Dec 09, 2008, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

Say Goodnight Gracie – No More NJ Money Directly to Films

The Good News: the New Jersey Economic Development Authority will not loose money during the current recession because of bad investments on mediocre films.

The Bad News: They already lost $2,000,000.00 on Gracie.

According to this article on the Star Ledger website:

At their regular meeting today, members of the state Economic Development Authority wrote off $2 million in loans and loan guarantees they had extended four years ago to help bankroll production of “Gracie,” a feel-good movie about a Central Jersey soccer player.

Apparently they made direct “loans” to the film’s financiers, a first in NJ… and well, the rest of the story kind of writes itself, doesn’t it?

Best quote:

“We realized we’re not good at financing movies,” said Caren Franzini, the authority’s chief executive.

While this is a bad day for the big studios, who can always look to other funding sources, it’s a day of smug satisfaction for us little video guys. The State already provides a 20% Tax Credit for filmakers who meet certain criteria: 60% of the total expenses used or consumed in New Jersey, Principal photography commences within 150 days after the approval, and directly from the Definitions section of their application:

Film – a feature film, a television series or a television show of 15 minutes or more in length, intended for a national audience. “Film” shall not include a production featuring news, current events, weather and market reports or public programming, talk show, game show, sports event, award show or other gala event, a production that solicits funds, a production containing obscene material as defined under N.J.S.2C:34-2 and N.J.S.2C:34-3, or a production primarily for private, industrial, corporate or institutional purposes.

The $2M in Gracie was above and beyond this tax credit.

There are no (Zero, Zilch, Nada) tax incentives available for smaller films, videos, web-based video projects, internal training videos, corporate promotional videos, or any of the other thousands of video/film projects that might, you know, cause economic development to actually happen!

Sorry to the folks at Picturehouse (aka TimeWarner), but you already got your money. Hey New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission: it might be time to overhaul your definitions and guidelines to help us non-feature-film makers out a bit, we know you’re not going to be investing in any movies anytime soon.

Any other NJ film/video pros have any thoughts?

Oct 28, 2008, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

No, Really… it's SNOWING

Every once in a while it’s good to get out of the editing suite.

I went in this morning with one of those mid-Fall, grey, rainy days happening outside… I came out for a break at lunch, and It’s SNOWING… and I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not… I’m just glad I’m not shooting outdoors today.

Happy First Snow of the Season!

Mar 12, 2008, Posted by Mike in the category, 2 Comments

Web Design

We start with an initial meeting to discuss the goals you want to achieve with your web site design or redesign. Who is your audience? How do you define if the web site is a success? We go from there.

Jan 08, 2008, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

Tales of cellos, organizational performance, and Lavado de manos

One of the best things about this business is the broad range of businesses and topics you have to get to learn about during the course of any given day/week/month.

I wish I could remember who said it, it may have been Harry Beckwith, it may have been Tom Peters!, but “you never know where your clients will take you business.” Case and point(s): December 2007 – January 2008:

Organizational Performance

Altus Training Solutions
We just completed the web site for this training and organizational development firm in Camp Hill, PA. Earlier in 2007, we did the logo design for them. In the market for a little team building? Give Susan a call at Altus Training Solutions… and yes Susan, I think you have the coolest business cards in all of Camp Hill as well.

Cellos

Ashley Bathgate
OK, so this one is still technically in the works… We just launched the web site for this amazingly talented young cellist in advance of her Carnegie Hall debut in February 2008. In addition to the web work, we’ve designed the concert poster, post-cards, and are currently working on the program for the evening. Check out a few of her performance videos on her YouTube Channel.

Lavado de manos

Perhaps the most challenging (in a good way) project has been the translation of the Hartz Mountain Corporation cGMP video for the Bloomfield, NJ facility into Spanish. Since the last time I read this much Spanish was 5th period in St. Thomas Aquinas HS my Sophomore year, we were lucky to find a great partner in CTS LanguageLink. Oh, BTW… Lavado de manos = Hand Washing.

and the rest

As they say, meanwhile back in the studio…
- Currently working on the finishing touches to a promo video for a totally rad, local 80s cover band Amethyst
- Localized a few TV spots for the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ.
- Assorted ongoing projects with various organizations great and small…

Gotta run and do a press check, shoot a couple of scenes, debug a javascript, and whatever else comes up today.

Dec 09, 2006, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

Of Rock and Roll and Such

After you’ve added up all of the hours in a day that are accounted for by one thing or another, many of us realize that we’ve already jammed 25 hours of stuff in a 24 hour day. Here at Brunswick Media Services, its often that we’re working on a video or some other project all hours of the day and night to meet a customer deadline. Combine that with having to all of the other things throughout your day, you’re overbooked.

I got into the audio and video business through my love of music, lets just say that a Fender Guitar got me into all of this. My first Fender still sits in my studio staring at me saying “I’m still in tune…let’s play!” But there’s that whole time thing. video to edit, kids to coach, gutters to clean. But every once in a magical while I get the chance to warm up my tube Peavey amp and still crank out a few chords. You have to pay your dues to the guitar gods once in a while to keep your chops, but with my schedule lately, you could call them pork chops instead of guitar chops.

