Recently our crew put on their ten gallon hats, rustled up their equipment and moseyed on out to the Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland, New York.  When they arrived they lassoed two wranglers and “Trigger”, the equine leading man, in the corral for a horseback riding safety video shoot. Fortunately for everyone involved, our crew left their six-shooters at home and shot the video with a SONY EX-3 camera.

The wranglers demonstrated the proper way to mount and dismount a horse, as well as how to control a horse while walking on a trail.  The video will be shown as a tutorial to all the cowboys and cowgirls waiting in line for their turn to ride.

Luckily for the Rocking Horse Ranch the Ellenbogen Group does not believe in the old saying, “never work with animals and children.”  Along with the usual hazards of working with horses (mainly avoiding the “land mines” they leave behind) there was a specific challenge during the shoot.  Audio & Sound Technician Brian Dyke explains, “Being that the shoot was entirely outside, we didn’t have to use lights but we did use a reflective board to brighten up some of the shots.  I learned the hard way that horses are attracted to movement and light when I was moving the reflective board for a shot.  I turned around and 6 or 7 horses were sneaking up on me; it looked like a very slow stampede.  Needless to say, from that point on I was very aware of my surroundings.”

Despite starting an impromptu horse parade the shoot got a resounding YEEHAA!  The Ellenbogen Group looks forward to showing up to the next showdown.

It was pretty evident by the giggles and random outbursts that people were having fun at the Vine Van Gogh ‘sip and paint’ parties held around the Hudson Valley! Not only are inner artists reborn and friendships strengthened with lasting memories…but a new local business is growing and we were brought on to help!

Vine Van Gogh hired Ellenbogen Creative Media to produce a video for their Indiegogo crowd funding page seeking donations for franchise expansion. The video needed to explain what the company does, the method of it’s success, how they hope to grow and how donations can help them achieve this goal! Vine Van Gogh realized video was the best way to get that message out and they wanted something spectacular! Taking the most economical route in the beginning, Vine Van Gogh hired a different production company to save a few bucks…but quickly realized, you get what you pay for! Owners Tim and Melissa Palladino were not impressed with the video presented and immediately turned to Ellenbogen Creative Media to get it done right! Tim said he knew from the start that this was going to be a better product as soon as he saw the attention to detail and level of equipment used on set. “Ellenbogen is the real deal. It’s not one guy with a camcorder. They are a skilled crew with all the right gear. Yes, you pay a little more, but what you get in return is well worth it! They know what they’re doing and do it really, really well! From the creativity in shots and team approach on set right down to the editing, we knew we were in good hands. We absolutely love the video…from the professional quality to the informational content…it’s everything we asked for! It’s great!”

Ellenbogen Creative Media CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, was glad to take on the project. “We did everything we could to make sure we covered the sip and paint events, got enthusiastic testimonials and conducted a good interview with Tim and Melissa. Our crew really captured what Vine Van Gogh is. When you invest in your business it shows…and what’s more important than your promotional material?! You have to make sure it’s a good representation.” Tim and Melissa are so happy with the Vine Van Gogh video that they have plans to work with Ellenbogen Creative Media to produce even more! As the company grows they see the need for having training videos, private party promotional videos even television ads!

Our crew covered four sip and paint events around the Valley gathering footage of budding artists hard at work …and ‘not-so-budding’ artists enjoying the spirits more than the canvas! Director of client services for Ellenbogen, Andrea Chafouleas, spent time on set, “We want to thank everyone that participated at the events and shared their artwork with us…you weren’t the only ones laughing! And we say that with the utmost respect. There was one person that decided to draw a monkey in the country landscape scene…and another that drew very questionable farm silos. Seeing you have fun, made us have fun!”

Be sure to visit Vine Van Gogh’s Indiegogo crowd funding page and support the expansion of this great budding business!

Vine Van Gogh – Crowd-funding Video from Ellenbogen Creative Media on Vimeo.

Yup, that’s what our DP was armed with when he visited Nashville this week.

What is Ellenbogen Creative Media doing in Nashville, Tennessee? Visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame? Taking a tour of Music Row and the historic RCA Studio B? Visiting the Parthenon? The Grand Ole Opry? Nope! Better. Shooting a testimonial video for a very smart client of ours!

