On April 25^th the Ellenbogen Group was at the Garden Plaza Hotel in Kingston, New York to shoot and broadcast the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s (ACSCAN) Community Talks Cancer Legislative Breakfast talk show. The topic of this year’s talk show was new developments taking place in New York in quality of life and palliative care.

The Ellenbogen Group sent a crew of two camera operators, an audio engineer, director, tape operator, teleprompter operator and a producer to shoot and webcast the talk show. The talk show was webcasted live over the internet as well as recorded for the Time Warner on demand channel.

The talk show was hosted by radio personality Ward Todd and featured experts and elected officials talking about all facets of palliative care. After Ulster County Executive Michael Hein made his opening remarks a range of topics relating to palliative care were discussed. United States Congressman Chris Gibson updated the audience on the palliative care bill HR 1339 as it makes its way through congress. Dr. Joel Mandelbaum shared examples of palliative care, while New York State Senators Terry Gipson and Cecilia Tkaczyk spoke about New York’s role in pain and palliative care. New York State Assemblymen Peter Lopez and Kevin Cahill explained how New York State is working towards a unified system of pain and palliative care. The talk show wrapped up with ACSCAN Legislative Ambassadors Sandi Cassese and Neil Eisenberg explaining how the audience both in the room and online could get involved and support ACSCAN.

During the production of the talk show there were the usual obstacles to overcome but there was also a challenge that was unique to this shoot. “The whole crew was in the same room as the talent and audience”, director Brian Dyke explains, “Usually I’m directing in a production truck or a control room and I can be as loud as I want but in this case I learned early on that I had to whisper my directing cues.” Being flexible in any production situation is very important as President and CEO Jeremy Ellenbogen points out, “Being able to produce a show in any environment is one of our specialties. With our ATEM switcher, the Livestream broadcaster and an internet connection we can webcast a show from any location a client needs, indoors, outdoors, anywhere.”

In the end the talk show was a great success. ACSCAN was able to get its’ message out about palliative care to the live audience and the audience online. The broadcast was also archived on the Ellenbogen Creative Media page at www.livestream.com and can be watched anytime.

The Ellenbogen Group was honored to be part of such a great event and looks forward to the opportunity to be part of it again next year.

Our crew packed their bags and left snowy, cold New York for a video shoot in sunny, warm West Palm Beach, Florida!

We’ve been working with Dr. Jay Ajmo of PGA Dental for a while helping him promote his dental practice and the Prettau Implant Bridge.  Dr. Ajmo is a strong proponent for video marketing and has seen much success with the addition of web videos on his site.  “The folks at Ellenbogen never fail to impress me!  The quality they put out is top notch.  My videos are standouts!  Potential patients being able to see me, listen to my passion for dentistry and see what they’re in for beforehand is a big plus for them and ultimately me.”  And that is why videos are so important.  Videos allow patients a tiny step into your practice.  And of course, you want to put your best foot forward!  That’s where The Ellenbogen Group comes in!

We spent two days working with Dr. Ajmo and several of his patients gathering interviews, patient testimonials, dental office footage, and high quality photographs .  We utilized a Dana Dolly for added subtle motion to already beautiful shots and spent time shooting off-site for that personal feel to the patient testimonials.  Ellenbogen Creative Media CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, talks about pride in our work, “We always put in that extra effort to make our work stand out.  Be it set design, lighting or camera movement, you can tell when videos are done by professionals who know what they’re doing…and when videos are done just to get it done.”  Not only do we create effective videos, we foster great relationships!   “Jay was very hospitable to our crew as always!  Being from out of the area he made us feel welcome and showed us around town!”

Dr. Ajmo received three web videos and three television ads that he is currently running on both Broadcast and Cable.  As soon as he is ready to expand his video library, our crew will be more than happy to make the trip!

Seven21 Media Center is gearing up for a very busy 2014! Construction is underway on the new Ellenbogen Creative Media office space! We are utilizing underused studio space and turning it into state-of-the-art creative suites for our production team!

Transforming over 3,000 square feet of office space is no simple task and has Ellenbogen Creative Media CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, extremely busy! “Basically, we gutted our set storage studio, added a second level, planned out for three edit suites, a production suite, conference room, screening room and manager’s office. I’ve had this vision for a while, it’s nice to finally see it come to life!” The plan to bring the whole group together to work in close proximity with each other is a step in the right direction towards expanding creativity. “The new space will allow us to easily work together on projects, do more creative brainstorming and really work like a team! Right now, we are all in different offices throughout the 721 Media Center…although we do have a strong unit…being next door rather than on the other side of the building is going to be nice!”

