Apr 23, 2015
Mysterious gypsies. Deceitful pirates. Treasures and magic! Litewave Media’s latest film production, directed by Bahamian native Iris Saunders, was quite an adventure. We filmed over the course of 3 days in St. Petersburg, Florida’s historic Fort De Soto Beach. Our Florida video company is no stranger to movies; our latest short film, The Skyship Chronicles [Part 1], is currently playing the festival circuit around the country and already has won 2 Audience Choice Awards. Our team at Litewave Media previously filmed Iris’ debut music video at our video production studio last year. Our Tampa video production company was excited to partner again with Iris for her short film, The Pirate Gypsies.
Our cast, director and director of photography rehearsing a scene for The Pirate Gypsies in the woods of Fort De Soto
In addition to filming the project, Iris hired our Tampa production crew to coordinate the shoot and secure permits for the film. Iris and Litewave Media founder, Christian Cashmir, met before the shoot to write, plan and storyboard the film. Iris decided that she wanted to film at night to create a dark mysterious atmosphere for the film.
Christian and Iris work on the script and storyboards for the film
Once the script was finalized, our production team held a casting and audition at our Tampa video production studio to find actors that could fit the unique roles. Once Iris cast the actors, we were ready to schedule our production. The day before filming, we had a rehearsal and costume fitting for the actors at our video studio. We used a Canon C100 and two Sony A7S video cameras to film the movie. The Sony A7s performed great in the low light night scenes. We also used a Canon 5D to take some behind the scenes pictures.
Actors George Vricos and Linda Roser film an intense scene
The production consisted of 9 main actors and 19 crew members. Iris was the director while Robbie Bartlett was the assistant director. Christian Cashmir was the director of photography and producer. John Jones was gaffer and second camera. Brandon Hyde was the camera assistant. Harold “Pinky” Hood was the grip for the shoot while Ana Christina Sanchez was the production coordinator and script supervisor. Samantha Bryans, Kira Howe and Maxime Puister were production assistants for the shoot. Bridget Bartley and Andrea Gonzalez were in charge of the wardrobe department while Samantha Greene was the make-up artist.
Some of our Tampa post production crew editing the film on set
We had our Tampa post production company set up in the trailer on set. One of our assistant editors, Brandon, and visual effects guru, Josh Noftz, were able to start editing the footage immediately and ensure an easy transition to post once the shoot wrapped. Our post production team finished editing the movie at our Tampa video editing suites. Stephen Maxwell composed the music for the film, and Christian and Iris wrote and recorded the final song of the film together at our Tampa recording studio.
Filming at the Historic Fort in St. Petersburg’s Fort De Soto State Park
The first day our Tampa video team filmed at the Historic Fort in Fort De Soto. We took our Tampa grip truck to the location, which included 6 Litepanel LED lights, a few 1K and 2K lights, our HMIs and Joker 800, as well as 2 generators to light up the night scene. We also were excited to use our new Tampa MōVI M5 rental from our Tampa video production equipment and capture some unique angles at the Fort. Our second unit team also filmed some of the opening shots for the movie on the beach with the sunset in the background.
Our cast and crew filming in the woods at Fort De Soto
The second day, we filmed in the middle of the woods in Fort De Soto. Our production designers decorated the location with props and set pieces to set the scene of a cursed island. Gaffer, John, with grip, Pinky, lit up a large section of the forest using our lighting equipment and generators.
The Mother Gypsy, Denise Durette, films in the woods at Fort De Soto Park
Litewave Media had a blast filming the pirate-themed short film with Iris Saunders, and our video production team looks forward to the next adventure! The Pirate Gypsies will be submitted into various film festivals thought out the year.
The cast and crew wraps the first day of filming
Do you have a Tampa short film or feature you would like to film? Please contact us for a free consultation. You can like Litewave Media on Facebook to check out our latest video projects. Be sure to keep up with the blog for more Tampa video production news!