Ellenbogen has been working with Commercial Capital Training Group, CCTG, for several years now helping them grow their vast collection of testimonial videos from successful graduates of their course! CCTG pulls students from all over the United States offering an intense week-long seminar on starting a business in the commercial lending industry. CEO, Kris Roglieri, understands the importance of peer to peer recommendation, “I can tell you til I’m blue in the face how much you’ll gain from our class, but hearing it directly from a graduate who has put the tools to use and has made a successful business for themselves is something more powerful than me or any advertisement. It’s great to see! We have people from all professional backgrounds looking for a change or a new venture attend our classes…getting their testimonials is proof that what we teach actually works!”

Ellenbogen Creative Media CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, couldn’t agree more! “Video testimonials not only appeal to the viewer as the most genuine form of affirmation…but having video on your website drives rankings which increases hits, which ultimately leads to sales. Video testimonials are very powerful when used properly. Kris knows the potential and sees the results!”

While in Tennessee, our crew did find some down time to take in the up and coming country music scene. Director of Photography, Zoltan David, loved it saying, “I look really good in cowboy hats! Nashville is my new home!”

Creating more chatter about our new drone services, Ellenbogen Creative Media attended the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo at Diamond Mills in Saugerties. This venue offered amazing aerial opportunities complete with a waterfall! Attendees of the Expo got to see first-hand the potential the drone can offer as it was flown over the site capturing a unique view of the area. Our scheduled drone demonstration was a hit with many ‘ohhhhhs’ and ‘ahhhhhs’ from the crowd!

Offering more than just drone services, we were able to showcase the power of video as not only an entertainment tool, but an educational one as well. “People don’t realize how much information can be effectively relayed in a short amount of time, nor do they realize the many different ways to get that information out there. Traditional videos showcasing a product with an explanatory voiceover is great, but there are so many other options. Specifically the now popular infographic, where words displayed graphically and creatively tell you the story. They have proven to be very effective!” says Ellenbogen Creative Media CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen. Ellenbogen Group editor, Andy Pidanick, specializes in infographic editing, “It’s my favorite type of video to create! Having a blank slate to work with makes me think outside of the box. My creativity is not limited to pre-shot video, I can take the visuals any direction I want, and that is usually when the magic happens!”

Making magic with each video we create is definitely a priority at The Ellenbogen Group; being able to help a fellow business promote themselves and grow is just one of the perks! That’s why we feel it’s important to be present at Expos and be involved in the community. Spreading the word about what we can offer a company to help them thrive is what it’s all about! Meeting new people and getting them excited for the opportunities that video has to offer is what we love! And hey, winning ‘Best of Show’ at the Expo was pretty nice too!

Diamond Mills Aerial Drone Video from Ellenbogen Creative Media on Vimeo.

After 30 years of dedication and unmatchable resilience, the Ellenbogen family has sold the video duplication and transfer part of the business to a trusted friend and previous employee! Greg Kanan, owner of Good Greif Film and Video in Kingston, has purchased all of the duplication equipment and has vowed to keep the same quality workmanship going for many years to come; and that makes the Ellenbogen’s very happy!

Ellenbogen Creative Media was built on a foundation of customer care.  When Henry and Alice Ellenbogen started the business in their home, their philosophy was always customer service, and it still remains the same today.  The Ellenbogen family has been trusted with millions of feet of home movie films for people in the Hudson Valley.  The family-owned business was built on the legacy of video conversions, but offered many services such as film, slides, and photo transfer to DVD, VHS and other video tape conversion, audio conversion, digital archiving, and DVD/CD duplication.