Our new space will have a modern, trendy, urban loft feel. We are incorporating glass walls, exposed metal duct work, steel stair-casing, and customized LED lighting fixtures – which, of course, will be extremely energy efficient. New furniture is also taken into consideration, and quality ones from stores like office monster can be sourced. The layout was carefully planned to be both comfortable for our staff and client-friendly.

The remodel began the first week of January and is expected to be move-in ready mid-March. Local construction laborers have been working on site non-stop and ahead of schedule! Once we are moved in, we will be hosting an open house and invite everyone to stop by and check out our new home!

For almost a year now, our crew has been shooting various tourist hotspots in Dutchess County to include in the new tourism ad campaign about to launch across New York State! This is the first time Dutchess has used a professional video platform to help promote the county and we are proud to be a part of it by providing three television ads, five long form web videos and a b-roll archive for future projects! From the Hot Air Balloon Festival, Sinterklaas Celebration and zip lining to beautiful working farms and historic State Parks, we shot everything spectacular there is to see and do in Dutchess County! Making your day in Dutchess jam-packed with history, shopping and a lot of outdoor fun!

The tourism board used local ad agency BBG&G Advertising to create and manage the multi-media campaign, who in turn acquired the professional skills of Ellenbogen Creative Media to carry out the video portion needed. We worked on the entire digital platform providing not only exciting video, but still images as well to incorporate into print and web marketing efforts. Gathering all of the assets was a tremendous task that BBG&G Advertising President, Debbe Garry, took part in every step of the way. “There is so much to see and do in Dutchess! The crew and I had a blast visiting the historic homes, museums, farm markets, fairs, unique shops…even the CIA. We’re very lucky to have so much culture and entertainment right at our fingertips! It’s impossible to capture it all…but I think we did a great job representing Dutchess County Tourism!”

Director of Photography, Zoltan David, managed the equipment needed and worked on shot creativity for all 14 days of the shoot. “It was a massive undertaking to plan equipment for both indoor and outdoor shots. Thankfully, most of our work was done on the ground, but we did also charter a helicopter to get some amazing aerial shots up and down the Hudson. It was exhilarating hanging off of a chopper swooping the Walkway Over The Hudson…with only a safety strap holding me in!” Thanks to having the proper gear and ability to utilize an air crew, Zoltan was able to get amazing shots at some truly beautiful locations! Zoltan also sends a special thank you to both Debbe Garry and Nancy Lutz of the DC Tourism office for all of their work in selecting sites and locations, coordinating shoot schedules, and getting permits, people, and props in place! They were both a tremendous help!

After viewing the hours of footage and hearing the crew talk of the fun adventures they captured each day, Ellenbogen Group CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, reflects on life in the Hudson Valley. “Living in the Hudson Valley, you tend to take for granted the beauty that surrounds us. Working on this project really gave us a greater appreciation of the area! ‘Everything right in your backyard’ is not an understatement! Capturing all of this and creating web videos so people outside of our area can see what we have to offer is the best tool a tourism board could have on their side! There’s nothing better than strong visuals to help tourism efforts!”

Spanning over 14 days of shooting and using all of our crew, we utilized every camera in our inventory including GoPro cameras, a drone helicopter, a chartered helicopter and the talents of Dutchess County residents and employees! This was definitely a large undertaking, but one we were able to have fun with and capture the essence of history and fun that is Dutchess County!

Seeing what a great tool the videos are providing to be, The Ellenbogen Group has been contracted to shoot even more footage in 2014! We are excited to continue our relationship with both Dutchess County Tourism and BBG&G Advertising!

For more information on how you can have ‘Your Day In Dutchess!’ visit: www.dutchesstourism.com

A Cut Above The Rest

One of the more recent, and exciting, projects we’ve been working on for the past few months here at Ellenbogen Creative Media is a series of instructional videos for Milady, a part of Cengage Learning. For those that don’t know, Milady is one of the world’s largest education publishers for the beauty and wellness industry. We were very excited to be a part this prestigious project.

When we went into contract last summer to create the next set of videos for their ‘Turning Trends Into Money’ series, we put our ‘A Team’ into place and began the critical pre-production process. Extensive planning was needed to coordinate everything from talent casting, location scouting, and salon equipment acquisition to crew and gear preparation as well as craft services arrangements! Production Coordinator/Producer, Amanda Popovich, took the lead on this end. “It really is amazing how much behind the scenes work goes into one production…let alone a three day shoot on location in New York City with a crew of five! Fortunately, our team here has a great working relationship and with everyone pulling together, doing their part to perfection…it becomes a seamless production with a very happy client!”

