Mar 14, 2013
Our Tampa, Florida video production company recently had the pleasure of flying out to Los Angeles for the 2013 Filmapalooza. The film that our team created called “F” is a short film that won the local Tampa/St. Petersburg title of Best Film. As part of the awards we got to compete with over 120 teams from around the world from March 7th – 10th in LA at Filmapalooza.
Over the course of the week our St. Petersburg video production studio learned from mentors in the industry as well as viewed the screenings of the other films. Screenings took place at the famous Chinese Grauman’s Theater right in the heart of Hollywood on Hollywood Blvd.
Some highlights from the trip include a pitch session with the Saw series producer Dan Heffner, and a keynote speech with film director Dennis Dugan [Happy Gilmour, Grownups, Problem Child, etc.]. “It was a dream come true to hear Dennis speak,” says Christian Schwier, director of “F”, and founder of Litewave Media, “we were able to chat with him after the keynote and get some pointers on filmmaking. It was an incredible experience.”
To see “F” check out Gasparilla Film Festival on Friday March 22nd where it will be screening alongside one of Litewave Media’s other films, “Jules Dongu Saves the World” [JulesDongu.com]- an action comedy spoof. “F” screens at 10:30pm at Centro Ybor, and “Jules Dongu” screens at 7:30pm. Director, Producer and cast will all be there. We hope to see you there!
If you’re looking for a Tampa production company to take your film to the next level, give us a call or stop by our offices. And be sure to keep up with us on Facebook to learn about all of our crew’s latest projects.
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
Aug 31, 2012
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.
If your organization has a film or video project that could benefit from our Tampa video company’s expertise, please contact us for a free consultation.
Aug 7, 2012
Our Tampa video production company now has an equipment arsenal that includes the RED Scarlet, one of the first 5k ultra high-resolution cameras on the market. “We’re gearing up to shoot a new independent feature film and the extra resolution and RAW files will enable us to bring our special FX and color grading to a new level,” says founder Christian Schwier.
Litewave Media’s RED Scarlet Camera in Tampa, FL
Hollywood films like The Amazing Spiderman, Prometheus and The Hobbit were all shot using the new RED 5k camera technology, counting Peter Jackson and Steven Soderberg among its fans.
For years, film makers have been discussing what would replace film. Some felt it was HD, but now RED has created a camera with enough resolution to replicate the quality of 35mm. And in fact, this camera has a higher dynamic range – besting that of film. It’s an exciting time for film makers.
Taylor, camera operator and Steve, DP prep the RED Scarlet camera for a shot
The Tampa video production company‘s expansion also includes video post production hardware and software. Litewave Media has upgraded three of its video editing suites to include the new Adobe CS6 Production Bundle with CUDA certified graphics cards. “We’ll be using Premiere Pro and After Effects for video editing and post workflow with the RED 5k files,” he explains. “The new software acceleration enables us to edit in real-time just like regular HD files.”
Schwier is quick to point out that the ability to do higher end film production is a great upgrade for the Tampa video company, but it won’t replace the extensive video equipment currently being used. “Our clients and our Tampa film crew are excited about having choices,” he says.
Director Christian Schwier with the RED Scarlet video production team in Tampa
Clients of the Tampa video production studio can look forward to the same high-caliber quality they’re used to while also having options like the RED Scarlet for higher end productions.
To schedule a consultation about your video project, please contact us.
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.