The Ellenbogen Group has grown from a mom and pop shop to the Hudson Valley’s largest creative media production facility occupying a portion of its 30,000sf facility.  The creative business has doubled each year and it continues to thrive.  “We sold the duplication department to make room for our growing video production business, and focus our staff on creative digital media services”, President and CEO Jeremy Ellenbogen explained.  The family has trusted former employee, Greg Kanan with the service and sold him the side business this year. Greg stated, “I’m very excited for the opportunity to carry forward the tradition of quality service set forth by the Ellenbogen family. We will offer all the same services with the same attention to detail that customers have come to expect over the past 30 years. We will be introducing new services and products, as well, geared toward the niche, but vibrant, global market of Super 8 film enthusiasts, hobbyists and professionals.” Greg was one of the first hires for the duplication center when Ellenbogen moved to its current location at 721 Broadway in Kingston and ran the department for 3 years.  Jeremy Ellenbogen said, “Greg has perfect knowledge of the process and many of our clients have already dealt with him.  He’s familiar with the work and customers can expect the same quality service we always gave them”. The duplication center will be moved only a few blocks to 356 Broadway in Kingston, and will be called Good Grief Film & Video. “We wanted someone who could carry on the legacy, someone reliable,” owner Henry Ellenbogen said.

Alice and Henry Ellenbogen hope to retire soon and parting with this part of the business was the first step.  Their journey began in the basement of their home in 1984 and continued on St. James St. when they opened their shop in 1990.  Throughout the years Henry and Alice have worked hard to accommodate their loyal clients.  Some of these customers include various police departments, the FDR Library and thousands of local families and businesses.  “We are proud of the company and we feel lucky to have met so many people through the business along the way.  We’ve touched a lot of lives in the Hudson Valley so it’s bitter sweet,” Alice Ellenbogen stated.  Duplication was the start of this successful family business and the creative media center will continue to flourish.  Jeremy Ellenbogen said, “We are looking to the future, but we will never forget the foundation of this company.”

Video shooting that is! Ellenbogen Creative Media just attended the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo at Anthony’s Pier Nine making some great contacts with local businesses needing effective video marketing! We had a booth in the technology center where we were able to show off not only our creativity, but our vast production resources which includes the DJI Phantom II drone. We were able to do flyover demonstrations at the Expo showing the crowd the amazing aerial potential and crisp HD imagery. Digital marketing videos combining unique drone footage with professional HD ground footage are the most effective ways to promote a business or service!

President and CEO of Ellenbogen Creative Media, Jeremy Ellenbogen, was glad to be a part of the 2014 Expo, “It was a good opportunity to introduce ourselves to so many Orange County based businesses and spread the word that New York City quality video production can be found right here in the Hudson Valley.”

It was also interesting to see how many vendors had video display monitors, something we can help with! Senior Editor, Alex Pearson, took note, “There is so much potential with video displays. Some people made great use of them, while others…I wanted to break out my laptop, open FinalCut and help them out!” And help them out we did! Ellenbogen offered the prize of a custom infographic for one lucky Expo attendee! An infographic is a one to two minute long video graphically driven using kinetic typography to promote your business. Infographics can be used on display monitors at Expos, on websites, in waiting rooms, and through social media; and are valued at around $2,000! Everyone that placed a business card in our fishbowl was entered and the lucky winner will be announced shortly.

We hope everyone enjoyed Orange County Chamber of Commerce Expo and will think of Ellenbogen Creative Media when looking for high-quality, professional and effective digital marketing videos! See you next year!

Ellenbogen Group joined with Mainetti Mainetti and O’Conner to produce a tribute video dedicated to local fallen heroes from Ulster County. We worked closely with the law firm to produce this video (who also donated most of the money that was needed to create the video.) Pamel broadcasting also helped run and help promote the event on the local radio stations.

The video was aired before the 4^th of July fireworks display in Kingston. The video featured pictures of local veterans and the war and branch they served in. The video used graphic animation and was edited by both our editors Alex Pearson and Andy Pidanic. Ellenbogen donated portions of our services as a way to give back to the veteran’s commitment for serving our country. “This was a way we could show our thanks to our local fallen heroes as a video production company,” said Jeremy Ellenbogen, President and CEO. “It was fun working together with Mainetti Mainetti and O’Conner to produce this tribute video and made me realize the true dedication that the people from our Armed Forces have.”

Also featured in the video were several public officials who came into our studio at Seven21 to say a few words for the video in front of our green screen. Included in the video were New York State Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, Kingston Mayor Shayne Gallo, US Congressman Chris Gibson, and New York State Senator Bill Larkin Jr.

Each of them spoke about the importance of recognizing the 4^th of July and honoring our local heroes. The video was also dedicated to two local heroes who lost their lives in Afghanistan, Sgt. Shawn Farrell of Accord and Pfc. Doug Cordo of Kingston.

