Vegas Golden Knights' veteran defender Deryk Engelland sat down to talk about the fateful night, and how he and his teammates rallied to give back to their home. FiveSix provided gear and crew, and felt honored to be a part of spreading the message of support that our new hockey team is providing our city. While we are heartbroken over the events of October 1st, and offer our support and condolences to all those affected, we are glad that we can help shed light on the incredible people and organizations in Las Vegas that are working to rebuild and make us a stronger, closer community. If you're looking for the best Las Vegas video production company, look no further than FiveSix Productions.
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.
It's a Great Time to be Outside!
As you may or may not know, Las Vegas can get a little warm in the summer- if you consider over 100°F for weeks-on-end warm, that is. Well, we're not quite there yet, and the spring-time weather is wonderful! That's why we absolutely love to get outside for production work whenever we can! Recently, we had the opportunity to film at the Linq and High Roller, down on Las Vegas Boulevard, and we loved every moment. We of course don't shy away from the comforts of modern heating and air conditioning, but, any chance to breath deep that fresh-ish air of Vegas, we're all about it. See you soon on our next Las Vegas video production!
FiveSix Productions Uses Protection
Don't be a fool, wrap your tools: great advice that we here at FiveSix Productions take seriously. We utilize a number of great products to store and transport our various tools and pieces of gear; from Cinebags for our cameras, to Pelican and SKB for our tripods, Dana Dolly, and DJI products. One of our favorites for custom designed cases is Jason Cases in Durham, North Carolina. Jason Cases utilizes only the best products, and while they have predesigned cases, they are the best at customizing any case to fit your exact needs. We are huge fans of this for our kits that have a lot of separate pieces that can get lost, or pieces that are fragile. Their quick turnaround time ensures even if you're a Las Vegas video production company like us, you'll have your order very quickly. So, next time you need a durable, custom case, reach out to Jason Cases, and they'll get you set up.
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!
The Vegas Golden Knights: Our New BFF!
I think we can all agree, our favorite aspect of the film "Slap Shot" is the Hanson Brothers (caution: some strong language).
Those three provide limitless laughter and entertainment as they decimated their opponents in ruthless fashion. Hockey is a fantastic sport! It's full of speed, danger, excitement, and occasional fisticuffs. The best part: Las Vegas now has their very own, shiny, fresh-out-of-the-box NHL team! The Vegas Golden Knights.
Recently, FiveSix Productions got to create a super-dope video chronicling the genesis of the team's name and logo. Now, if you're curious, the answer is yes, it was the video that was supposed to play during the name-announcement ceremony at T-Mobile Arena. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a technical glitch with the ceremony, and the A/V guys over there, couldn't get it on screen. We're not sure if it was just chop-full of too much awesome for their equipment to handle, or maybe they had a little Smeagol turned Gollum moment and wanted to keep Precious all for themselves. Either way, we were proud to be a part of the beginning of Las Vegas' first professional team: the Vegas Golden Knights, and you can check out the video we made here on their official website.
Oh, and, if you're curious about the "Golden" instead of "Silver" since Nevada is the "Silver State", it's because Nevada produces more gold than any other state in our beautiful Union (looking at you California).
FiveSix Productions Isn't Afraid of the Dark
Happy Halloween! In the spirit of the holiday, with all it's dark and creepy glory, FiveSix Productions ventured into the deserts outside of Las Vegas, and had some fun in the dark. Along with some technology designers and armed forces veterans (thank you for your service), we got to check out some of the latest and greatest in low-light, visual technology. From the staple night-vision scopes, to thermal imaging, and even some revolutionary new technology that left us stunned, we got to see it all. We wish we could share some more information and some photos about all that we did and saw, but unfortunately it's "G-7" classified. We can tell you that we had a great time filming all the equipment, and enjoyed working with one of our favorite actors. Our studio is a disaster after a busy week of Las Vegas video production, and these projects won't edit themselves, so we'll see y'all real soon. Happy Halloween you goblins and ghouls.
