House on Fire Casting Call
ATB Productions is casting for a social awareness video around covid vaccines being given to lower income countries around the world. The allegory for the video is having a pair of dollhouses on fire (one rich, one poor) with the rich house not sharing the ability to put the fire out.
ATB Productions is casting for a social awareness video around covid vaccines being given to lower income countries around the world. The allegory for the video is having a pair of dollhouses on fire (one rich, one poor) with the rich house not sharing the ability to put the fire out.
What we are looking for:
Two child actors (male or female) to fill the roles of one with a “rich” dollhouse and the other with a “poor” dollhouse. Age range would be 10-15 years old.
Where are we filming?
Filming will be taking place around the Baltimore area. Currently finalizing the exact location.
When are we filming?
Filming will be taking place the first week of January 2022. It will be a single day shoot.
What is the rate?
$500 for the day
How can I apply for the role?
To apply for consideration please send over a headshot, resume, reels and or previous work over to casting@atbproductions.com
Thanks so much in advance everyone!
Video For Every Part of Your Business
Video is an undeniably powerful tool, especially after the events that the pandemic unexpectantly brought to the world in 2020. With that in mind, there is a purpose in video for every part of your business. Let’s look at how video can supercharge your business in 2021 and beyond with ATB Productions video content from concept to completion in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond.
Video is an undeniably powerful tool, especially after the events that the pandemic unexpectantly brought to the world in 2020. With that in mind, there is a purpose in video for every part of your business. Let’s look at how video can supercharge your business in 2021 and beyond with ATB Productions video content from concept to completion in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond.
Internal Communication
Internal communications can be useful in breaking up the typically mundane announcements that are shared among your staff and are a great example of how to use video to improve employee engagement. From sharing day-in-the-life videos to better set job expectations to creating internal address videos, internal comms videos can make internal announcements much more engaging and something that people within your organization look forward to.
Events
Virtual events became the norm in 2020 and will continue to be the new “normal,” even as we move away from the pandemic. Videos can be used as an effective tool to differentiate and make your program more engaging by incorporating things like animated graphics or pre-recorded speaker intros.
Videos can also build anticipation before a virtual event with an event promo video or as quick overview after the virtual event with a post-event recap video.
Rebrand
Have the effects of COVID-19 caused your organization to pivot and rethink the way you do business? Do you need to revamp your corporate image to better align with your current goals and intended image? Videos can be a great tool to use when rebranding your company. From showcasing a new brand story to renaming your organization, maintaining your likeability in the market is easy with a stellar video.
Advocacy
With so much going on in the world, it’s important to have a strong advocacy campaign that keeps your audience informed and aware of your goal. LAI Video is well aware of how important it is to create change and has helped many organizations do so through various advocacy marketing campaigns.
Key Services & Resources
A picture is worth a thousand words. And a video is worth even more. A video can quickly describe how to complete a task or use a feature on a website.
Product Launches
Not sure how to get the word out about your cool/amazing/fantastic new product? A product launch video can be the single most effective way to get the news across about your newest product or program.
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
Post-Production on a RED KOMODO 6K Music VIdeo
We recently completed our third music video for The Disco Fries, our past two videos, Family Affair and Beat of your Heart were super fun to make so we were looking forward to creating a visual for their new song “React”.
We recently completed our third music video for The Disco Fries, our past two videos, Family Affair and Beat of your Heart were super fun to make so we were looking forward to creating a visual for their new song “React”.
First off, we knew the song was dope, especially having Damon Sharpe on the track, So we instantly thought Dance Video.
We did have a lot of things working against us though, we need to shoot super soon, and turn around is pretty fast.
But we also had luck on our side, as out of the blue, we got a beautiful notification from B&H that the RED KOMODO, we had ordered a few months earlier was finally shipping and would arrive two days before our scheduled shoot date.
The gods have spoken and this video was destined to be the first thing shot our the new setup.
The concept is fairly simple:
Dance video where two lovers are in search of each other through a cosmic rhythm of love.
The Creative Style: Flat “Straight on shots” with bright colors and tie that with post-production tracking to give the dancing an “extra” feeling.
Visual Style
We paired the RED with DZO Pictor Zooms and the image clarity is definitely better than anything ATB has owned in the past. We’ve shot on rented REDs and Arri’s in the past, but for this to be our everyday camera, we are siked.