Congratulations to Marshall and Sterling Insurance as they celebrate 150 years in business! As they reached this milestone, they began to reflect on how much business has changed over the years and what it really was that kept them going…the people! Wanting to share their story and honor the great business they’ve become, they brought Ellenbogen Creative Media in to create a beautiful retrospective video!

Gathering information, tracking down photographic nostalgia and arranging for interviews with offices from here in New York to their office in the US Virgin Islands, kept Marshall and Sterling’s Director of Communications, Deke Rothacker, busy! But it all paid off as the retrospective video came together and covered the business like a good insurance plan should! Rothacker enjoyed the process, “It was nice hearing of the history as told from our senior staff, especially seeing them light up when they spoke of the old days where selling horse and carriage insurance was quite common. It was also very important to us to include as many of our locations and staff members as possible. This is a huge celebratory year for us at Marshall and Sterling, and we’re all a part of the success!”

Our crew spent several days visiting not only Marshall and Sterling’s offices, but also some local clients of theirs to hear what they had to say about doing business with the insurance giant. Shooting on a portable green screen, employees, management, president and CEO of the company offered their memories and messages of thanks. Case studies were done of a few clients at their places of business with various b-roll taken to show complexity and variation of businesses M&S can cover.

Putting the footage together in a cohesive way was the task at hand for Ellenbogen Creative Media editor, Alex Pearson. “Retrospective pieces are always fun for me…it’s great to see success, especially 150 years of success! Deke and our crew were able to capture great interviews and a solid foundation of historic and new footage for the piece. Editing with Deke was great, we had a good layout script to go by and everything fell into place. I’m really happy with how it turned out and wish them another 150 years of success!”

Ellenbogen Creative Media partnered with Steve Berner, of Toolbelt Media, to work on the piece. Toolbelt Media and Ellenbogen have worked together with Marshall and Sterling since 2003 producing over 20 projects for the firm. Steve Berner is proud of their success, “150 years is a great accomplishment that should be celebrated and commemorated! We are honored to have helped along the way!”

Ellenbogen Creative Media CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, was honored to be a part of the celebration! “We’ve had a great relationship with Marshall and Sterling over the years, seeing where they started to where they are now is inspiring as a business owner. It shows you can evolve with the times with complete success! Having a video on hand like this is not only a good history video for the archives, but it’s good for company morale! The employee involvement gets them excited and ready for even more success! Congratulations Marshall and Sterling!”

Marshall and Sterling can utilize the video in many ways. To date they have played it at a local Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting and posted it to their webpage, social media sites and YouTube channel!

Thank you to the following businesses for their cooperation in making this video happen!

Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie – http://www.childrenshome.us/

S&O Construction – https://www.facebook.com/pages/S-O-Construction-Services/146465515397631

Hannay Reels – http://www.hannay.com/

Dimension Fabricators – http://www.dimensionfabricators.com/

The Buccaneer Hotel, St. Criox – http://www.thebuccaneer.com/

Mazzone Hospitality – http://mazzonehospitality.com/

Ellenbogen Creative Media wins their second consecutive Bronze Telly award for the production of a promotional video for the Ted Gibson Advanced Academy. The 35th annual Telly Awards this year accepted 12,000 entries spreading from all 50 states and several countries with categories ranging from internet and online programs to segment or promotional pieces and sales. Founded in 1979, the Telly Award is a prestigious award designed to recognize exceptional performance in video production in areas such as cable TV commercials and programs, videos and films.

Winners represent the best work of some of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world. Ellenbogen Creative Media CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, is honored to be chosen among the select few, “We strive for perfection everyday with every project we take on here at Ellenbogen. Being recognized by the Telly Award judges really proves that we are producing stand out videos for our clients. We’re very excited to be recognized again this year!”

The Ellenbogen Group shot a three-minute promotional video encapsulating the importance of inner and outer beauty and how hairdressers have a strong responsibility to share their knowledge gained from the Ted Gibson Academy. Various crafty camera angles and close-up shots representing models, hairdressers and product effectively demonstrate Ted Gibson’s vision, “Beauty is individual.” Ellenbogen Director of Photography, Zoltan David, directed the shoot in New York City, “We wanted to capture the energetic, fun and creative atmosphere that always surrounds Ted Gibson and his team. This video was exciting from the start to the end, we made sure to capture the hairstylist’s focus and the model’s stillness, conveying a certain individuality, uniqueness, and work ethic that goes into each one of the designs. It was truly a great project to be a part of!”