But I really believe its still important to get back to your roots once in a while and remember how you got to where you are and what got you there. Without music, I wouldn’t have ever recorded and edited audio, and without that I would never have gotten into video editing and production. You become what you love and what you believe in, not what the world thrusts upon you…unless you let it. So go ahead…take a few moments and do the things that you love to do and which got you to where you are today. A little Rock and Roll cranking from a honkin’ amp does the soul good. Who cares what the neighbors say!<

Aug 21, 2006, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

A Couple of Quick Hits

Just a couple of quick tidbits from around the web today:

From Seth Godin:

Human beings have short memories

German appliance maker Bosch introduces the Axxis™ washer.

From AdPulp:

Everybody’s getting into the video biz.

2 from From Digital Producer:

Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: The Blu-ray Perspective, Part 1

Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: The Blu-ray Perspective, Part 2

Finally, from the shameless self-promotion files:

We’re about to launch a new web site for the New Brunswick Cultural Center, (That’s New Brunswick, NJ for those who live in Maine, Georgia, Canada, England, and whereever else there’s a New Brunswick). NewBrunswickArts.org is about a week away from public launch, but for those 3 BrunswickMediaBlog readers out there: Here’s a Sneak Peek.

Mar 10, 2006, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

Keep It Simple

In our business, we all know that certain someone who could make opening a jar of peanut butter complicated. Whether its audio or video or life, I believe there’s a certain value to keeping it simple. I deal with customers and vendors all the time that just make things way too difficult. Let’s face it, its a mic, a recorder, an amp or a camera. That’s it. There’s no amount of hocus-pocus that goes on…

But STOP THE PRESSES!!!! If this was so easy, wouldn’t everyone do it? Well I hope not because then I’m out of a job. Lots of people know how to drive but taxicabs still stay in business. And I believe that they’re a good lesson for all of us. Lets look at the details:

As a video professional, you shouldn’t define yourself by your equipment…you should let your results speak for themselves. I’ve said it before and I’ll gladly repeat it: I can make a good video with lousy equipment and I could just as easily make a lousy video with good equipment. What sets us apart from the pack is our ability…not just our equipment.

So how do we as professionals excel and separate ourselves from the rest? By taking all of the tasks that make up any production and making them look easy. How do we do that? By keeping it simple. More stuff = More stuff that can go wrong. A professional knows how to keep it to a minimum and still get spectacular results. A gearhead or an amateur on the other hand knows how get really good results by jamming as many plugs into one outlet as possible because he defines himself by the equipment he has.

Where’s the lesson in all of this? I’m not sure either! Bottom line: More does not always mean better, newer doesn’t always mean higher quality, complicated does not always equal professional. Your clients will appreciate your ability to keep it simple and make them feel like they actually know what is going on. And it might even make your life a little easier in the process.

Oct 17, 2005, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

Welcome to state of the art?

Go to any high end audio/video store (think B&H in NYC) and tell someone you’re looking for a Canon XL2and note the funny look you might get. Why?? Because immediately the gent (or gal) behind the counter figures you’re a wanna be “wedding video guy” or you’re planning to shoot video that’s unacceptable for eyes under 18 years of age if you get my drift. But let me tell you something: the XL2is one kick ass piece of technology. As the proud owner of an XL1 (its predecessor) I can tell you with all honesty that I’m convinced that you have to spend at least 2x as much on a competing camera to get the same quality that the XL2rolls up into a neat little package. And to think they actually call it a “prosumer camera”!
But what really is “state of the art”? I’ll make the argument that the state of the art is as advanced as the hands that the technologies are in. I’ve seen great quality work done with the cheapest of equipment and really lousy stuff done with really good equipment.
So what are we trying to say here? I know I’ve been harping on and on about analog equipment like someone stuck in the 1950′s but I think its worth saying again…You might only be as good as your equipment but your equipment IS only as good as you are. Period. I’ve become so tired of listening to everyone’s idea of what state of the art is for one reason: Its a lot easier to drop some cash than it is to sharpen your skills through practice and dare I mention it, education. Do you want to be state of the art? Take a couple of photography or audio or video classes at your local community college. Then go out and hone your skills with any quality equipment you have at your disposal. Good is good no matter what you shoot/record/photograph it with. Then when you’ve got equipment that matches your new found high level of skills, you’ll be state of the art too.

Jul 24, 2005, Posted by Mike in the category, 0 Comments

The Sun will come out…Tomorrow

I had the treat of watching a local non-profit theater troupe put on their version of “Annie” last night at the local high school and I must admit that it was one of the best put on local performances I have been to in a long time. For a small troupe staffed with volunteers the sets were minimal and effective and get this: There was a live pocket orchestra in the pit (or at least in front of the stage). You always seem to forget just how much talent is located right in your backyard.