Lighting, No gaffer, but we ran Aperture 300D with two 1x1 Geminis: Crew was limited, we needed to move fast.
Post Production:
This is a busy time for ATB often editing multiple projects simultaneously, so taking on music videos tends to be passion projects for us.
The workflow inside of premiere was a concern, but the Red Raw files play and work fairly smoothly.
We wanted to spend a lot of the post time on playing with the 6K Red files in a 4K timeline, doing “post tracking” requires zooming in and we wanted to see how the imagine holds up.
Which I think they did.
We had to play a balance of completely tracking the video and getting it done. Overall, we are proud of it. Let us know what you think.
Shooting on the RED KOMODO for the First Time
ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond has waited months for our RED KOMODO to come in, but it finally came, right in time for a Music Video we were shooting for the DISCO FRIES. We went ahead and ordered a v-mount adapter, a SMALL RIG cage and rails, a TILTA follow Focus, and a 7” small HD monitor, then topped it off with a Set of DZO PICTOR Zooms via a DZO RF to PL adapter.
ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond has waited months for our RED KOMODO to come in, but it finally came, right in time for a Music Video we were shooting for the DISCO FRIES. We went ahead and ordered a v-mount adapter, a SMALL RIG cage and rails, a TILTA follow Focus, and a 7” small HD monitor, then topped it off with a Set of DZO PICTOR Zooms via a DZO RF to PL adapter.
Shooting on the RED KOMODO for the First Time our FIRST SHOOT with RED KOMODO
So, what once was a tiny body of the Komodo ended up being a fairly sizable build out when all was said and done. Over the years, ATB has shot on RED’s before, but this was the first time we owned one. So, this music video was the perfect way to test out the camera in a real-world situation.
First off, just like all our music videos, we were biting off more than we can chew with virtually no budget ($2300), we set up a day of shooting that included three locations, too many set-ups, barely any crew, and little knowledge of how the camera would perform.
Our first step was a “Dream” scene, using a Kaleidoscope Fractal look in an all white setting. As we powered the KOMODO up, which takes forever compared to every camera we’ve used in the past, we were given messages like “Unapproved Cards”' for our CF2 Lexars cards. We used the RED RAW MQ format as our goal was to see what the camera can do but didn’t want to change cards every two minutes, especially since we were light on crew. We accepted the fact that the RED KOMODO told us that our cards might not work, and a 256 gb card was getting about 23 minutes of run time. Not bad, as it takes roughly the same time to dump cards (28 minutes on MacBook Pro), with three 256 Cards and 1 128GB. We knew we could shoot all day without worry.
NOTE: Switching from RAW to PRORES requires a shutdown and restart of camera, so patience with the KOMODO is key.
Workflow on Set
Overall, the aesthetic and menu system is kind of chunky and the “hazard” look seems juvenile. But menus are menus and who cares, Sony’s menus are similarly bad and I prefer the simplicity of the BlackMagic simple system.
As far as Aspect ratio and format, this camera has a ton. Honestly, more than I’m used to / comfortable with, we shot 17x9 6K cause it was at the top of the list and why not, you know.
The creative for the music video requires some “post-production” tracking. Knowing we are going to be editing in a 4k timeline, we wanted that extra room to punch in to make tracking easier.
Battery life on the Komodo was exceptional, we just about had it on all day and we burned one battery and went one bar down on our second battery, so powering the camera off v-mounts won’t be a problem.
Visuals
Visually, the camera performed super well, especially paired with the DZO PICTOR ZOOMs. I was looking at the imaging we were getting. Stylistically, we chose scenes with bright colors as we wanted the image to pop as much as it cool. We also shot a silhouetted sequence inside, exposing for the outside that should give us a decent test of dynamic range.
Editing
Bringing the Raw files into Premiere requires you to go through MEDIA BROWSER, instead of how I normally do it, but just dragging in the entire folder. This is because RED breaks up a single clip into 4gb files, so one “take” of a full song will be broken up into a bunch of clips, however when you import the RED Raw files via Media Browser in Premiere it stitches them together making file management super easy.
Looking at the footage in Premiere, I wasn’t overly impressed with the image, but just applying the basic RED LUTS the images came to life and the visuals were popping. There is definitely going to be a strong learning curve both in production and post-production with this camera, but we are looking forward to figuring it out.
Check back for our DISCO FRIES - REACT video when it drops on OCTOBER 29th.