Putting Ted Gibson’s vision in the video was a task Ellenbogen delivered with ease. The Ellenbogen Group took a whole different approach while working on effects and graphics to jazz up the video. To appeal and engage desired demographics, techniques were incorporated to bring hair and style to life. This video has been used through social media, at trade shows, on websites and has gotten tremendous feedback as a result!

Ted Gibson, owner of The Ted Gibson Academy, explains that he wants hairdressers to not only be educated, but also be able to implement a vision. Gibson couldn’t be happier for Ellenbogen’s accomplishment, “I absolutely love working with Ellenbogen! They are always able to bring my vision into reality and I trust them to bring my message across in a beautiful, artistic way. The video they created for my Ted Gibson Advanced Academy was absolutely incredible! They deserve a Telly Award and so much more!”  Jeremy Ellenbogen says, “Ted Gibson and his team are sending a valiant message that beauty is individual and we were excited to help him get that message out! We are incredibly honored to work with Ted and his team and to have been awarded the distinguished Telly Award for this latest promotional video.”

Ellenbogen Creative Media is a Kingston, NY based video production company with clients from all across the United States specializing in web videos, television commercials, training and promotional videos as well as video crew coverage for news events, press conferences, point to point video conferencing and corporate functions. Visit www.ellenbogenmedia.com

The Ted Gibson Academy is based in New York City with locations in New York, Florida and Dubai. Ted is a popular celebrity hair stylist, successful salon owner and innovative hair product developer. Visit www.tedgibsonbeauty.com

The Metropolitan Vacuum Cleaner Company, Inc. or MetroVac for short, a third-generation family-owned business out of Oakland, New Jersey is celebrating 75 years of business. Together, Focus Media and Ellenbogen Group helped them commemorate this milestone by creating a long form documentary reflecting the history of this successful business!  Our crew, working with Focus Media’s Bridget Clark and Lisa Kelly visited the factory to get a sneak peak behind the action at MetroVac.

Alex Pearson, videographer and editor explored the factory with lighting and sound technician Brian Dyke and production assistant Samantha Noldy. The team first had a hands on look at the products including vacuums made for both carpet and wood floors, handheld vacuums for messes around the house, an air compressor for cleaning delicate spaces, and they also saw a demonstration of the sucking power of the vacuum by simply attaching the vacuum to a blank wall.

For the documentary, Focus Media and Ellenbogen Creative Media wanted to portray the dedication and family aspect of the business. The team interviewed several family members as well as employees of MetroVac about what it is like working for a company that has been in business for 75 years. “It is really great to see such dedication and love within the company” said Lisa Kelly. “Plus, we got to see some really cool products!” Videographer, Alex Pearson, was also impressed with the factory, “There is a lot going on at MetroVac! Seeing the production line, filled with employees working on products made and sold here in the United States is a great thing to see!”

“75 years and three generations is a huge milestone because most companies don’t make it past the second generation,” said Vice President of Marketing, David Stern. “Working with Focus Media and Ellenbogen Group was a great experience because they are excellent at what they do!” Focus Media’s Bridget Clark says she always loves working with Ellenbogen Group, “They capture our vision perfectly, offer ideas to take things to the next level and always come out with a great final product for the client.” Focus Media has the vision, Ellenbogen helps brings it to life!

President and CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen loves working with family businesses, especially those celebrating milestones because Ellenbogen Group is also a family business. “It’s so important for the employees to be happy in any business and it is clear that the employees at MetroVac are proud and happy to be part of the company.”

Tech talk: The crew came across minor challenges shooting this video, such as, fluorescent lighting in the factory coupled with a noisy environment; but they were able to find a solution by using soft lights and a boom mic to produce a great looking HD video and audio. As always, Ellenbogen Group went to any length to get the shots that Focus Media needed and completed editing in just a few days of post-production. A Canon DSLR camera was used to shoot and the video was edited using FinalCut Pro X.