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RUSSELL VIDEO - NEWS
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 Russell
Video Takes Part in the AAFL Draft
January, 2008
Russell Video was involved in the historic first All American
Football League draft, held at the Eagle Crest Marriott in Ypsilanti
on January 26th. The league hired us to feed the audio from the Michigan
draft to the national broadcast based in Atlanta, Georgia, which was
then mixed with feeds from five other states and then simulcast on
various Comcast Sports and Cox Sports affiliates throughout the country,
as well as the AAFL website. This signal was then sent back to the Eagle
Crest Ballroom via satellite where we provided the projectors, screens,
plasmas, and speakers for the room, as well as pipe and drape.
Russell Video had a great time helping out with this exciting new
venture and look forward to watching the upcoming Michigan games.
For anyone who might not be familiar with the AAFL, they are a newly
formed professional football league who looks to launch their first
season in April of 2008. They are unique in that the teams require their
players to have four-year college degrees in order to play, there will
only be six teams to start with, and their season will be during the
spring and summer as to avoid competing with the NFL.
To learn more about the AAFL, including an updated news section and
ticket information, please check out their website
here. |
Russell
Video Survives the Elements to Produce a Safety Video
December, 2007
Despite freezing winds and the constant threat of snowfall, Russell
Video’s fearless crew recently had a two-day adventure in Alpena,
Michigan to help the LaFarge Concrete Factory complete their most recent
safety video.
LaFarge’s Alpena plant is one of the largest concrete factories in
the world, and their efforts towards innovating energy-saving
techniques, following environmental regulations, and continually
improving their safety program has won them national awards from their
peers in the cement industry.
Russell Video was called in to help them create a safety video after
they recognized a need to remind long-time workers to keep alert around
the heavy machinery, opening the door for both companies to expand and
improve LaFarge’s instructional video collection for the needs of the
Alpena plant.
The LaFarge Concrete representatives were as accommodating and
courteous as possible, making every moment in the cold worth it for
their upcoming video. We only hope that for our next project, we can
come up and enjoy Lake Huron in the summer time! We’re also looking
forward to our next trip up so we can visit the the Faull Inn in Rose
City, which has the biggest, tastiest onion rings we’ve come by in
Michigan.
Please visit
LaFarge’s website to learn more about their efforts towards the
safety of their workers and the environmental health of the local
community. |
Russell
Video Awarded March of Dimes’ “2007 Volunteer of the Year”
November, 2007
At the March of Dimes’ 2007 ceremony celebrating exceptional
achievements in fundraising efforts, Russell Video’s very own Dan
Russell received the night’s top honor, “Volunteer of the Year”.
Thanks to Dan’s dedication (as well as the rest of Russell Video),
we’ve done everything from setting up projectors at planning meetings to
creating a Top Chef-parody video for the yearly Signature Chef’s
Auction.
It was at the latter where the combined efforts of many local
businesses and restaurants helped March of Dimes break their all-time
donations record for a fundraising event in Washtenaw County. They also
commissioned a video from the event that debuted at their awards
ceremony in order to thank the many volunteers, chefs and sponsors who
put their efforts into a very successful year.
Everyone at Russell Video is very happy to have our work recognized
by the March of Dimes, and takes pride in our combined efforts to help
combat birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality in our
community. Check out
their website to learn more about this very special organization. |
Russell
Video Purchases New Editing Systems
October, 2007
 Russell
Video has purchased two new full
Matrox Axio
editing systems recently. Both systems come equipped with the Adobe
Creative Suite CS3, a large collection of programs that includes the
latest versions of After Effects, Flash Professional, Photoshop,
Illustrator and Premiere, among many others.
This system is unique in that it uses the Matrox video card and
processor, which are among the most powerful realtime engines for video
editing available. Due to the way the hardware accelerates previewing
and rendering video files, this system drastically improves our workflow
and allows us to perform tasks faster than we’ve been able to in the
past.
This is one of the steps Russell Video has taken to adapt to High
Definition Video, the oncoming video format that displays images at a
much higher resolution than previous television standards. Not only can
we now work with HD footage, we can also use the updated After Effects
and Premiere to achieve the higher quality that the industry demands
with these improvements in technology.