Oct 1, 2013
When it comes to Fantastic Sams, the client chooses their hairstyle. In the case of their advertising though, Fantastic Sams sought out Litewave Media and their award-winning Tampa film crew to write, shoot, cast and edit a series of national quality TV commercials.
Fantastic Sams with the Litewave Media Film Crew and Cast
Litewave Media’s veteran Tampa video production company brought their comedic expertise to the project to create some truly unique commercials. Writer Jeff Zampino scribed three scripts, and director Christian Schwier along with the Fantastic Sams marketing team chose two which eventually became the “Night Owl” commmercial featuring a vampire who is in dire need of a haircut and the “3 Color Days” commercial featuring a Snidely Whiplash type character set in the 1920’s.
Larry Bukovey as The Vampire in “The Night Owl Special”
The Litewave Media team combined with the technology of their newly acquired Canon C100 camera, produced exceptional results. The commercials were filmed over a series of 3 days at the Litewave Media video studio‘s backlot and two Fantastic Sams locations. Video editing and special FX compositing took place at Litewave Media’s Tampa post production facility.
Actors Ed Olson and Serrelle Baker in “3 Color Days
The first of the two scripts promotes Fantastic Sams “3 Color Days” special, and takes place in the 1920’s and features a Snidely Whiplash character. Christian and his Tampa video company decided to give a vintage film treatment to this commercial. It begins in black and white then shifts to color when the female lead goes to Fantastic Sams to brighten up her style. The second script focuses on the salon’s late night hours and highlights characters who can only visit during the night. The main character is a friendly vampire…who needs his hair done, just like everybody else.
Fantastic Sams Salon Set
Be sure to stay tuned to your TV to see these two commercials next week!
[UPDATE 6/11/14 Videos online!]
As always, please like our Tampa film crew on Facebook, and keep up with the latest video news on the blog! Don’t forget to give us a call for a free consultation for your next Tampa video project!
![Tampa Video Production Company Films for ABC’s The Chew [UPDATED]](https://litewaveblog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/250px-The_Chew_Title_Card1-e1360852618526.jpg)
Sep 5, 2013
Litewave Media recently filmed two segments for ABC’s daytime hit TV show, The Chew. Now in its second season, The Chew hired our production team to film a Guiness Record attempt at making the world’s largest cup of hot chocolate. The other segment was filmed at the world-famous Columbia restaurant and focused on the history of the Cuban sandwich.
Producers from The Chew, which stars celebrity chefs Mario Batalli, Michael Simon and Carla Hall, connected with our Tampa video company through our website. “After speaking with our team and confirming that we had the camera, lighting gear, and experience they needed, we were hired,” says Litewave Media founder, Christian Schwier.
Our Tampa video crew filmed the official Guinness World Records attempt for the largest cup of hot chocolate!
Directory of Photography, Christian Schwier, shoots the process of filling the gigantic cup.
The first shoot was at Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). To wrap up its Festival of Chocolate, the museum attempted to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest cup of hot chocolate. “We filmed different interviews and segments all over the museum,” says Schwier, “but the main event revolved around a gigantic cup of hot chocolate that was stationed in the courtyard.”
Christian uses a Panasonic HPX-170 to capture Chef Jason stirring the record-breaking cup of hot chocolate.
When the record was broken, five large catapults launched marshmallows into the 880-gallon cup of cocoa as a 30-foot fountain of chocolate spouted from the cup. “It was a fairly windy day,” says Schwier. “So more than a few of the closest onlookers got soaked in cocoa! Our cameras even got a little on the lenses, but we survived!”
Our Tampa video crew, headed by Schwier as the Director of Photography, also included Mike Barnitt as Sound Engineer and Rachel Lappe as Production Assistant. They were joined by ABC field producer Lawrence Weibman, and on-camera host Jason Roberts, a famous chef and restaurateur from Australia.