Suzanne Mulroy, Video Product Manager for Milady, couldn’t agree more! “This was the first project we worked on with Ellenbogen Group. New vendor relationships can be hard, trying to feel each other out, see how the team operates and hope it’s a fit. And it was! The team on-set was great to work with, very professional and eager to please. As for the post production process, we couldn’t be happier with the results! Alex knew exactly the look we were aiming for and delivered high-energy, informative videos!”

Senior Editor, Alex Pearson, has a special connection to the ‘Turning Trends Into Money’ project. “Working with Suzanne was awesome! We were given an edit schedule with definite deadlines…I only missed one! Suzanne was completely understanding. I mean, I tried to edit in the hospital when my twins were born…but my wife requested I stop! I even wanted to name them Carlos and Berry [The lead stylists in the videos], but my wife said no.”

Ellenbogen Group CEO, Jeremy Ellenbogen, is proud of what the team delivered. “Spending three days on set in NYC with the area’s leading stylists, Carlos Cintron and Berry Bachen, was a test to our creativity, professionalism and dedication. And we shined! We also learned a lot about hair! You should check out the videos…they’re really good!”

Our crew used Sony EX3 and Canon 5D Mark III DSLR cameras, KinoFlo Diva lights, Dana Dolly, 3 monitors for client viewing, wireless audio rack, and a Black Magic Atem.

As the video quickly becomes the preferred communication method, Milady hopes to use Ellenbogen for all their East Coast video production projects, and we welcome the opportunity. This current Ellenbogen project is Coming Soon to the Milady Education Network (www.miladyednet.com).

For short story writer and author John Covenant, Ellenbogen Creative Media helped one of his lifelong dreams come true: to see his book, ‘The Tree That Dreamed’, come to life though video animation.  With only the words of the story and beautiful illustrations, our editor, Andy Pidanick, was able to make ‘The Tree That Dreamed’ come to life!

Andy was glad he was put on this project saying, “Being able to help John see his vision come to life on screen was very rewarding to me!  The video we created for him was just a teaser for his KickStarter project, but gave John a look at what the bigger picture would be.  And he loved it!  Once he reaches his fundraising goal, we will animate the entire book into a short film.  It’s pretty exciting to be a part of it!”

And it’s been exciting for John as well!  He never imagined the teaser video would be as amazing as it is!  “Andy blew me away with what he was able to do with the raw material I gave him!  He is a true wizard at his craft!  I am very excited to complete this project with The Ellenbogen Group and show the world what I believe is a great story about nature, life and the spiritual connection among all!”

This was an unusual project for us to tackle at Ellenbogen as President Jeremy Ellenbogen explains, “Bringing books to life through video is not something we do everyday here!  With only voiceover and illustrations, creating a visually interesting piece is quite an undertaking.  I think Andy nailed it!”

Andy used the program After Effects to layer and add motion to the illustrations.  We also worked with Tom Desisto of Desisto Music for all of the audio engineering/mixing.  Tom supplied us with a professional voiceover, sound effects and custom music score.

Visit John’s KickStarter page to help him reach his fundraising goal to complete this great project!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/482336811/the-tree-that-dreamed-audio-e-book?ref=live

Hope is the essence by which The Villa Veritas foundation is based. From their humble beginning, to their steady growth, some forty years later, Jim and Sue Cusack, founders of Villa Veritas, take a holistic approach to the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction.

The “Villa”, a not-for-profit inpatient rehabilitation and wellness center, celebrated their 40th anniversary this year! To keep the legacy going, they are fulfilling their dream of passing on the torch to their employees, some of whom are former patients.

Ellenbogen Creative Media has had the privilege of being part of their journey since the early 1990’s, when Ellenbogen was just beginning their journey as well. Their relationship started when the Villa needed to have their photographs put onto tapes for viewing, then the taping of their first video project “The Road to a Spiritual Recovery.” Ellenbogen and The Villa have grown together! Now, years later, those VHS tapes were converted to digital media for archiving, and the production five videos this year, have brought the Villa into the digital future.

Jim and Sue Cusack, turned to Ellenbogen once again to help them create a promotional video: “Villa Veritas – Past, Present, and Future”. The primary purpose of this video was to let prospective patients know how Villa Veritas can help them and their loved ones. The other purpose was to help create awareness and raise money for their new retreat center.

