Over the course of a month, the Plum team visited numerous Boys & Girls Clubs sites, and I learned that the Clubs are about way more than shooting hoops. We recorded young people dancing, writing music, planning charity events, creating artwork, playing chess and- close to my own heart- producing a TV program. Oh yeah, and shooting hoops.

Besides being fun to produce, this project was a testing ground for new Plum capabilities. We captured some of the footage with our new DSLR camera, which allows us to use film-style lenses for a cinematic look. In post-production, graphics guru Kevin did some motion tracking effects that are so seamless, I’ll bet you can’t spot them. The newest Plummer, Bob, brings with him extensive audio experience, so he used ProTools to weave location sound, sound effects and music into the final audio mix.

Last Monday night, we attended the Salute to Youth event at the Pfister, along with several hundred of our closest friends. The video got a rousing ovation, but I’ll tell you who the real stars of the evening were: the young people who have overcome adversity and taken control of their lives. The audience was enthralled as high school student Cavalier Washington told of the hardships she faced at home, and how she has not only achieved academic success herself, but also tutors younger kids, assists in the computer lab and coaches soccer. She more than deserves the scholarship she was awarded. Later in the evening, as awards were handed out to community members who pour their energy into the Clubs, it became clear that this is a very special organization.

Our Boys & Girls Clubs clients have thanked us repeatedly for our donation of time and effort in creating the video. But you know, I think they gave even more to us: the chance to hang out with the dedicated staff and the enthusiastic, creative, fun kids of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

Thank you!

Ken

John Engle of Haiti Partners, Laura Timm, Director of Corporate Communications, Briggs & Stratton, Job Ce're'me' and Videographer Nolan Hurley

http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/briggsandstratton/44362/

Briggshelpinghaiti.blogspot.com

http://www.buffettworld.com/2010/06/10/buffett-aids-briggs-stratton-in-haiti-relief-efforts/

On a personal note, one of the many great things about my occupation is that, in the 25+ years that I have been involved in video production, it has taken me to fascinating places to which I might never have gone. It has put me in contact with amazing people I might never have encountered (see Jimmy Buffet ‘s Website). It has removed me from my comfort zone and, most importantly, it has generally humbled me by demonstrating how little I really know about the world.  I was “fortunate” enough to travel to the Yucatan in Mexico shortly after hurricane Wilma devastated the area in 2005. I thought at the time I had “seen it all.” Not to diminish the disaster in Mexico as many of them continue their struggle to rebound, but nothing could prepare me for what I witnessed in the earthquake crumbled streets of Port au Prince. Frankly, it has taken me a couple weeks to fully process the sensory overload we were exposed to during our brief stay.

The heat, the noise, the rain, the mud, the dust, the smells, the complete devastation, it was at times, overwhelming. I now understand the detached feeling people have when they’ve witnessed something extra-ordinary and say, “it was like I was watching a movie.” I get it. It was beyond normal comprehension. Yet, amongst it all, my take away was the beautiful people and their tremendous resolve. They do not look desperate as you might anticipate in a population where some 1.3 million are still living in tent cities with little hope of returning home anytime soon. Quite the contrary, I saw faces of hope. I saw hard work, and I saw school kids impeccably dressed as they navigated the rubble and traffic of the crowded city street. It will take a long, long time for Haiti to climb back to what was already a meager state even before the earthquake. However, if their spirit and determination are indicators, I believe they will someday make the world proud.

Thank you Haiti, I am humbled.

Dan Mooney

WESTconsin Credit Union Broadcast Spot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVCpg_xN4vs

EXTENDICARE-Statesman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxIUBe5nhk4

The Freddie Awards are also known as The International Health and Medical Media Awards. According to their website www.thefreddies.com the awards serve as the “preeminent international media competition devoted to educational health and medical productions”.  All entries are judged based on “content, educational value, originality, and production quality”.

Plum’s entry, “Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair,” for Central DuPage Hospital took top honors in the Surgery category.  We faced some pretty prestigious competition including entries from both CNN and Discovery.

Dr. Jay

So how exactly did our editor Jay deal with all the cutting and fine detail of surgery and not lose his lunch?

“Piece of cake”, he says.  “I’m used to cutting video all day. So yeah, a little surgery doesn’t both me”.

Bruce’s hair?  He says, “No comment.” 

Our old Avid editing system?  I think Eric made an end table out of it.

Rich’s organized boxes of project tapes? Yep. They’re still in storage.  If you did a project with Plum ten years ago, we can still find it.

Which brings me to this thought:  Ten years from now — when we hire a fresh young face to join our staff — are they going to look at us quizzically and say, “What’s tape?”

Since I’ve been a Plummer, we’ve shot on BetaSP. Then it was DVCam. Now Plum has these slick Sony XD Cameras that shoot in glorious high definition. They don’t record to tape. They store those precious pixels on special little data cards, similar to the way a digital still camera stores images.

Eric and Jay, our Final Cut Pro editors, bring those digital files into their computers and edit from files, not from tape.

So, does this mean we can’t shout “Roll tape!” on a production shoot?  Technically speaking, I guess we can’t.

To be fair, we still use tape at the end of a project. Because the file size of HD images is incredibly large, we archive our project files and images to LTO (Linear Tape Open).  Banks often use the same technology to back up their data.

So now, when you ask Rich to find that shot from a recent project, at least he can shout, “Roll the back-up tape!”

Rhonda Patzlsberger

We helped our clients win ten Telly Awards! And for good measure, our work won two Videographer Awards.

Hearst Marketing Resources, Extendicare, and Plum were also honored with Videographer Awards.

To find out how Plum Moving Media can help make your next project an award winner, call us at 414 271-6650.

Guests gather in Plum's newly-remodeled reception area.

Why is somebody in Fairbanks, Alaska checking out the live webcam of Plum’s open house?  That’s what we’d like to know!  If you’re out there, drop us a line. They were just one of many of people logging in. The open house last Thursday was a huge success. Could it be the Pearl Plum Cosmos, or the bacon-wrapped plums, or the Plum-labeled Point beer?

While we didn’t get a perfect count, we filled our newly expanded space in Milwaukee’s Third Ward with lots of familiar faces. Our clients and colleagues did us a huge favor and scribbled notes and best wishes all over the wall between Rich’s and Bruce’s offices. A few picked up the guitars in Edit 3 and rocked out to Guitar Hero. Of course, we caught all this on camera. 

Most important, we shared ideas, showed off our creativity, and wondered, “Why don’t we do this more often?”

Maybe next year?  Who knows!

Rhonda Patzlsberger

Rockin'-out with Guitar Hero

There’s nothing like a deadline to get things moving.  Plum Moving Media is hosting an open house on Thursday to celebrate our new digs and thank our clients for all the fun they’ve sent our way.

With the frenzy of tidying and last-minute decorating, this place has never looked better! Plum recently doubled its space in the historic Landmark Building in Milwaukee’s Third Ward.

Rich Schmig, one of our owners, put on his painting shirt to touch up a few walls. He was even seen stocking the fridge with Plum labeled beer. (Can I get a bottle count?)

Bruce Gibb, the other half the dynamic management duo, was last seen slaving away on a comfy chair in an edit room, putting pizzazz into the videos that will be playing throughout the office.

There will be great food and prizes. Plus a chance to legally “tag” our wall of fame.

Watch for pictures of the event coming soon!

Rhonda Patzlsberger

In case you're thirsty when you arrive...