Image Generation

Convey

kevin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:16:56 +0000

I’ve worked with Minneapolis-based PR company One Simple Plan on a number of videos. For this project, they were asked by their client, Convey, to create a branding video that would introduce viewers to who they are and use both customer testimonials and a backdrop of their large annual conference to show their leadership role in the tax reporting industry. One Simple Plan and Convey created an outline of key points for the video, and I was brought in to develop a visual approach and then shoot and edit the video.

Farmwise

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:54:26 +0000

One of the more unique projects I’ve worked on for the last two years running is the Minnesota Idea Open challenge, which invites people doing good work around the state to present their ideas in the hope of winning a $15,000 grant to further their work. I was approached by the Minnesota Idea Open people in 2010 and again in 2011 to create short, fun, informative videos for the top three finalists. People around the state then watched the videos and voted on who should receive the grant. The tricky task for me was to plan, shoot and edit the three short documentary-style videos all within two weeks. I was given a mostly free hand in creative styling, which was helpful given the tight time-frame, as was fast, clear organization with the participants. The fun aspect was getting to know these great ideas growing here in our state, and getting to promote them. The Farmwise folks won the grant for 2011.

Minnesota Idea Open

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:39:42 +0000

The Minnesota Idea Open challenge invites people doing good work around the state to present their ideas in the hope of winning a $15,000 grant to further their work. In 2010, the first year of the challenge, I shot and edited three short videos for the finalists, then edited this one-minute promo video to draw viewers to the MN Idea Open website to vote for a winner. In keeping with the fun, active style of the overall project, I used motion graphics and a lively pace to create this short spot.

Ghost Hunt

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:32:21 +0000

To promote their upcoming feature film Phasma Ex Machina (later renamed Ghost From the Machine), filmmakers Matt Osterman and Jennifer Kramer decided to go on a real ghost hunt with two of their stars. They hired me to shoot and edit the project, so I happily tagged along as they were led through the haunted Mounds Theater by two folks from Minnesota Paranormal Investigators. In editing, I made strong use of atmospheric music (some from the film) and visual effects to create an appropriately spooky yet fun mood.

The Art of Hosting

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:29:00 +0000

I’m humble enough to know when I’m around people smarter than me, and these folks definitely fit the bill! I was hired by the Bush Foundation, through their InCommons endeavor, to document a gathering of the international leaders of the Art of Hosting movement, as they trained dozens of local leaders in their methods for organizational communication and project success. It was a real treat to capture the nuggets of wisdom that were dropping left and right and organize them into a video that was then sent out to the growing Art of Hosting movement. Bush Foundation has called me back a few more times to shoot further Art of Hosting gatherings, and you can see the more than half-dozen videos I’ve made in this series on my Vimeo channel by clicking here.

MAD DADS

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:23:35 +0000

I first approached V.J. Smith, the president of MAD DADS, in 2006 and asked to make a documentary about him because I respected the work he was doing, reaching out to gangsters, addicts, and at-risk youth to help them turn their lives around. The short documentary, Mad Love, has played in film festivals and won awards, perhaps not so much because of my skills but rather because people immediately sense and love the heart that the MAD DADS have for their work. V.J. has since called on me dozens of times to shoot their wonderful community events, as well as vigils and memorials, and I’ve grown to have a long-standing and cherished relationship with the group. This promotional video is partly a compilation of the many events I’ve shot for them, combined with interviews with key figures in Minneapolis, including Mayor Ryback, Congressman Ellison, Police Chief Dolan, and the MAD DADS themselves. V.J. told me the video has become instrumental to them in spreading the word on their mission and generating donations.

Yoga – Breath and Movement

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:21:38 +0000

I was hired as a freelance director of photography and editor to work on this in-progress documentary focusing on breath. In addition to musicians, Qiong teachers, and meditation experts, one of the focuses is on yoga and the connection between movement and breathing.

Theater of Public Policy

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:19:27 +0000

Improv sure looks tough, and it can’t be any easier when you’re asked to riff on something as depressing as the economy, but that’s exactly what happens here to great effect. I was hired to make a promo for The Theater of Public Policy, which brings in featured experts for interviews on serious topics and then proceeds to pick it all apart with humor, courtesy of a group of Minneapolis’s best improv performers. If you’d like to see the full one-hour show, you can watch it here.

Minnesota River/Lake Pepin Friendship Tours

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:17:01 +0000

There is a growing tension in Minnesota between farmers in the Minnesota River valley and the people downstream who claim that sediment run-off and pesticide use are damaging our water and wildlife. Clean Up the River Environment helped assemble a coalition of people from both sides of the issue who came up with the brilliant, simple idea that the best way to handle the issue is to put aside preconceptions and meet with mutual respect and openness. Thus was born the Minnesota River/Lake Pepin Friendship Tours. InCommons created a challenge for nonprofit coalitions, with the winner receiving a $15,000 grant to further their work. I was hired to shoot and edit short promotional documentaries on the finalists, one of which was the Tours, which went on to win the challenge. My challenge was to encapsulate a complex issue in 3-4 minutes, tell both sides of the story, and make it compelling. Of course, it helps when you have the the lovely scenery of the Minnesota River and Lake Pepin to work with…

The advantages of LED lighting

kevin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:11:41 +0000

Many clients are intrigued by the LED lights I use, so I thought I’d explain their advantages. The benefits of LED lights are numerous: they’re quick and easy to set-up, they’re dimmable 0%-100%, they’re daylight temperature balanced so they’re easy to mix with sunlight, their low heat output lets on-camera talent stay comfortable and makes break-down faster, they use so little power you can put five or more lights on one household circuit, plus these models can be IDX-battery powered for shooting literally anywhere in the world. The lights I use are manufactured by Flolight. Lightpanels also makes very good LED lights, but I did a side-by-side test at rental house Cinequipt and found that Flolights were much brighter. They’re now my #1 lights for interviews, and I still have my four-light Arri tungsten set plus a Dedolight for when more light is needed (e.g. lighting sets or backdrops). When you need interviews shot quickly and efficiently, LEDs are a fantastic answer. Here are some screengrabs and a photo from recent shoots. The interview screengrab is from a shoot in which I used LEDs and a background practical lamp. The other set-up used LEDs on the talent and Arri lights on the background paper.