If you’d like to discuss our new software and how it could help your
business, give us a call! Or better yet, stop by… and bring doughnuts.
Dan likes doughnuts.
|
 Russell
Video Helps "Plant the Seed of Imagination"
May 2007
Russell Video has created a video to promote the
Chelsea Center for the
Arts. The CCA touches people through arts, music and creativity every
day.
Russell Video unveiled the video at “Planting Seeds of Imagination” –
their spring luncheon on May 9th. The video helped spark new excitement
among new and old friends who learned what the center is all about.
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Russell
Video Creates Safe Sleep for Infants Video
April 2007
When the Washtenaw Area Council for Children needed to develop a video
in response to the need to help make parents and others aware of the risks
of unsafe sleep environments for infants, they turned to Russell Video for
help.
The WACC felt that a video was the best way to reach parents, and we
tend to agree - nothing can tell your story, convey emotion and communicate
your message more effectively than a well-produced video.
Working from an outline developed by the Safer Sleep Coalition Curriculum
Committee and with funding from the Washtenaw County Public Health Department
Coalition for Infant Mortality Reduction, the video was produced in the
first quarter of 2007.
The video presents a clear message of the risks and how parents can keep
their infants safe.
The video is available free of charge to all in Washtenaw County who
work with new and expectant parents. To receive your copy, or to schedule
a safer sleep training, please contact our safer sleep outreach coordinator,
Lois, at lois@washtenawchildren.org
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Russell
Video Hits the short track in Memphis
aka ‘Son of the Best Ribs We’ve Ever Had Tour’
January 9, 2007
Con-way Freight hired Russell Video to travel back to ‘The Land of BBQ’
to produce a special NASCAR®-themed video.
For the shoot, Con-way rented the Memphis Motorsports Park, where we
had the run of the place for the better part of a day. After a few laps
around the track in our rental car, we got down to the business of acquiring
some unique video footage of NASCAR® Craftsman Truck Series® driver
Jack Sprague and
Wyler Racing’s No. 60
Con-way Freight
Toyota truck.
Together with racing video officially licensed through NASCAR®, we turned
our footage into an exciting 4-minute video that will welcome Con-way guests
to each NASCAR® Craftsman Truck Series® Race.
And, after the full day’s excitement out on the track, we had some extra
time to spend at our favorite little place on earth… (www.hogsfly.com
- see here for background)
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Russell
Video brings “glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards” to a local Award
Ceremony
November 10, 2006
Russell Video partnered with the Ann Arbor Business Review to produce
The Ann Arbor Business Review’s 2006 Deals of the Year gala on November
10 at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti.
Now in its second year, the Deals of the Year event honors Washtenaw
County’s top business deals and leaders as selected by the Business Review.
Honorees are selected from ten categories: banking and finance, commercial
real estate, construction, development, health care, manufacturing, nonprofits,
residential real estate, retail, and technology.
For the event, Russell Video created a short video for each of the ten
categories to quickly introduce the audience to the nominees and their achievements.
In addition to the creative pre-produced video content, we provided all
of the technical labor and audio/video equipment (such as the staging, lighting,
audio PA, pipe and drape, video screens, projectors, and cameras) to create
the complete awards show atmosphere.
To view an excerpt from the evening in a pop-up window,
Click Here.
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Russell
Video lends a hand to March of Dimes
November 6, 2006
On November 6th, the Ann Arbor Chapter of the March of Dimes held their
second annual Signature Chefs’ Auction fundraising event.
Let’s see…gourmet food, fine wine, culinary prowess—which experts did
the March of Dimes call in? That’s right—Russell Video (umm…probably more
for our video expertise than our ‘sophisticated and discerning international
taste dexterity’.)
The Signature Chefs Auction is an exciting event that pays tribute to
the culinary excellence of southeast Michigan’s finest chefs, while raising
money to support the March of Dimes’ mission of saving babies. Russell Video
graciously donated video production services to document the event and create
a 15-minute highlight video.
| “Over
the years, March of Dimes has been fortunate to partner with
many companies. I can truthfully say that Russell Video stands
out as one of the most amazing!
“When it became apparent that our event venue lacked sufficient
audio and visual equipment, you volunteered Russell Video’s
resources and staff to help create a first class production.