Comment with any questions you want answered or just comment that we suck and don’t know what we are doing. We’ll take either.
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
ATB Productions Featured on OwlGuru
This week, owner of ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond Joey Malinski was featured in a very special article over at OwlGuru. In the article, Joey talks about his life as a director and business owner, as well as what comes with video production/filmmaking work in general. Check out a little more on ATB Productions featured on OwlGuru.
This week, owner of ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond Joey Malinski was featured in a very special article over at OwlGuru. In the article, Joey talks about his life as a director and business owner, as well as what comes with video production/filmmaking work in general. Check out a little more on ATB Productions featured on OwlGuru.
About OwlGuru
OwlGuru is a magnificent site that takes the time to highlight well versed individuals in a variety of career settings. From those in the medical field all the way to any art discipline you can imagine, if you are looking for insight into what you want to do with your career, this is a great resource all around.
Creativity and proper execution are key in all the work that is achieved at ATB Productions, so having the opportunity to share life lessons is always quite the honor. If you haven’t already taken the time to read over the article please do.
A small snippet from the final piece
Advice to Aspiring Filmmakers
In a lot of careers in the film business, there is a pretty established path. However, with the director’s role, there is not. The only way to become a director is to direct. So, start now, there is a 4k camera with sound and editing capabilities in your pocket. There is no excuse not to be telling stories. The principles of directing are practically the same no matter what the gear. Your job is to make the audience care, keep them intrigued, and leave them thinking as they are walking out of the theater.
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
Baltimore Music Video Casting Call Male Dancer
Attention all Baltimore dancers, ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond is looking for a male dancer for an upcoming music video for the Disco Fries here in Baltimore. Female dancers from all over the state are welcome, though!
Attention all Baltimore dancers, ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond is looking for a male dancer for an upcoming music video for the Disco Fries here in Baltimore. Female dancers from all over the state are welcome, though!
Baltimore Music Video Casting Call Male Dancer Details
Who: We are looking for a male dancer who has experience in more modern/hip hop style dance aesthetics. Think of it as a dancer you follow on Tik Tok.
Pay: The pay for the production is $250 for the day.
Location: We will be filming in the Baltimore city area. Two to three locations, but all around the same general city area.
When is filming: Filming is going to fall on Thursday October 14th.
Age Range: Looking for male dancers between the ages of 18-28
Purpose of the video: Creating a stylish but humorous music video that tells the story of a boy and girl who find love through a pair of items that are two halves of a whole as they dance along to the song featured trying to find one another.
If you are interested: Please reach out to us anytime if you are interested in being a part of the production at casting@atbproductions.com please send over any headshots/photos, acting reels or resume if applicable (these are not a requirement by any means though). Also, if you have any dance videos or social media pages which highlight your moves, feel free to forward this as well as it would show us your amazing skills!
Lastly, we have a music video which captures the sort of quirky visual style we will go for with this production. Check that out below:
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
Best Video Settings for Instagram
With a few different options for uploading videos to Instagram, it can be a little tough to follow what settings work best. Whether you are uploading for you Instagram Stories, IGTV, or videos straight to your feed. Luckily, we at ATB Productions, video content from concept to completion in Baltimore, Maryland, have created this quick breakdown for all the best video settings for Instagram.
With a few different options for uploading videos to Instagram, it can be a little tough to follow what settings work best. Whether you are uploading for you Instagram Stories, IGTV, or videos straight to your feed. Luckily, we at ATB Productions, video content from concept to completion in Baltimore, Maryland, have created this quick breakdown for all the best video settings for Instagram.
Feed Videos
If you want to share your video on feed, consider:
The maximum resolution that gives you the best quality is 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels for the square post. The aspect ratio is, of course, 1:1.
For portrait videos, the maximum acceptable ratio is 4:5, which gives you the maximum satisfactory resolution of 1080 pixels by 1350 pixels.
For landscape videos, you can have the highest resolution of 1080 pixels by 607 pixels. These videos can have a ratio between 1.91:1 and 16:9. Therefore, if you upload a video at these specific rates, you can upload your video on Instagram without compression.
Story Videos
For stories, the best dimension for Instagram videos to avoid compression is 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels, an aspect ratio of 9:16.
IGTV
Using IGTV, you can upload portrait and landscape videos.
