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.
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.
An NBA MVP in Las Vegas...
James Harden, the bearded-master of the between the legs crossover - fadeaway.
Las Vegas in July means three things: massive 4th of July fireworks shows, inhumane daily temperatures, and the NBA Summer League. While the Summer League has wrapped up, we're still excited about having filmed with the reigning MVP of the league. James Harden, in all his bearded glory (second best beard, behind Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies), came through town, and as such, had a bouquet of events to attend. One event, which we were a part of, was a photo and video shoot. One interesting challenge we faced, was keeping the lavalier microphones on the basketball players, even while they were running and jumping around. Mixing levels was also a fun challenge, as there was a big difference between their speaking voices, and their in-game yelling and hollering.
We can't go into the details of the shoot, as those NDAs are no joke, but it was a great experience. Harden showed off his amazing on-court skills, and his fun, easy-going personality. We certainly hope that we have future opportunities to work with him and all the other NBA stars next year. If your Long Beach or Las Vegas video production calls for the best, look no further than FiveSix Productions.
NBA Summer League at Intrigue Nightclub in Las Vegas.
NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Every July, "The Association" (the National Basketball Association), descends on Las Vegas, Nevada for the NBA Summer League. This eleven-day tournament gives teams the opportunity to evaluate their young players before the regular season begins in the fall. The action doesn't stop at the Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV, the event spreads all over town. FiveSix Productions had the opportunity, once again, to film two episodes of the television show Open Court at Intrigue Nightclub at the Wynn Resort. Open Court always provides an exciting shooting scenario, with unique challenges and experiences. We always love packing our grip van as full as possible, and seeing how creative we can get. Our staff and amazing freelancers did a great job, and we can't wait to do it again next year. If you need the best Las Vegas video production company, look no further than FiveSix Productions.
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.
Audio Recording. Don't let the noise monster get you...
Let's talk about Audio Recording.
No, let's talk about money. I believe RZA and his Wu-Tang Clan said it best in 1994, when they taught us about C.R.E.A.M. Cash rules everything around me- that's a lesson that applies far beyond the confines of the 36 Chambers of Staten Island. What does this mean here in the world of video production? It means the same thing it does in the music industry, and the same thing as it does in the world of professional sand sculpting. Money moves, and money rules. Nothing is cheap in this world- especially producing beautiful sounding and looking motion pictures. That being said, what's worse than your expensive video being ruined by unexpected and uncontrollable noise? The answer is having a rabid grizzly bear loose on set- but, after that, it's the noise. Now how to have a good audio recording session.
When you film on the Las Vegas strip, you're thinking "Oh, gee, this will be so dope! We're going to have so much fun and make so many nice pictures, and everything will be perfect, and nothing will distract us!" That's 99.9% correct- with a large margin of error. While much can be done to control the environment in the local hotel rooms and conference rooms, there are some things that just come with the territory. There is an airport of international proportion nearby- in which, airplanes fly. Airplanes make noise, so- if you are anywhere on the strip, chances are, at some point throughout the day, those metal birds will make their presence known. There are also a lot of folks in loud sports cars and motorcycles cruising up and down L.V. Boulevard- you'll hear those too. There's an Air Force base here in town- those brave men and women who defend our liberties practice swooping, rolling, and diving in their jets from time to time... believe, you, me, you'll hear those too. Let's say you go and hide down in the very back corner of the back corner of the convention hall... SERVICE HALLWAY!!!! Hahahahaha!
Now, before you give up and call it quits- remember: with a little patience, and a little trust- we can work around those noises, and your audio recording will sound amazing! You may have to wait thirty seconds or so, every hour, on the hour, for some bells, but, then it's all good. Also, remember the fine folks, the good hearted folks, folks like our good friends at Dog & Pony Show here in Vegas can do miracles in their studio for production and post-production. Oh, sound blankets work too... also- silent films.
Good luck!
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!?
Downtown Las Vegas Shines
Earlier this year, FiveSix Productions teamed up with some of our good friends here in Vegas, to highlight some of the great spots in this wonderful town. One of the best (and most delicious) locations was Carson Kitchen in downtown Las Vegas. Carson Kitchen, if you STILL haven't found your way there, is a creation by Las Vegas' hometown favorite Chef Kerry Simon and restaurateur Cory Harwell. They created an eclectic and fun urban eatery in the old Carson Hotel space just a few blocks from Fremont Street. The food is amazing, the menu is ever changing... and, I think I'll go there this weekend.
Getting back on track, we had the pleasure of doing a quick shoot there, breaking out some of our favorite gear, such as the Arri Skypanel and Schneider Cineprimes. Backed up by some of our best and brightest staff and freelancers, we did our thing, and came out with a really great product. (Oh, and I may have stuffed my face with some of their rainbow cauliflower (a must try!!))
So, for your next Las Vegas video production, give FiveSix Productions a shout; delicious food appreciated but not required.
Nucleus-M Follow Focus
We definitely felt like kids on Christmas Eve, as we waited for our Tilta Nucleus-M follow focus system to arrive. When it did, oh boy, were we excited! This thing is amazing. The kit includes three motors to drive focus, zoom, and iris; all of which can be daisy chained off the same power source. There is a handheld unit that can control all three motors simultaneously, or, two handles that can be mounted to a shoulder rig or our amazing DJI Ronin 2.
The Nucleus-M features multiple functions including programming start and stop points, calibrating lenses without hard-stops, 1000' transmission range, and more. This product is definitely an essential component of your next Las Vegas or Long Beach video production shoot; and will give the DP/camera op so much range and flexibility. Contact us today to book your next Las Vegas video production, and make sure to ask about including the Tilta Nucleus-M with our amazing Schneider cine-primes.
