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!
Political Campaign Commercials: BTS
Behind the Scenes on local election commercials.
Every time an election season nears, our calendars fill up with plenty of campaign commercials. Sometimes it's someone campaigning for a local, "entry level" position, other times, someone is trying to move into the big-time in D.C. T.V. commercials are one of the most effective ways to get their message to voters. We turn a blind eye to our own political ideals, and do our best to create a commercial that will stand out.
Some commercials are simple, with just the candidate delivering a message to the camera. Other commercials may be much more elaborate with multiple locations, talent, and a huge crew. A great commercial requires all aspects to work together to tell the message. The right location, lighting, music, and pacing, are just as important as the script. Where it might seem like too much, we love bringing sliders, jibs, extra lighting, and cinema lenses. This can really help to create an amazing t.v. commercial, and wow the client.
If your Southern California or Las Vegas campaign needs a great commercial, look no further! We're a one-stop-shop for all your video production needs.
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.
Nevada Film Tax Incentive is Back!
It's been a dry three years here in Nevada- and not just the weather. For the past three years, Nevada has not had a tax incentive for local filming.
Ko Ricker, over at MovieMaker magazine, wrote a great article about the new film tax incentive, and what it means for all of Nevada. Ko mentioned a couple of the recent Blockbuster films: Jason Bourne starring Jimmy Kimmel's favorite actor, Matt Damon, and the Jammie Foxx thriller, Sleepless, that were (fully or partially) shot in and around Las Vegas Blvd. He also spoke about writer/director Robert Putka's latest micro-budget (sub $100,000.00) dramedy We Used To Know Each Other, shot in the Las Vegas suburbs. Beyond the films, he made note of the expansive desert locals, unique vistas that exist in places like Valley of Fire State Park, and the beautiful, mountain northwest in and around Lake Tahoe and Reno. I'll let you read the much better written article Getting Lucky in Nevada on moviemaker.com, and then it's time you get started on writing that Nevada based indie that's been stewing in your mind. Make sure to contact the Nevada Film Office for your permits, then hire FiveSix Productions as your Las Vegas video production crew, we're excited to show L.A. what we're all about.
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!
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).
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.
Something Mysterious
There have been recent... bizarre sightings in Las Vegas lately- and no, I'm not talking about the GOP or DNC's Presidential hopefuls (though, they are a couple bizarre characters). 84.9% of land in Nevada is owned by the federal government, and Lord knows what they do with it; but just as in Arizona and New Mexico, rumors of flying saucers, aliens, military tests, etc., constantly abound. Add to all of this, the craziness of the "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" m.o. that we have going here, and you can imagine all the interesting and intriguing things that pop up from time to time. One such photo hit my desk over the weekend.
Of course, my first reaction was- Metro must be grilling some punk from EDC. Then I thought, no... no that's not it, he's wearing a suit. So, then I thought, the FBI is interrogating some international motorcycle gang leader who is trying to establish roots here in the casinos or entertainment industry. But that doesn't make sense, there's no bike in the photo. So, then I went where I should have from the beginning, it's an alien. That made the most sense when I got the second photo, which clearly shows a statue of what must be his idol, Boba Fett, just over his shoulder.
Time will tell if we're about to be invaded and most likely enslaved- seems like Will Smith should have come back for the sequel. Well, I'm going to go pack a suitcase and get ready to escape to the hills. Godspeed to all my Las Vegas video production friends... even the Canadians, I guess.
Oh, if you have further questions, maybe this man can help:
Clayton Moore
Cinematographer
792.275.1429
ClaytonMooreDP.com
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.