Each year teams of filmmakers from around the world compete in a film competition known as the 48 Hour Film Project. In this no-holds-bar event teams have only 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and submit a short film in their randomly chosen genre. As if that weren’t enough, there’s also a list of requirements that each film must contain in order to be eligible for the competition. This year required the prop of “bubble wrap,” a character named “Charlie/Charlene Sparks,” the profession of “farming,” and the line of dialogue “He never tells me anything”. On top of all that, the Litewave Media team was chosen to be part of a documentary about the 48 Hour Film Project as the team had won last year with their award-winning film “F”. And so, a film crew documenting the madness of the film project had their cameras pointed on the team the whole weekend.
Director Christian Schwier and his Tampa production company drew the genre “Buddy film” out of a hat on Friday, July 26th. They quickly swapped “Buddy film” out for a wild card genre “B-Movie” and began their race to finish: Sunday, July 28th. (A “B-Movie” can best be described as a lower budget, melodramatic film.) Perfect for our Tampa video crew!
A MELODRAMATIC Litewave Media 48 Hour Film Project Cast/Crew
The first thing the team had to do was decide on an idea, which Schwier said was “The most difficult part”. They looked to old 50’s B-movies for inspiration. With a room full of writers, brainstorming wasn’t an issue, instead it was picking the one idea and saying “this is it!”
Christian Schwier, Jeff Zampino and the rest of the crew brainstorming in the Litewave Studios conference room
By 3 a.m. three things were decided: the movie needed a robot, an overly dramatic kiss, and blue speckled aliens. Make-up artist Anya Yushchenko quickly got to work bringing two of those elements to life.
Anya Yushchenko applying blue speckled make-up to BobbyAnn Loper
Anthony Brock (QX-45 robotic support droid) being assembled by Anya Yushchenko
When the 48 hour time constraint started affecting the film, the team had to take action quick. “We had to edit down the script and cut two locations out in the middle of shooting to make this film doable”, Schwier stated. And so, on July 28th at 6:42pm (18 minutes to deadline) with the help of Jeff Zampino’s set design, Steve Allen’s special effects, Andrew Ortoski’s lighting, Stephen Maxwell’s original music, and an amazing crew and cast, “Man-Eating Hatchlings of Galvac-7” was born and officially submitted.
Anya Yushchenko, Maylin Morera, Linda Roser, and Karleigh Chase on set
Jim Flynn in the “hibernation pod” with Steve Allen, (Special FX) hovering over
Karleigh Chase, Jeff Sheppard and Jim Flynn stand by on set location two
All the sleepless hardwork and dedication paid off in the end. The Litewave Media crew received seven nominations: Best Film, Best Director, Best Sound Design, Best Use of Line of Dialogue, Best Special Effects, Best Costumes, and the Audience Choice Award. The winners will be announced on August 27th, Muvico Centro Ybor at 7 p.m.
For more information about the 48 hour Film Project click here, 48 hr. Film Project
Without further ado, here’s “Man-Eating Hatchlings of Galvax-7”
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Litewave Media was hired by the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) to film two projects at the Republican National Convention, which recently took place in Tampa, Florida this August. “The RSLC found us online through our website,” Litewave founder Christian Schwier explains. “They had viewed some of our company’s previous work and thought we would be a good fit for their documentary video project.”
Christian working at the RNC.
Despite storms from Hurricane Isaac, gnarled traffic and huge crowds, our Tampa film crew had an exciting week filming for the documentary. Our onsite editor and Tampa post production crew also created short daily video updates that were uploaded online directly from the convention.
The Fox studio at the RNC in Tampa, Florida.
“Once we got past the security check points, bomb-sniffing dogs and car searches, the shoot was a breeze,” jokes Schwier. The documentary video project centered on five Latino Republicans from around the country who are all running for office, including House and Senate seats and a governorship. The film will tell the story of their candidacy and experiences at the RNC.
Christian and Taylor with their passes to the RNC.
The team also shot footage for five three-minute shorts, which allowed our Tampa video production company to get involved in several different aspects of the convention. Among the events filmed were an interview with Mike Huckabee, a tech panel with Joe Green, (Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard roommate) who developed applications for Facebook, and an educational summit featuring Dr. Condoleezza Rice.
Taylor using the MacBook Air mobile editing station.
