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Goodwill | Teresa: 2017 Achiever of the Year

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Goodwill Industries of Arkansas does so much for the community. The items you donate are sold in stores across the state and the proceeds go to fund programs that help members of the community. One the those programs is the Transitional Employment Opportunities program, or TEO. This program helps people who have committed nonviolent crimes and have served their time, transition back into daily lives. The program gives them a job training, current employment status and helps them get back into a daily routine of living and being a contributing member of society. 

BackFocus Productions was happy to work again with Kumpuris Communications on one of these projects. We would like to congratulate Teresa on her award.  

So go out and donate to Goodwill!

 

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ForceField by Georgia Pacific

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How do you highlight the capabilities of a product before the product has been manufactured?  

You build it in 3D of course!  

We worked directly with Steele+ out of Atlanta, to help Georgia Pacific create a marketing video to showcase the highlights of this new product before it made it to the market.  

After taking on a project like this you see why it takes years to make an animated movie. They have hundreds of animators and artists working on them. We had two. This turned out to be a great collaboration project working with the talented Jeff Holsted and Chris Roe, two artists we have known and worked with for years.  

This project took about five weeks to complete once we were given a script and a direction to take it in. Once that was in place, you fine tune the script, lay-out the direction and break in down into small pieces.  Yes, it is a lot of work, but the client was amazed at the final result, which is all you can ask for.  

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Rubber & Gasket Company of America Display

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Every company wants their projects to be successful. 

But want you really want is for the client to be so happy with their project, they call you back for more work.  

After creating a training video for a new client, we were called back a month later for another project. However this project was a little different.  

Our client, Rubber & Gasket Company of America, is a growing company, who is not only looking for talented employees, but are also looking to expand their client base. To help attract new staff and business, RGA asked us to design a display that would be used at trade shows and job fairs.  

RGA is a very diverse company. They provide industrial products that keep manufacturing plants going in industries ranging from mining, oil and gas, to food service. If they don't have what you need, they can make it.

For this project, a generic display that many companies have at trade shows would just not work. An image can say so much more than words. We spent a full day at their warehouse photographing their employees and products. We decided to keep the design clean and simple with photos, but enough to show the diversity of the products this company offers.  

Yes, we do more than just video. Need a project similar to this? Please contact us for more information.

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Rubber & Gasket Co., of America Training Video

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Safety and training videos can be dull and boring, but they don't have to be.  When approached about this latest project for the Rubber & Gasket Co of America our client wanted a video that employees would watch and learn from. We have always been big fans of the show How it's Made and thought a video along those lines would keep the video interesting.  Keeping the script short and concise, while adding moving elements with graphics helps keep the viewer interested. The client was blown away when they saw the final product.

RGA is a nation-wide industrial rubber distributor and fabricator. If you need any type of industrial rubber product or fluid moving hose RGA has it; gasket cutting, belt vulcanization, hose assembly, metal hose, and expansion joint welding.

Here are some of the Behind-the-Scenes shots from the production.

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Video Project for Goodwill: Part Two | Arkansas Video Production Company

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Last week I wrote about the two video projects for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas focusing on their Transitional Employment Opportunity (TEO) program. This is the third time we've worked with Goodwill and we love everything about this company and what they represent to those they help throughout Arkansas.

Goodwill’s Transitional Employment Opportunity (TEO) program offers job readiness training and job placement services for people re-entering the workforce.

Today's video features Brian Miller. Both of John's parents struggling with drug addiction, the odds were stacked against Brian Miller from the start. Brian compounded his challenges with poor choices that landed him in federal prison serving a 36-month sentence. It only took a handful of people and the right resources to help him rebuild his life. Brian currently works as a Production Supervisor, and was named Goodwill’s Graduate of the Year 2015.

Watch Brian’s story:

In Brian's own words,

"Not only did they help me change my life...they changed my children’s life, because they got their father back. I’m working and doing something positive."

Here are some of our Behind-the-scenes photos from Brian's video.

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Video Project for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas

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We recently had the honor to work on two video projects for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas focusing on their Transitional Employment Opportunity (TEO) program. This is the third time we've worked with Goodwill and we love everything about this company and what they represent to those they help throughout Arkansas.

Goodwill’s Transitional Employment Opportunity (TEO) program offers job readiness training and job placement services for people re-entering the workforce.

The video below features John Crihfield who is the Frank Lyon Jr. Achiever of the Year 2015. Just two years ago, John was serving a 20-year prison sentence after a painful childhood, drug abuse, as well as a learning disability. Today, Crihfield is Goodwill’s Frank Lyon Jr. Achiever of the Year and works as a donation service associate in one of the Northwest Arkansas Goodwill store.

NWA Re-entry Coach, Joe Bruton said, “All the hard work that John has put in to help change his life - the award could not go to a more deserving individual.

Finding gainful employment today is a challenge. What would it be like to add a felony to your job application? Thousands of Arkansans are released from prison every year, and one out of two, go back to prison.