Countless hours of time must have gone into the editing the
DVD – which is excellent, has been shared with our committee
members, sponsors, March of Dimes State and National Offices,
and met with rave reviews.
“All of this would have been more than I could have dreamed
possible…[Y]ou don’t just say, “Yes”, when asked…you ask first,
“How can we help you?”
Pamala Levin
Ann Arbor Division Director, March of Dimes
|
So far, the March of Dimes has gotten great mileage
out of the video, using it to honor sponsors, thank volunteers, and
attract more chefs for next year’s Signature Chefs’ Auction.
We liked the auction because we got to sample all the
goodies…
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Russell
Video Opens Café
November 2, 2006
Russell Video has partnered with CareerFocus Magazine to open the CareerFocus
Café.
Earlier this summer, the editors at CareerFocus Magazine enlisted our
help produce a series of video programming to be featured online as a supplement
to their popular CareerFocus print publication. They envisioned a place
where viewers could go to hear ‘real people’ talk about careers in ‘real
terms.’ In their words:
| When
your career path starts to feel like a long trek, stop by the
Café for a break. You’ll find advice from the experts on everything
career-related, no matter if you’re looking for your first job
or your next move. |
We took the concept provided by CareerFocus, gave it
some shape, and provided all of the video production and post-production
to turn this dream into a reality
(well, as ‘real’ as you can get on the internet…)
The CareerFocus Café officially opened for business
in November 2006, with future episodes in production now.
You can visit the café for your first taste of what’s
brewing at www.careerfocuscafe.com.
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Russell
Video donates Video Production to Red Cross
October 19, 2006
Russell Video is pleased to have donated a video and live A/V service
services for the Washtenaw County Chapter of the American Red Cross’s 2006
Celebration of Community Heroes. This year’s celebration was held on the
campus of Washtenaw Community College.
The Community Heroes celebration is an annual fundraising event that
showcases the efforts of ordinary local citizens when faced with extraordinary
life-threatening situations. These heroes have risen to the occasion because
of life-saving skills taught by the American Red Cross. The celebration
also honors individuals and groups that volunteer or serve our community
in times of crisis.
Russell Video worked with the Red Cross to produce four emotional videos
which highlighted the inspiring story of each Community Hero. On the evening
of the event, we supplied the audio, lighting, and video projection equipment,
as well as the technical labor to execute the live award show.
| “When
we first discussed our project, I had no idea the extent to
which your organization would go to make sure that every detail
was right for our event. From the shooting, to the editing,
to the set-up and performance on the evening of the dinner,
everything that you did was top-notch.
“Your assistance helped us raise more money than ever
before at that event.”
Heidi Grix, Director
Financial Development
Washtenaw County Red Cross.
|
Russell Video congratulates the 2006 Community Heroes
and all of the people who contribute their services (and give blood)
for our community.
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Russell
Video lends a hand to Alpha House (Interfaith Hospitality Network)
October 14, 2006
Alpha House, a local non-profit refuge for homeless
families, contacted Russell Video to help increase the emotional impact
and professional atmosphere for their annual fundraiser, “Gimme Shelter.”
Russell Video responded by donating a video program, A/V gear, and live
event service to make ‘Gimme Shelter 2006’ a success.
“Gimme Shelter” is the major
fundraising event for Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) and is vital
to the continued success of programs such as Alpha House.
IHN responds to the needs of homeless families
by providing temporary shelter, food, and support services in a caring atmosphere
of dignity and safety.
The ‘Gimme Shelter’ event brings together
people who share the vision of ending homelessness in Washtenaw County.
The video, entitled “One Child, One Night”, was created
using emotional still photography and facts about local children who are
homeless. The cost to sponsor a child per night at Alpha House is
$20.00. The video will help let our community know how easy—and how
important—it is to contribute to the ‘One Night, One Child’ program.
We here at Russell Video
are proud to know that our work can make a real impact in individual lives
and help better our community.
For more on Alpha House and Interfaith Hospitality
Network, visit their website at
http://www.alphahouse-ihn.org.
|
Russell
Video Summer Tour 2006
Also known as “The Ribs in Memphis are the Best
Ribs We’ve Ever Had” Tour.
August 2, 2006
Russell Video hit the road this summer for Con-way Inc., the $4.2 billion
transportation and logistics company, with businesses in less-than-truckload
motor carriage, truckload and brokerage services, logistics, warehousing,
supply chain management, and trailer manufacturing.
