May 4, 2016
Just a few weeks ago our Tampa Video Production Company, Litewave Media, filmed Carlos Beruff as he announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Litewave Media director of photography Christian Cashmir and our Florida video production crew drove down to Sarasota, Florida to film the senate hopeful announce his candidacy. The beautiful lake backdrop behind Beruff’s business was the perfect place to film his announcement ceremony. With the large crowd of Beruff’s friends, family, and business associates eagerly anticipating his arrival, our video team was ready to capture this historic moment as he vowed to “Put America First”.
Litewave Media’s Tampa camera crew captures Senate hopeful Carlos Beruff during an interview with press
We drove down to Sarasota, FL with our Tampa Grip Truck to catch Mr. Beruff on his final stop in Florida during his tour of the state. Litewave Media was the first to arrive on the scene to prepare for the press conference. Our Tampa video production company showed up early to set up amongst the bustling crowd of reporters to secure prime filming locations.
Our Canon C300 Ready to Capture Mr. Beruff’s Speech.
Our Tampa video equipment included our Canon C300 HD camera, Sachtler DV10SB tripod, as well as a lavalier mic for Mr. Beruff himself. We filmed the entire announcement ceremony and the small get-together afterwards for Beruff’s closest family and friends.
Our Tampa video production crew was all set up and ready to capture cinematic footage of Carlos Beruff announcing his candidacy for the Senate.
With director of photography Christian Cashmir behind the Canon C300, our Florida production company filmed the entire press conference and banquet with cinematic flair. Using our broadcast quality cameras and microphones from our Tampa video equipment rental packages, we captured Mr. Beruff as he fielded questions from the press, handled a meet and greet, and delivered an impressive speech for the large crowd.
Our Tampa video production company captures Senate hopeful Carlos Beruff announce his Candidacy.
Do you need a Tampa video production company, or have a Florida corporate video you would like filmed? Contact us to schedule a free consultation today. Our production company looks forward to helping you grow your business! Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow the Litewave Media blog to stay up to date on current projects and Tampa video production news!
Apr 9, 2013
We were psyched to shoot the pilot episode for “Meal Ticket,” a new reality show that reveals the drama behind one of today’s hottest and most competitive industries – the food and restaurant business.
Andrew (gaffer) with the apprentice chefs before the 1st shot of the day.
Meal Ticket’s writer-director Daniel Lee Simmons called on our Tampa video production company for the jam-packed three-day shoot in Citrus Country, Florida. Over the course of one dizzying weekend, 12 up-and-coming culinary students worked in groups under the guidance of four big-name chefs – Joseph “Jo-Jo” Doyle of the legendary racetrack Churchill Downs, celebrity personal chef Alex Conant, Top Chef Season Two’s Carlos Fernandez, and large-scale event chef Michael Blase of Taste of Chicago – to cook a show-stopping feast for 300. CBS sports reporter and radio personality Roxanne Wilder served as the episode’s host.
The Litewave Media film crew with the cast of Meal Ticket.
The action brought us from a huge prep kitchen at Key Training Center to legendary dining spots like Ike’s Old Florida Kitchen at the Izaak Walton Lodge and Neon Leon’s. Brutal time constraints, head scratching ingredients (water buffalo, anyone?), and back-home emergencies ensured there was never a dull moment!
The four celebrity chefs get ready to judge a cook-off competition.
Litewave’s experience producing reality series like Paradise Pawn and TLC’s Extreme Couponing, and live action TV shows like Shark Tank and The Chew proved invaluable on Meal Ticket’s high pressure set. “Working on reality shows is all about spontaneity. That crucial dramatic moment will happen in an instant, so the crew has to be there and ready to capture all the unscripted action,” says Litewave Media founder Christian Schwier. “We stayed on top of everything and got all the footage needed to tell a great story.”
Christian (producer/camera) and Mike (sound) capture an on-the-fly interview at the big event.
Indeed, our seasoned Tampa video crew had it covered: Schwier produced the shoot and served as lead camera operator alongside Taylor Girard and Andrew Ortoski, who also handled lighting. Mike Stahr joined us as sound technician, while makeup artist Rachel Lappe kept everyone looking camera-ready. Our all-star PA Adrian Hall supported the team throughout.
Christian and Rachel (make-up) with Carlos of Top Chef Season 2.