Footage was shot on two Panasonic HPX-170’s in HD. To capture the sound, our crew used three Lectrosonics lavalier mics, a Schoeps boom mic, and a multi-channel Cooper sound mixer.
Chef Jason gets ready to sample from the giant cup of hot chocolate.
The second segment was shot at the historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. “The focus was Columbia’s Cuban sandwich and its cultural significance to the Tampa Bay area,” explains Schwier. Originally called the mixto, the sandwich is made of ham, roast pork, swiss cheese, and mustard on Cuban bread that is buttered and pressed.
Chef Jason, Christian and Andrea Gonzmart, the great-great granddaughter of Columbia founder, Casimiro Hernandez Sr., make Cuban sandwiches in the restaurant’s enormous kitchen.
Although the history of the Cuban sandwich is a bit murky, some claiming it was brought from Cuba and others swearing it all began in Florida, there is no denying how popular it was with 19th century Ybor City cigar workers. As Sicilians and immigrants from other parts of Italy joined Spanish and Cuban immigrants in the cigar factories, Genoa salami and pickles were added, transforming the mixto into the Cuban sandwich. The Columbia has been making them since 1905.
Christian captures the beauty and architecture of the famous Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City.
“In addition to seeing the huge kitchen where we watched Jason and the great-great granddaughter of the original owner make Cuban sandwiches together, we got a tour of the restaurant, including areas most have never seen before,” Schwier says. “We also interviewed patrons, but best part of course was when we got to sample some of the fine food ourselves at lunch!”
Chef Jason interviews Andrea Gonzmart in the dining room of the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City.
This was our Tampa film company’s second gig with ABC in the past year, having shot footage for an episode of Shark Tank last fall. “The ABC crew was really great to work for and we had a wonderful time with Jason and Lawrence,” says Schwier. “We hope The Chew will come back to Tampa for another story in Season 3!”
To keep up on all of our video projects, be sure to like our Facebook page, and if you have a video project coming up, contact our Tampa production studio today: e-mail us at [email protected] for a free consultation. Are you ready for your close-up?
Jul 10, 2013
Litewave Media recently stepped onto the green as the Tampa corporate video producer for a project with Golf Magazine and Nike. We traveled to The Players Club at Sawgrass in Ponte Verde Beach, Fla. for The Players Championship – a legendary stop on the PGA Tour.
The Players Club at Sawgrass made an incredible set!
For this A-list assignment, director of photography Christian Schwier and camera assistant Jamie Parslow filmed live interviews and video segments with golf pros Russell Henley, Charl Schwartzel, and Charles Howell III who dished on their Nike gear and life on the tour.
DP Christian Schwier flashes his badge
Jamie Parslow served as camera assistant
The top-caliber athletes awed our St. Petersburg film crew. “It’s inspiring to meet people who are super-successful and at the top of their game,” said Schwier. “You can learn a lot from their work ethic and apply it to your own life whether that’s on the golf course or in the production studio.” Our Tampa video crew also enjoyed working with Golf Magazine’s video producer John Ledesma on yet another project. “We’ve worked with John for a number of years now. He led the team on the course and is always a pleasure to work with,” Schwier said.
Shooting practice tees with Charles Howell III
Christian films Russell Henley
Our Tampa video company is proud to be a go-to producer for top sporting events. Previously we worked with Golf Magazine at the Derek Jeter Golf Classic, and we’ve also filmed the New York Yankees’ spring training as well as the 2009 Super Bowl for the Associated Press. “With sports, you have to capture those special moments as they are happening – you can’t be afraid to move right into the action to get that perfect angle or shot,” said Schwier. “It’s what makes shooting sports so exciting.”
Christian and Golf Magazine’s John Ledesma at work on the fairway
The famous 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass
We always love working on new and challenging projects, and we’d love to hear from you. Contact our Tampa production studio for a free consultation. Be sure to keep up with our latest adventures on Facebook and right here on our video blog.
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