Earlier in 2006, Con-way rolled out a new logo and new brand identity,
which meant that all of their existing video footage was suddenly out-of-date.
Our task was to visit Con-way’s various business components and shoot up-to-date
video footage. This new footage will be used to produce future corporate
identity pieces, and will become the starting point for a corporate stock
footage library, which will make monthly video internal communications a
reality.
Russell Video’s ‘Summer Tour 2006’ took us back-and-forth across the
country with shooting locations in southeast Michigan, Chicago (IL), Denver
(CO), Memphis (TN), Searcy (AR), and Portland (OR).
Our new motto: Have camera, will travel.
For more information on Con-way, visit
www.con-way.com.
 Did
we mention the ribs in Memphis are really good?
|
Russell
Video Discovers Heaven on Earth…
July 26, 2006
In Memphis, TN.
Near the parking garage at 3rd and Monroe Ave.…
Up the alley…
Past the dumpsters…
Down the steps beneath the sign that reads ‘Rendezvous’…
A rendezvous with the ribs of destiny.
www.hogsfly.com
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Russell
Video Donates Video Production to Washtenaw United Way
July 21, 2006
Continuing our long partnership with Washtenaw United Way, Russell Video
has donated video production services to create our local United Way chapter’s
2006 Campaign Video.
 The
video entitled, what matters., shares three inspiring success stories of
lives positively impacted through the tireless efforts of local non-profit
agencies funded (in part) by Washtenaw United Way.
Click the links below to view each segment in a pop-up window:
Segment 1: Monica
Segment 2: Alex
Segment 3: Brian
The mission of Washtenaw United Way is to generate and allocate resources
to help individuals and families build better lives and stronger communities.
Their annual fundraising campaign is the single largest comprehensive effort
to raise dollars to help those in need in Washtenaw County.
Russell Video is proud to contribute our services and unique skills to
help raise funding, awareness, and resources for those in need in our community.
For
more information on Washtenaw United Way, please visit their website at
www.wuway.org.
|
Russell
Video helps EMU Football fans go ‘Inside the Game’
June 28, 2006
 Russell
Video recently partnered with an alumnus of Eastern Michigan University
to take EMU fans inside the Eagles’ football program. Inside the
Game, hosted by Matt Sheppard, a veteran of Fox’s Detroit Sports Report,
is produced primarily for the EMU Eagles football fan site,
www.emueaglesfootball.com.
The set design and studio interviews were produced
by Russell Video in our in-house studio, utilizing supplementary game footage
provided by Eastern Michigan University. Additional on-location ‘field
interviews’ were produced by EMU.
For more information,
click here or on the graphic to the right.
|
Let’s
Go Racing
June 17, 2006
Russell Video caught NASCAR® fever as the NASCAR® Craftsman Truck Series®
rolled into the Michigan International Speedway for the Con-way Freight
200.
Con-way Freight, partnering with Wyler Racing, is a co-sponsor of the
No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota Tundra driven by Jack Sprague. Con-way Freight
hired us to capture all the excitement of race day, including exclusive
behind-the-scenes footage, plus unique fan perspectives from the stands,
the pits, and the winner’s circle.
The final video footage will be put together to create an exciting pre-race
video that Con-way Freight will show to employees, customers, and potential
customers that attend each NASCAR® Craftsman Truck Series® race.
Visit Jack Sprague and the Wyler Racing Team:
www.jacksprague.com
Learn
more about the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series:
http://www.nascar.com/series/truck/
|
Red
Carpet Extravaganza
May 4, 2006
The Masonry Institute of Michigan
hired Russell Video to bring a little bit of Hollywood to Livonia, MI for
their 31st Annual Masonry Honor Awards.
Modeled after the Oscars®, the 31st Annual Masonry Honor Awards included
a memorable show complete with video clips of all the nominees’ projects,
live song-and-dance numbers, and a couple of speeches that ended (thankfully)
by the timely playing of the ‘orchestra’…
All of the video clips and live show program were produced using audio/video
equipment and labor supplied by Russell Video.
We even brought along some friends of ours…
To
view an excerpt from the evening in a pop-up window,
Click Here.
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