Here are the best dimensions:
Portrait IGTV videos: The aspect ratio is between 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels for a 9:16 aspect ratio.
Landscape IGTV videos: The aspect ratio is between 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels for a 16:8 aspect ratio.
Tip: You can upload a thumbnail for the IGTV and also publish it as an individual post on the feed. It’s a good idea to create a thumbnail that goes well on your feed. You can easily set custom photos as your Instagram video thumbnail.
For instance, if your IGTV thumbnail is a portrait, it will be cropped into a square after publishing the post, and the bad news is, you can’t edit it after publishing! So, try to use an image that won’t seem bad after cropping. The best dimension for an IGTV cover photo on Instagram without compression is 1.55 and a size of 420px by 654px.
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”. Contact us today for all your video needs!
Filming Highlights - Maryland Food Bank
Over the course of two days, we had an amazing time working with the Maryland Food Bank filming the entire process of what it truly means to bring food from farm to table. Through wonderful collaboration and some amazing locations to capture, there is a lot of great content we are going to be working through in our upcoming post-production process. So with no further delay, let’s take a look through filming highlights with the Maryland Food Bank from ATB Productions, video content from concept to completion in Baltimore and beyond.
Over the course of two days, we had an amazing time working with the Maryland Food Bank filming the entire process of what it truly means to bring food from farm to table. Through wonderful collaboration and some amazing locations to capture, there is a lot of great content we are going to be working through in our upcoming post-production process. So with no further delay, let’s take a look through filming highlights with the Maryland Food Bank from ATB Productions, video content from concept to completion in Baltimore and beyond.
“For this project, we wanted to show the work that MFB does across all of Maryland, so visually we need to transition from one process to the next and have it feel connected.”
How can you not utterly appreciate the job that the Maryland Food Bank does on a daily basis? Bringing food to those who need it the most is a never-ending endeavor, but no matter what, the fine staff and volunteers continue to push forward day in and day out. So, for us as a creative team, the primary goal was finding a way to capture this mission in a truly heartfelt manner.
By filming in the midst of those same volunteers and staffers, we were able to capture beautiful footage that really gets at the essence of the organization. This was only the first step in our game plan, though, as the second was bringing that creative eye to as many places as possible.
Whether that meant placing the camera safely on a piece of equipment or looking for the best lighting in an outdoor location, at every step we were inspired by the way in which so many countless individuals take time out of their busy lives to help others.
With clear communication, our core creative team could provide an efficient time schedule for both days without sacrificing quality or rushing anyone involved. We always have our own shot outlines to measure up to, but also understand that each production will need flexibility as well.
Can’t wait to progress onto the post-production for this one and to share a complete final product soon!
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
Casting Call Tennessee
Attention all Tennessee hunters and actors with hunting experience, ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond is looking for diverse talent for an upcoming hunting video in the area of Buffalo Ridge, Tennessee. Hunters from all over the state are welcome, though!
Attention all Tennessee hunters and actors with hunting experience, ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond is looking for diverse talent for an upcoming hunting video in the area of Buffalo Ridge, Tennessee. Hunters from all over the state are welcome, though!
Casting Call Tennessee Details
Who: We are looking for a diverse representation of hunters. Two female and two male actors will be cast, all ethnicities and backgrounds welcome.
Pay: The pay for the production is $500 per day.
Location: As mentioned above, we will shoot in the Buffalo Ridge area of Tennessee but welcome hunters or actors from all over the state who would like to be a part of the production.
When is filming: Filming is slated for a mid to late October time frame. The exact dates are being determined now, but anyone interested should have availability around that time.
Age Range: We are looking for hunters and actors with hunting experience between the ages of 18-30 for the shoot, but some flexibility for those who may be interested above that age range.
Purpose of the video: Looking to highlight people that may not be associated with hunting, those who go against the traditional mold of what many may call a stereotype in today’s world. The goal is to showcase these individuals and their stories for why they have a passion for hunting.
If you are interested: Please reach out to us anytime if you are interested in being a part of the production at casting@atbproductions.com please send over any headshots/photos, acting reels or resume if applicable (these are not a requirement by any means though).
An example of our previous hunting video.
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
Filming Highlights – Eastern Shore Dental Care
This week, we traveled across the bridge to Kent Island, Maryland, in order to produce a few “hero” style videos for Eastern Shore Dental Care. Video content from concept to completion will always be the motto here at ATB Productions, your video partner in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond, so let’s dive into our filming highlights from Eastern Shore Dental Care.