We’ll keep you posted on Meal Ticket as it seeks distribution. Watch our blog and like us on Facebook to keep up with all Litewave Media’s projects. Do you have a video project coming up? Contact our Tampa production studio today for a free consultation.
Our PA Adrian gets ready to slate host Roxanne before a live audience of 300 people.
Dec 17, 2012
As the full moon rose on October 29th, our Tampa video production company shot the first scene from our next short film, The Skyship Chronicles, a Steampunk action-adventure. “This film is a complete story in its own right,” shares Director and Litewave Media founder, Christian Schwier. “We also hope to gain enough interest in the idea to produce a full-length feature film of the concept.”
Don Knight (left) operates boom as actors Jeff and Mick traverse through a dense fog.
Pre-production began in early October when our Tampa video crew traveled to Tommie Turvey’s Equine Extremist Liberty Horse Ranch in Brooksville, Florida. Tommie and his stunt horse, Blade, have worked on numerous films and TV shows, including The Walking Dead, Jonah Hex, and 3:10 to Yuma.
Jeffrey Gross (left) and Devin Keebler (right) set up the RED camera.
Jeff Zampino (writer/producer) with actor Jeff Shepperd at the horse ranch.
While at the ranch, our Tampa filmmakers scouted locations, filmed test shots with the actors in full Steampunk costumes, and rehearsed the riding stunts with Tommie and Blade. After making some minor modifications to the shooting script, nearly two dozen cast and crew took their places to shoot the first scene.
Actors Jeffrey Shepperd and Mick Ellis played the two guards being hunted by the film’s villain Gustav (Ed Olson). Tommie rode Blade and performed several challenging stunts including the horse rearing up and chasing the actors. “We even shot some of the chase scenes from the back of an ATV Mule!” says the Tampa film director.
Jeffery Shepperd (left) and Mick Ellis (right) let their guard down.
Co-Directors of Photography, Steve Allen and Ryan Grosjean, were behind the RED Scarlet Camera (filming in 4k) and the Canon 5D Mark III (Camera B). The camera crew (see complete list below) used a jib and dolly for action shots.
Steve Allen (co-DP) operating the jib and RED camera (shooting in 4K)
Our costume designer, Bridget, with stunt double and expert horseman, Tommie Turvey.
The intense chases required the actors to move swiftly over rough terrain while dodging trees and low hanging branches. “We were on a horse ranch in the middle of the woods, so there was no light aside from the moon and the lights we brought,” explains Schwier. “Since there was no power, we had to bring our own generator. It was quite a task hauling a multi-thousand watt generator out into the woods!”
Ryan GrosJean (Co-DP) and Andrew Ortoski (Gaffer) discuss lighting.
Thankfully Andrew Ortoski, our gaffer and movie lighting master, provided the film crew with a condor, or lighting lift, that projected moon-like rays from almost 100 feet in the air. “We’re so happy with how the chase scenes turned out,” says Schwier. “We’re looking forward to the post production process and editing the scene in our Tampa post production studio.”
Ryan Grosjean (co-DP), Jeffrey Gross (AC) and Devin Keebler (AC) make some camera adjustments.
To add texture and dimension to the scenes, the crew brought in an industrial-grade fog machine. “Getting the right amount of fog in each scene for continuity was definitely the biggest hurdle of the night,” says Schwier. “In some shots the wind would blow all the fog away, and in others there would be too much and we had to disperse it.” But by the end of the night, Jeff Zampino, our Producer/Writer, was a master at wielding the fog machine.
Mike Barnitt, our sound mixer, and some of the film crew.
Later in the night the temperature dropped into the low 40’s but our cast and crew soldiered on, and the last shot was taken as the sun began to rise. “We were all tired,” says Schwier, “but our sense of accomplishment kept our spirits up through the night. We were all definitely glad to be home in warm beds later that morning though!”
Ryan Grosjean (co-DP), Christian Schwier (director), and Steve Allen (co-DP) pause for a photo.
If you’ve got a film script that you’d like to shoot, give us a call for a free consultation. And be sure to like our Facebook page to keep up with all of our filmmaking adventures.