“The video really helped showcase the dedication, commitment, and passion of the dozens of employees, as well as showcase the natural beauty and amenities that the Villa has to offer.” said Jeremy Ellenbogen, who produced the video.

The Ellenbogen crew interviewed all employees who shared their personal stories. Photography and video were taken at the 40th Anniversary party this year and added to the video project. In addition to shooting the video, Ellenbogen handled the full media package for the Villa project including graphic design, updating their website content, adding new photos, building a YouTube channel for them to start building a social media platform, and using this as an outreach tool. The promotional video was created and Jim and Sue loved the final production! This is now in the duplication process getting ready to distribute.

“We love working with the Jeremy and his team. He really gets our vision and took care of the entire process exceeding our expectations. I could not imagine who else we would trust for our digital media needs.” said Sue Cusack, one of the company founders.

The story doesn’t end here! Jim Cusack has just completed his second book, “Trouble is a Gift”. Ellenbogen will be involved in the creation of the book trailers and a social media campaign to spread the word of hope.

What do you do when you want to introduce a new product but this product is intangible? It can sometimes be difficult to explain. So what are the alternatives? Well, the logical thing to do is to show it!

Stephen Fells, Co-Founder and CEO of Agency Logic, created an empowering web-based tool for real estate agents. Fells needed to create a video presentation for an annual technology conference in San Francisco, but wanted to both, show the software in action, and have actual clients tell their story of success with the product.

Over the course of one day Ellenbogen shot approximately a half dozen interviews, with one of Agency Logic’s clients, Prudential Serls Prime Properties Real Estate. Ellenbogen Senior Editor, Alex Pearson, then transformed this footage into four case study videos highlighting their experience and success with the Agency Logic single property websites and Agent digital profiles.

“We were happy we could meet his tight budget and deadline, and his client, Prudential Serls, saw the video and loved it as well, so much so, that they hired Ellenbogen to produce a video for their upcoming re-branding from Prudential to Berkshire Hathaway!” says Jeremy Ellenbogen, President & CEO of Ellenbogen Creative Media. “We even produced an animation for his logo, to further communicate the brand image. The animation was used on his website and other forms of digital media”

Stephen Fells couldn’t have been happier and was very pleased that the animation of Follr really captured the essence of what the brand and product is and does.

Drs. Jessica and Robert Logan, of Integrated Dental Aesthetics, were looking for a way to reach potential clients and share information about the services he offers. The challenge was how to effectively reach a wide market. This is when they turned to Ellenbogen Creative Media.

After analyzing Dr. Logan’s need the Ellenbogen crew put together a personalized full marketing package. This included two TV commercials, four web videos, digital print collateral, and a microsite featuring client testimonials and various shots of the Prettau implant bridge process. Ellenbogen integrated Dr. Logan’s existing brand with the new one to create a seamless new look.

Dr. Logan’s campaign has proven to be successful with many new inquiries leading to new Prettau patients.

One inquiry that Dr. Logan received was from another doctor, who saw the commercial and wanted to know who did the ad. He was surprised to hear that it wasn’t created by a NYC company. Now Ellenbogen is taking care of their needs.

“One of the best compliments you can get is having another doctor call to ask who did the ad!” exclaimed Jeremy Ellenbogen, President & CEO of Ellenbogen Creative Media. “I wanted to make sure that every shot was moving. We created a lot of the shots using flowers in the foreground, making the spots look soft and beautiful. It was elegantly lit giving it a comforting feel. This is a subtle but effective technique.”

Doing an integrated marketing package really keeps the messaging cohesive. It’s all in the small details! That’s what is important. All the little extras that the Ellenbogen crew added made this rich and beautiful looking.

The video was shot over the course of one day on location in Kinnelon, New Jersey. A microsite for the Prettau Implant Bridge was also created, making use of all the elements by incorporating text from the scripts, photos from the photo shoot, and all the videos that were shot as well.

The Recent Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation’s ‘Thought leaders master series’ held on Oct 1st 2013 was huge success. Keynote speaker, former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, engaged an audience of 400 business leaders in New Windsor, NY on the hot topic of Cybersecurity.

Due to the size of the venue, HVEDC needed to get Giuliani on the big screens throughout the building so everyone could see and hear him speak. The team at Ellenbogen produced a multi-camera HD live switched feed (known as i-mag or image magnification) to three giant projection screens throughout the rooms. The live switched feeds also went to recording devices to be used as content for HVEDC on their website as a highlights video.