This week, we traveled across the bridge to Kent Island, Maryland, in order to produce a few “hero” style videos for Eastern Shore Dental Care. Video content from concept to completion will always be the motto here at ATB Productions, your video partner in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond, so let’s dive into our filming highlights from Eastern Shore Dental Care.
The month of September has been another busy and fulfilling one for the whole team, and it is always very rewarding working with a repeat client such as Eastern Shore Dental.
The name of the day was adaptability as things changed for us on set almost immediately. With video productions you always have to be ready for such occasions but despite this we not only made it through, we made it better as a complete team.
Director/Owner Joey Malinski put it best in saying “Adaptation is so important when shooting video. On our shoot yesterday everything changed the minute we got to set. A big part of the corporate world is figuring out how to work in spaces not designed for shooting. Working with non-actors is also always interesting, but there is still something that’s just fun about “playing pretend”
On this occasion, we sat down with Dr. Alyssa Wolfe and Dr. Eric Fooksman to create some amazing video profiles for both of them.
Dr. Fooksman brought a ton of charm and personality to his video, talking about his motivation to pursue dentistry and what brought him onboard as a member of the team.
Dr. Wolfe had an amazing sense of quick wit that instantly brought life into any room she was in.
Trying to portray each of these amazing dentists was an amazing challenge in the best way possible. After having an initial round of on-camera interviews, taking the time to record high-quality b roll was an ease.
As we departed for the day, everyone was all smiles (no pun intended) and we all felt great in what we were able to capture. As we start the editing process, we can’t wait to make something perfectly befitting of the charm that both Dr. Wolfe and Dr. Fooksman showed with such amazing ease.
Stay tuned for more updates to come each week!
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
How to Upload High-Quality Videos to Instagram
Creating the perfect video for Instagram is no simple task. After you’ve created or produced your video, you want to make sure that it looks as best as it can in your feed. Sometimes, though, we are sure that you may have noticed that videos can sometimes appear much blurrier than your photos, even if before uploading things look completely fine.
Creating the perfect video for Instagram is no simple task. After you’ve created or produced your video, you want to make sure that it looks as best as it can in your feed. Sometimes, though, we are sure that you may have noticed that videos can sometimes appear much blurrier than your photos, even if before uploading things look completely fine. The problem lies in the compression that Instagram is forcing upon your video in order to run as quick as possible on their app. Despite this seemingly insurmountable hurdle, there are still a few ways on how to upload high-quality videos on Instagram. With the help from ATB Productions, video content from concept to creation in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond, we will take a look today.
Upload Your Video Straight to IGTV
To get the highest quality video on your Instagram feed, start by uploading it straight to IGTV.
The reason is that Instagram compresses your video when you upload it straight to your feed, so it ends up looking terrible. Even if the video being uploaded is in 4k resolution, Instagram is going to compress it down dramatically. IGTV offers a much better resolution for video uploads and is the best place to upload your videos if you want the thumbnail in your feed to appear perfectly clear.
If you want to upload a horizontal video (16:9 aspect ratio) to IGTV, the dimensions you should use are 1920×1080 (as long as your video was shot at 1080p or better).
Keep in mind that videos you upload straight to your Instagram feed have a maximum length of one minute. IGTV allows you to upload videos between one minute and one hour long. If the video you are attempting to upload is less than one minute, loop it enough times while editing to ensure it hits that one-minute mark.
For Feed and Stories
The best way to upload your videos on a feed or story is to use an Instagram manager app. Here, AiSchedul is your best option. AiSchedul offers many tools to make your Instagram more productive and more engaging. One of its best tools to achieve this goal is the scheduler.
With AiSchedul, not only can you upload high-quality videos from your computer but also, you can schedule a publishing time, find the best hashtags, and even add a unique URL for your video. For example, you can link your video to your YouTube channel.
Upload a Preview Photo
Once you’ve uploaded your video, click “Post a Preview” to ensure the video is not only posted to your IGTV, but is also previewed on your Instagram feed in the best quality possible. This is especially important to ensure that your feed keeps its cohesive aesthetic.
Choosing the perfect thumbnail is very important because IGTV displays a rectangular thumbnail, but Instagram crops the photo to be square when it shows up in your feed. Disclaimer: Instagram does not allow you to change your thumbnail after it has been posted, so perfecting it before is important.