Goodwill understands this is certainly preventable if only these people have a real chance to rebuild their lives through education, hard work and earning a paycheck while working on these skills. A strong community means creating an environment where every single person has an opportunity to contribute. Rebuilding lives creates value for everyone. 

The 16-week training program provides assessment, occupational training, career planning and job search assistance, resume development and basic education services and more.

Goodwill has served over 15,000 clients through their various programs and services in the past year alone.

So the next time you donate clothing, furniture or any other miscellaneous items to Goodwill, the monies generated from those sales goes to fund programs Goodwill like the TEO program.

We wish to thank for both Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and Sajni Kumpuris for this opportunity to collaborate on a great project.

Here are some of our Behind-the-scenes photos from John's video.

On a side note, it seems that people who shop at Goodwill will buy just about anything, even without knowing what it is.

We filmed John's story in the NWA location inside the store in one of their conference rooms. Space was tight. We left our productions along the wall in the back of the store. Shoppers at Goodwill were very interested in our carts, especially what they could buy off the carts. We had to tell three different shoppers that our apple boxes were not for sale. Then people tried to buy our flags....then a pouch filled with C-47s (clothespins for the non-production people).

It seems our finely-crafted "Not for Sale" signs didn't work.

Check back next week for Brian's story.

Clarisonic SMART Profile

Working with new clients is always fun. When the client is a big name in the skin care industry, it is awesome. The shots you see everyday of simple products can sometimes be difficult. You need close-up details, a full view of the product, and demonstration shots. Add a reflective white surface to the product and things get interesting.

To help eliminate reflections and hot spots you must have large light sources, a great lighting crew and a good camera. We were blessed to be able to use the new ARRI Amira for this shoot. Not only does it render skin tones beautifully it allowed us to capture slow-motion shots at up to 200 frames per-second.

Below are two of the three finished videos that Clairsonic is using highlight and explain how to use the product. Also check out several of our behind the scenes still photos. BackFocus Productions was excited to be able to do the production part of this video and partner with a new client and one we have worked with in the past, Reclaim Creation.

EVRlock

You're looking at a new product launch for Evraz, the second largest steel manufacturer in the world. EVRlock is a high strength connection used in the oil and natural gas industry. EVRlock was designed to withstand the high pressures and strains that modern drilling techniques, such as horizontal drilling and fracking, places on these types of connections.

These connections are so precise that the threads are measured down to the micron. The video is not just about the connector, but the people behind to scenes that help make, measure, design and test the connections. EVRlock not only makes a great connector, but the company works to make a great connection to their clients.

Below are some behind-the-scenes photos which took place in three different locations in Canada over a weeks time. As you can probably tell it was a little cold, -41 Fahrenheit one morning.

I do want to extend a HUGE word of thanks to: the agency Steele+, Pixel Rocket Media  for knocking out some awesome graphics as always, Reclaim Creation  for sound recording and music,  KES Photo, and Two Words Productions, for helping to make this project possible.

National Park Medical Center Spots

Backfocus Productions recently had the opportunity to work with EXIT Marketing on a commercial campaign for National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas. National Park prides itself with being patient-oriented and this campaign reflects that.

Below are just a few of the 16 spots in total we shot and produced.

To promote the excellence in physician care offered at National Park Medical Center, we worked closely with creative team at EXIT on the week-long shoot.

We produced four, 30-second spots as well as 12, 15-second spots. Each spot featured not only National Park Medical Center physicians and staff, but several of their patients as well.

The "For Me" campaign promotes the quality results delivered and close relationships developed by the leading specialists at National Park Medical Center.

To see the Behind the Scenes photos from the "For Me" campaign, check them out here at KES Photo's website.

Audio services by Reclaim Creation

Timber Kings HGTV

Timber Kings

Last year, we worked on a new TV series for HGTV Canada: Timber Kings. If you like log homes, you will love this series.

It follows Pioneer Log Homes, based in Canada, and shows the ins and outs of building these giant natural structures. They choose and hand-cut the trees in Canada, assemble them into a custom built homes... or should I say mansions… since most of these homes are at least 6,000 square feet. Once assembled, the homes are numbered and put onto trucks or boats and shipped anywhere in the world.

BackFocus Productions was hired to shoot a few episodes on one of the houses they were assembling in Heber Spring, Arkansas. While the series is about the houses, it is also about the colorful construction crew and problems that arise when undertaking such a project.  The crew from Canada were great to work with and the series, which started airing in January, has become a big success for HGTV Canada. Below is a small teaser for one of the episodes we worked on.

Update: Due to the shows success in Canada, Discovery Channel America has now picked up the show and premiered the first episode of the series last Saturday night at 9 p.m. Central.  Check your local listings since the show will be on numerous times throughout the week. 

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Hero Dog Awards

Meet John D.  He is one amazing dog.

Late last summer, we had the honor of spending a few days with the 2013 Search and Rescue Dog of the year.  John D just happens to live here in Arkansas.  Not only can John D find people injured and trapped in rubble, but he can find and locate drowning victims...under the water. Unless you see it for yourself, it's hard to believe, but he can.  One would think that alone is amazing, but John D is also at the forefront of new cancer detection.