The Skyship Chronicles CREW
Seth Jones – Grip
Jeffrey Gross – Assistant Camera
David Bergvik – Production Assistant
Evan Zissimopulous – Camera Department
Ryan Grosjean – Co-Director of Photography
Steve Allen – Co-Director of Photography
Andrew Ortoski – Gaffer
Harold Hood – Production Assistant
David Lasky – Grip
Taylor Girard – Grip
Jeff Zampino – Producer
Bridget Desjarlais – Costumes
Rachel Lappe – Production Assistant and Craft Service
TJ Maynes – Set Photographer
Christian Schwier – Director
Devin Keebler – Assistant Camera
Tommie Turvey – Location Services
Don Knight – Boom Operation
Mike Barnitt – Sound Engineer
The Skyship Chronicles CAST
Jeffrey Shepperd – Guard 1
Mick Ellis – Guard 2
Ed Olson – Gustav
Tommie Turvey – Stunt Horse Rider
Blade – “Gustav’s Horse” & Stunt Horse
Jul 10, 2012
Litewave Media, Tampa’s leading video production company recently produced a series of video testimonials for Ideal Image , the fastest growing laser hair removal company in the world. The footage will be edited and ultimately become part of a series of national TV commercials.
The ladies of Ideal Image.
The filming took place at Litewave Media’s partner studio, WEDU, the largest video studio in Tampa Bay. Our video crew designed and built three film sets for the commercials. Lead set designer, Jeff Zampino, transformed the empty white studio space into three lavish living room sets. Our design team brought in pictures, couches, furniture and set decorations to create the unique spaces the client required for the production.
Litewave Media team members Mike Barnitt-right (Sound Tech) and Bridget Desjarlais-center (Assistant Set Designer) on the set with a lighting tech.
A number of the Ideal Image guests were local to the Tampa area, while others were flown in from around the country to participate in the testimonial video shoot. The spots were filmed on two high definition video cameras, and the Tampa video crew included camera operators Jamie Parslow and Ryan Zarra, and gaffer Andrew Ortoski.
Gaffer Andrew Ortoski adjusts the lighting controls.
Video editing and post production work begins next week at Litewave Media’s video studio in St. Petersburg, FL. Our Tampa post production crew will use Final Cut Pro and Adobe’s Creative Suite 6 to edit and color grade the footage.
Director of Photography Christian Schwier, Gaffer Andrew Ortoski and Camera Operator Jamie Parslow.
A Litewave Media client since 2006, Ideal Image has grown from a single location in the Tampa Bay area to over 90 centers throughout the U.S. and the world. “It’s a great experience to grow together with a client,” says Christian Schwier, founder of Litewave Media. “We’ve built our video production business on creating lasting partnerships with our clients, and Ideal Image is a great example of that.”
If you’d like to grow your business, contact our Tampa video production company today. Call or e-mail us at [email protected] for a free consultation.
Jun 14, 2012
Pre-production has begun on Litewave Media’s next independent film project,
The Skyship Chronicles
, scheduled to begin shooting this fall in the Tampa Bay area.
Concept art for one of the villains in the movie.
After completing the feature film Jules Dongu Saves the World in early 2012, the premier Tampa video production company is already hard at work scouting locations and building partnerships with local crew, actors, and artisans for the new production.
“We love filming here in Tampa Bay,” says director and Litewave Media founder Christian Schwier. “We have the most amazing talent here, and the potential shooting locations are top notch.”
Screen tests for make-up and costume with Rachel Lappe, one of the film’s actors.
Local crafts people like ADEQ Firearms of Tampa and the St. Petersburg Wood Guild have already signed on to assist in building sets and props that will give the film a retro-science-fiction or Steampunk look, reminiscent of H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.
Steve, the film’s DP, with the Red Scarlet video camera.
Set at the turn of the 20th century, The Skyship Chronicles is an action/adventure film with plenty of humor. “The plot revolves around two misfit time travelers and a hapless postal worker,” explains the film’s writer, Jeff Zampino. “Together, they battle a mad scientist bent on destroying the world.”
As a leader in video production, Litewave Media will shoot with the new Red Scarlet® cinema camera, one of the most innovative digital film cameras available. Its 4k resolution is double that of HD. With a wide range of video equipment in their arsenal, Litewave Media is a true one-stop resource for professional video and film production in the Tampa Bay area.
Behind the scenes pic with some of the film’s actors testing out costumes.
The video production company is using the Web site Kickstarter.com, a funding platform for creative projects, to generate additional funding for the film. For more information on the progress of the film visit http://www.skyshipchronicles.com/.
Jeff Zampino adjusts a gun prop during a video screen test with Rachel.
If you are looking for a professional video crew, contact Litewave Media for a free consultation.