About ATB Productions:
Across the Bridge Productions (ATB) provides video content creation and Brand storytelling services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We believe in the power of honest, authentic storytelling. Our motto is “Make it Great”.
Getting your work on Amazon Prime Video and Why it'll take way longer than you think.
Getting your work on Amazon Prime Video and Why it'll take way longer than you think.
Back in March, we shot ATB's second comedy special starring our friend Michael Furr. Michael is a Baltimore comedian and one of the most distinct and original voices in the current scene. Check out his debut special “Straight Acting” on Amazon Prime or directly from MichaelFurr.com
Now let’s get into why you’re really here.
You made something you want people to watch. Congrats! Now is the hard part, making it easy for them to watch. Self Distribution on your personal website is a great option and is kind of a gimme now. But, more likely than not your audience is going to want something easier. Luckily most TVs, Consoles, etc have streaming apps you can access right on the couch.
Amazon Video has a feature now called Amazon Direct. Amazon Direct allows you to self publish, setup a store page, link banking information, and even choose pricing (add free for Prime etc.).
Sounds great! But whats the catch. Well it’s just gonna take some time, especially if they reject your first few Mezzanine uploads. The Mezzanine file is essentially the Master copy you’ll submit for review. Amazon then transcodes the file to optimize for streaming on tv, phone, and lower quality options. This is a great idea in theory, but at this time it’s probably the biggest hurdle in the whole process.
Amazon gives you the export settings on how to achieve a "proper" Mezzanine file, but if you’re like us they’ll reject your first 3 attempts even after following the steps to a T. This wouldn’t be so bad if the upload tool could tell you that information, but it takes 2-4 business days for each rejection and the feedback you’ll get back just tells you you’re doing it wrong with no hint at how to correct it.
My biggest gripe with this process is that Amazon converts the Mezzanine files once they get uploaded anyways, so why even had upload restrictions?
For whatever reason following the export settings for ProRes 422 didn’t work for us. After multiple uploads and Amazon coming back with Mezzanine file errors I transcoded the file into .h264 and after a month we were finally accepted.
Director/Editor
Eric Glaeser
Camera
Joey Malinski
George Tarrant
Sound
Jimmy Solesky
Recorded live at The Windup Space in Baltimore, MD.
- Eric
Archie Jamieson's By The Dryer
Available for Streaming Free on Facebook & Youtube
Archie Jamieson is a Baltimore Comedian and a pretty great dude. I've know Archie for about as long as he's been doing comedy and I've always admired his work ethic. For the past two years he's been nose to the grindstone working on his material. So when he came to ATB with the idea of putting together a half hour, we were already in.
A lot of people came together to make this thing happen. Thanks to Leeland Clayton, another Baltimore comedian, who brought in his camera to pick up a third angle for the shoot. We only had one chance at filming his set so this helped cover up any camera flubs our Ursa Mini/GH5 had. Thanks to Mike Franklin for bringing his sound equipment to help capture audio that night. It's a tricky balance to capture live sound at a show like this and it wouldn't have been as great without everyone working together. Thanks to Russel & The Windup Space for giving Archie the date as well as letting us record this in the bar.
Editing a piece like this is great because the material is funny so you don't mind having to watch it a few times. I think people are going to enjoy the special because if after cutting away at it for two weeks I still catch myself laughing out loud, coming in with fresh eyes must be amazing.
Thanks again to everyone involved behind the scenes, everyone who came out, our backs for not giving out, and to Archie for making this special!
Director
Joey Malinski
Camera
Eric Glaeser
Leeland Clayton
Editor
Max Levine
Sound
Mike Franklin
Recorded live at The Windup Space in Baltimore, MD.
- Eric
Figuring out POV - GoPro Hero 5 Black Test
Looking for the Best POV option for an upcoming client shoot.
We are prepping for an upcoming POV shoot for a client, as a Black Magic Design fan and owner of the Ursa Mini (which will be used as B-Cam), I thought I was going to be using the Black Magic Micro Studio Camera since it was small in size and gave a great dynamic range.
However, what it lacks is image stabilization, so for a POV shoot where a lot of movement is required imagine stabilization just seemed to be Must Have.
So, where does that leave us? After doing some online research, we found that the movie "Hardcore Henry" was filmed on a GoPro, or many GoPros as they broke tons of them.