He can actually smell the blood of a patient and detect Thyroid Cancer, before actual blood tests are done.  UAMS is currently working to get this early detection system approved.  Not only will it provide fast results, but also help reduce unnecessary and costly testing.

The Hero Dog Awards are awarded once a year and the top dogs and owners from the eight chosen categories are awarded a trip to the big Hero Dog Show Awards in Los Angeles.   This is a big red carpet event that was televised this year on the Hallmark channel back in November.   Numerous celebrities are there and also present the awards and videos to the owners.  Out of the eight categories, one final winner is chosen to be the Top Hero Dog of the Year.

While John D did not win Top Dog, he and the other dogs nominated are unbelievable at their jobs.

So give them a hand and check out the other winners from the 2013 Hero Dog Awards.

BackFocus Productions worked along with MRB Productions out of  Los Angeles on this project providing on-location sound recording and lighting assistance.

EVRAZ Rail Trade Show Video

This video is a great way to show why we love working in this business.

You never know what is next and everyday is something different.  It is even better when you get to work with one of our favorite clients, EVRAZ and Steele+.

EVRAZ is the second largest steel manufacturer in the world and the number one producer of rail for railroads.

Last fall, we collaborated with Steele+ to work on a video for a trade show that EVRAZ a part of.  However, this was not a simple little trade show.  This was a HUGE vendor trade show specifically geared for Rail.  That would involve anything and everything to do with railroads.  Oh! Did I mention that it was held in Brazil?  So not only did we have to make a English version of the video, but made a version in Portuguese as well. Both video would be played on separate screen on different sides of the trade show, and they had to sync up together.  This this was a one heck of a project.

If you would like to see the Portuguese version... here it is.

The Woodruff House

The Quapaw Quarter Association promotes the preservation of Little Rock’s architectural heritage through advocacy, marketing and education. Backfocus Productions was asked to create a video that explained both the history and significance of the Woodruff House and its original owner, William Woodruff.  The video details the importance of restoring and preserving the house with its rich history of both Arkansas and Little Rock.

William Woodruff was the first printer in the Arkansas Territories. In 1819, he published what is considered by some to be the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi, The Arkansas Gazette. The Gazette would later become the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette which is currently the Arkansas' largest newspaper. William Woodruff was more than just a printer.  He was a politician, entrepreneur, businessman, ardent Confederate, and a founding father of Little Rock. His last home that resides between 8th and 9th streets just east of I-30 and was one of the first Urban farms in the area. During the Civil War, Woodruff was banished from Little Rock by the Union Army and they took over his home which was later used as a hospital and officers headquarters.

Since Woodruff's death, the house has gone through many changes over the years.  In the last decade, the Woodruff House has become unlivable.  It is so very important to help preserve this house and the history it can tell us.

Arkansas Children's Hospital Foundation Video

We recently worked with Arkansas Children's Hospital Foundation to create an end of the year Thank You video. The Foundation sends out a video each year thanking businesses and private individuals for their continued support. The video showcases some of the special children their donations have helped over the past year.  This is a great cause and it was a pleasure to be able to work on this project.

If you would like to help by donating to this worthy cause please click here to help out the children.

This project and the animation was done completely with Adobe Premier and Photoshop CS6.   As we are slowly making the switch to Adobe for editing,  we are very pleased that Adobe has stepped up and made their full suite a more professional-based application.

The Sony F3 Has Arrived

The week before Christmas, Backfocus Productions took delivery on our new camera, the Sony F3.  For those not familiar with the F3 it is a small package camera with high-end features and picture quality that will stand side by side with the most expensive cameras in the business, such as the RED One and Arri Alexa.  Out of the box, it is a full 35MM sensor camera that will record direct to cards in the very popular XDcam format, or with the added option it will record Sony Raw files to a external recorder.  These Raw files are very similar to the files created by the Arri Alexa which give you the ability to pull the most out of each shot in post.  Which in-turn helps you get the exact look the client is after.

The F3 is also very versatile with the ablilty to to shoot with high-end PL mount lenses, or for smaller budgets we can easily adapt directly to a variety of nice Nikkor lenses.  Coming soon will be yet another option of a ENG style lens for  the fast pace run-and-gun style shooting.   This is NOT another still camera that shoots video.  The F3 is a full-featured video camera that shoots 1080p from 1 frame to 60 frames per second.  And with this camera, audio is not an issue, it has full production XLR inputs so you can run wireless mics straight on the camera or run our Sound Devices 442 Mixer outputs straight to it.  No need for syncing audio later in post, taking up valuable edit time.

Buying a camera is an investment and takes a lot of time, testing, researching and shooting, to know that the investment will pay off.  We are exciting to add the F3 into the mix and it has already been out working on jobs and paying off for us and our clients.

This is our Sony F3 pictured below, shown with a Angenieux DP 30-80mm lens.