Directory of Photography Christian Schwier, and the crew—Taylor Girard, Editor and 2nd Camera and Rachel Lappe, Camera Assistant—used both a Panasonic HPX-170 and a Panasonic HVX-200 to shoot the video segments. Litewave Media’s new ultra-mobile post production station includes Apple’s MacBook Air with Final Cut Studio and Adobe CS6, which allowed the footage for the video shorts to be edited onsite from almost anywhere. After they were finalized, the mini-movies were immediately uploaded to the RSLC’s YouTube channel, enabling Republican supporters to follow the activities at the convention in close to real time.
Although the Tampa video crew enjoyed many parts of the gig, Schwier says the highlight was meeting Dr. Condoleezza Rice. “We got to chat with her for a few minutes before she went on stage,” he shares. “She’s very eloquent and gave a fifteen-minute speech with no teleprompter. The room was really engaged when she spoke. You could feel the energy.”
Christian filming Dr. Condoleezza Rice.
The Republican National Convention is yet another major event to come to Tampa recently, bringing additional film and video business opportunities to the city. Schwier feels that’s good news for both the industry and Litewave Media. “Networking at the RNC will hopefully earn us future jobs when these companies and people come back to Tampa Bay for their next video project,” he says. “We’re working hard to establish ourselves as Tampa’s premier video production company—a one stop shop for crew, production, and post production needs.”
Rachel and her RNC pass.
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Scuzz TV, the UK’s most popular rock and metal TV station, hired our Tampa film studio to interview and film three of the bands participating in the Warped Tour this year. The international music festival with over 100 bands ranging from punk and metal to reggae and alternative stopped at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg, FL this July.
Directory of Photography, Christian Schwier, spent a day in the Florida sun with sound engineer Mike Barnitt and production assistant Harold Hood. Together, they captured the stories and music of the bands and the energy of the fans.
Filming interviews at Warped Tour with band: Miss May I
Ronnie Radke, the lead singer from Falling in Reverse, was one of the musicians interviewed by the Tampa video crew. Part of the conversation focused on how Radke’s life-changing experience of how going to prison affected his music and has contributed to the band’s success. Litewave Media also talked to Of Mice and Men lead singer Austin Carlile and members of the band Miss May I.
“Two of the bands invited us onto their official tour buses,” says Schwier. “Ronnnie Radke actually played us an unreleased track off the band’s new record. It was an incredible experience.” The other interview was conducted in Vinoy Park with the beautiful St. Petersburg Pier as a back drop.
Christian with Beez – Channel manager at England’s Scuzz TV
Schwier and his team used two cameras to catch the essence of the bands and the tour: a Panasonic HPX-170 and a Panasonic HVX-200, both 1080p high definition video cameras capable of broadcast quality video acquisition.
Scuzz TV will use the footage in two of their brand new shows, one highlighting the diverse tattoos inked on rock stars and musicians, and the other offering intimate interviews with musicians about their journeys as artists and stars. All footage was transferred to hard drive at our Tampa production studio and express mailed to the UK, where Scuzz TV immediately began editing. Both shows will premier in September.
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.
On Saturday, May 5th, Litewave Media’s Tampa film crew recorded a live three-hour concert performed by local gospel group Cepeda McKay and No Limits. The band has been uplifting audiences in Tampa and across the country with their original compositions and signature sound since 2002.
Cepeda McKay and No Limits rocks the house.
A packed house enjoyed the concert at the beautiful new First Baptist Church of Progress Village near Tampa, Florida. Five cameras—two Panasonic HVX-200s, two Canon 7Ds and a Canon 5D— filmed the concert simultaneously, capturing the members of Cepeda McKay and No Limits, along with the live band and dancers performing with them.
Our Tampa video production company arrived early to plan the camera angles and set up film equipment, which included a 20-foot CamMate jib system. The jib allowed the video team to capture sweeping overhead shots of the concert as well as the audience that was grooving in the aisles to the catchy songs.
Litewave Media’s Tampa film crew included: CamMate Crane operator, Andrew Ortoski; camera operators Jamie Parslow, Ryan Zarra, Evan Zissimopulos; and Director of Photography, Christian Schwier.
Andrew and Jamie, members of Litewave Media’s Tampa video production crew, set up the CamMate jib to film the Cepeda McKay and No Limits concert.
Preliminary editing is scheduled to begin next week at Litewave Media’s post production studio in Tampa, Florida. Using Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects, our Tampa post production team will craft a professional concert DVD that the band will then use to promote their music and ministry.
Cepeda McKay and No Limits shares their uplifting music all over the world.
If you’re looking for music video companies in Tampa Bay to film your production, please contact us for a personalized consultation.