Can you really get great quality images consistently with the GoPro? We need to find out before this job, so we got the new Hero 5 Black and took to the streets to see it in various scenarios using available light.
I wanted to see what it'd look like in it's worse form. During our real shoot we will have the ability to stage and light shots, so the quality will only image from here.
My thoughts? The image is okay. Okay. It's definitely noisey, easily and it definitely doesn't grade well, but compared to the rigs I've been seeing for DSLR POV this seems like the best option.
If anyone know of a better one, let us know because we are still searching.
"Fist Fight" of the Century
By M.A.Vick
Fist Fight is fortunate to be blessed with a well-known cast of good comedic actors., but the main characters are given very little backstory. If you love Ice Cube's portrayal of an angry black man who yells and points when he speaks then this film is for you.
Charlie Day is funny but it takes about an hour for him to transform into the Charlie Kelley that we all love in "It's Always Sunny." Once he gets going; he is hilarious in this film. If you were to tell me the writers wrote Day's role for Kevin Hart, I would believe it. This film is another Ride Along movie that decided to cast Day instead of Hart. The acting down to the hand movements reminded me of every Kevin Hart role.
Just accept the fact you won't be given much reason to care for these characters. You pretty much just wait for something funny to stand out. Unfortunately, every line of the movie is written as a joke. The majority of these raunchy jokes miss their marks due to a lack of breathing room. Whereas, this same type of humor killed in "Office Christmas Party,"
I watched some of the clips online before going to see this film and they were really funny. I'm not sure why when they were all put together they weren't as funny. Nevertheless, if you love over the top continuous raunchy humor you will find this movie very enjoyable. This would be a good movie to watch if you had guests over and planned on drinking. Meaning the movie would make for good background noise.
Fist Fight is not a movie that you need to rush to a theatre to watch, but it is worth a watch.
Now without further ado your two superlative winners for this film...
Superlatives: Most likely to play an angry black man in every film? Ice Cube
Most likely to be used as the white version of Kevin Hart? Charlie Day
Reviewer's Remarks: Should you see this film in theatre? Not unless you love raunchy movies. Should you rent this film? Yes, if you like Ice Cube and Charlie Day.
Should you expect to laugh non-stop? No, but it does have its moments. Final Grade: 6.7/10.0 (We can round the 6.7 up to a C average.) Ride Along 2 meets any high school movie.
Mavic Pro - The little Drone that Could.... Fly into a wall
So, for the last year we've been using drones more and more and drone to where it's become a almost standard part of most shoots. Up until now, we've been renting the Inspire 1 Pro from CameraLensRentals.com, they've been super helped and priced pretty reasonable.
However, owning our own drone was always the goal. So, we bought the Mavic Pro after seeing it's amazing debut video, It looked like it had everything, it was small, it was fast, and it shot 4K video. The problem? Everyone else wanted it too. The product was originally supposed to ship by mid October, didn't get to us until the first week of December.
Then what do we do the first day we get it? We crash it! Yep. Right into the wall. There are a few drone rules that you're supposed to live by. Don't go over 500 Ft (400ft actually), Always keep the drone in eye sight. And Don't fly at night.
I flew it at night. Well, attempted to fly it at night, but really just flew it into a wall. The result. A jello'y gimbal and nearly throwing up from knowing that I just broke a rule that cost me my drone. The errors we got from DJI was that it has an overloaded motor and an obstructed Gimbal.
Watch the video and tell us your experiences with Drones. Thanks.
Shooting with the Black Magic Ursa Mini 4.6K
We recently purchased the Black Magic Ursa Mini 4.6K as our full time cinema camera. Previously, ATB was either shooting DSLRs (5DM3, A7SII) or Renting the RED. This camera has had a lot of hype and tons of fall out. Once again, Black Magic Design over promising and under delivering. (A year late and not global shutter!). However, I was already hooked. This camera has been on my mind for too long. So, we got it.
We recently purchased the Black Magic Ursa Mini 4.6K as our full time cinema camera. Previously, ATB was either shooting DSLRs (5DM3, A7SII) or Renting the RED. This camera has had a lot of hype and tons of fall out. Once again, Black Magic Design over promising and under delivering. (A year late and not global shutter!). However, I was already hooked. This camera has been on my mind for too long. So, we got it.
Buyer remorse?
Not quite,. Is this camera flawed??
LCD, doesn't rotate 180 Degrees. Umm,, excuse me?
CFAST 2.0 cards are expensive and this thing eats Data.
Personally, we have static in our line 1s and 2s of the XLR inputs.
Oh yeah, it's flawed, but I still love it.
We are currently shooting a recruitment video for a national engineering firm. The camera has held up well in most situations. Handheld, Slow Motion, Long Hours in Heat. We've even put the heavy Ursa Mini on a Ronin-M (Stripping Batteries and using a pancake lenses) and using the remote to help tilt to make enough clearance it's worked well. We even got a little shine from the Ursa Mini Instagram page, check it.
But pretty much with any camera if you shoot in ideal situations and lighting you get ideal results. So, I was interested in seeing the camera in not so ideal situations, so we linked up with Aesthetic Distance, a fashion and pop culture-focused creative agency based in Baltimore, Maryland and their creative director Eliza Romero-Kovalsky to shoot some BTS of two of their shoots.
The first was in a dark Skating Rink shooting on the highest ISO 1600 (I needed it) using only available light. I shot on a 40mm 2.8 Canon Pancake lenses and Canon 70-200mm 2.8. 4:1 Compressed Raw. Overall, it's noisy, but I still like it.
I think there is a softness that for me I like. But man, other times the noise gets a "pattern" and it's unusable. Definitely not a low light camera, but still gave a great feeling for the light that was available. I think with a simple Kino Diva lite or 2x2 or 4 Bank, I would have been set.
Next, we tagged along for a mostly outdoor shoot with "The Virgin Suicides" theme. During golden hour the footage is gorgeous, but there was also a chance to shoot indoors during the afternoon. The room has plenty of available light and when it was right, it was right. We shot at 800 ISO for the entire shoot.
I purposely left in a noisy shot of Jesus in which the "noise pattern" is visible.
Is it a perfect camera? I just spit some of coffee out. No, No, it's not. Are we perfect humans? No, no we are not. So, I consider the Black Magic Ursa Mini 4.6K that friend that's in your circle that you love, but you have to tell other people when they meet them, that they will just have to get to know them before they get it.
Let me know what you think about my weird friend.
- Joey Malinski - Owner / Operator - ATB Productions
@joeymalinski on twitter and instagram
Heart of the School Awards
At ATB we love to tell stories that have heart, so when Paul Wolman of Feats Inc and The Fund for Educational Excellence reached out to ATB Productions to inquire about doing some videos for the "Heart of the School Awards", we couldn't have been more honored.
The "Heart of the School" is an award that honors principals from all around Baltimore for the tough job that they do. Our task was to make a video for Five Finalists that would be played at the Award ceremony held at the legendary Hippodrome theater filled with principals, teachers, and community members from all over the city.
The Honorees were all outstanding individuals, so the task showcasing why they were so great was only difficult due to the fact that we had to keep each video right at or around two minutes.
Overall, it was an amazing experience and we are proud to have been apart of this great event.
Check out the videos on These great leaders.
SAY YOUR NAME
At ATB productions we are always trying to make a difference, whether it's supporting a friends project or creating some thing just fun and goofy. A few months ago, our friend Matthew Manning gave to me with something he'd written when he was going through a tough time,
"One year and 85 pounds ago, I was sitting on my couch recovering from yet another surgery and feeling just about as low as I could feel. I remember experiencing such a heaviness - as if I could feel the weight of each and every one of my atoms. In the depth of that loneliness, some words started to write themselves in my head. These words eventually became a poem called "Say Your Name." -Matt Manning
I knew I wanted to make it immediately and over the weekend we had the opportunity and time to do so. Check it out and let us know your thoughts.
More from Matt @ https://twitter.com/matthew_manning
https://theseparticles.quora.com/
Green Street Academy - Building for a Sustainable Future
Green Street Academy is one of those jobs that you just feel good about doing. We've worked on Green Street Academy on a variety of projects over the last two years, but this one was by far the biggest. We documented the need and eventual development of a new school that looks to be an educational staple on the west side of Baltimore. The school's focus is one of sustainability coupled with college and career training. The process was extremely rewarding for our whole team as we feel it's going to continue to change lives. We watch as founders David Warnock and Lawrence Rivitz bring their vision to life, capped off by an inspiring speech from Congressman, Elijah Cummings.