Ambassadors Ball brings Germany to Arizona
German Ambassadors Ball at the Hyattl Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona (Arizona Virtual Studios) November 9, 2009– Each year the Consular Corps of Arizona has hosted the Ambassadors’ Ball. It is basically a sponsoring event of extremely high class that helps out people and organizations in need for financial support. The proceeds of this years Ambassadors’ Ball benefit the Consular Corps Foundation whose mission is to support Global Education, Research and Children’s International Issues. The Consular Corps of Arizona has contributed nearly one Million dollars to those causes. It is also an excellent opportunity for Ambassadors and Consulars from around the world to meet.
This years Ambassadors Ball was in honor of Germany and the fall of her wall. Arizona Virtual Studios (AVS) was hired to enhance the ball with video production services. It was the fourth year for AVS to spice up the event with the projection of live and pre-recorded video and sponsor information onto several large screens. The entertainment consisted of a German live band called “Die Musik Vagabunden” and excellent German food. The Honorable Brad Brados from Brazil was again the master mind behind this years event. With a much tighter working capital – due to the decrease in funding capital – he still was able to pull off a great and organized Ambassadors Ball 2009.
A quick history refresh course reveals that the German wall (actually called “the Berlin wall”) was a concrete barrier in the city of Berlin built by the German Democratic Republic located in East Germany and separating it from West Germany. The building of the wall started in 1961. The interesting part is that our well respected President Ronald Reagan challenging Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 to tear down the German wall. In 1989 it finally happened that Gorbachev the green light for East Berlin and West Berlin to join.
Camera operator Mario Carbajal takes the wheel
Arizona Virtual Studios had to be creative with a much tighter budget than the years before. While they were using four HD cameras in the past, this year’s budget dictated a simple one camera setup. In this challenging economy, it is imperative for event planners and production companies to find creative ways to work with smaller budgets. It is a survival mode that many companies might need to adapt in order to stay in business!
Production Ad Agency
Production ad agency… Say again?
A production company is responsible for the actual creation of video, film or performing arts. We all know what an ad agency does. According to Wikipedia: An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. In other words, an ad agency helps the clients with tools to sell their products or services.
In many cases however, an ad agency plans more than that it actually creates in-house. They are masters in finding the best tools necessary for the client (market research, focus groups, etc.) to sell their products or services. After they figure out which tool is needed for the client to increase their sales, they often start with the famous bidding game.
They contact many production companies and gather as many proposals as possible. Most of the time, the cheapest production company gets hired by the ad agencies.
The problem is three-fold:
- The agency might look more at price rather than the quality.
- The advertising agency adds most of the time 50 percent of what the production company charges (sometimes they work with an added flat fee).
- Many production companies will be competing by writing lengthy proposals. Arizona Virtual Studios received one time a RFP (request for proposal) and found out from the APA (Arizona Production Association) that over six other video production companies were bidding for the same job.
We are talking about wasted time for many production companies and wasted money spend by the actual client.
Arizona Virtual Studios describes itself as a “Production Ad Agency”. This self-proclaimed term reveals what it really is: An ad agency that does all the production in-house. No bidding games, no outsourcing!
With a production ad agency, your main goal is to objectively figure out what it is that the client needs in order to move more products and services. Once they figure out how to create, plan and handle advertising for the client, they start with the actual production in-house. The two departments of the production ad agency (advertisement department and the production department) work together synergistically. The biggest advantage for the client is lower prices for advertisement and corporate identity. Another big plus is the fact that the communication flow is being kept under one roof. A production ad-agency speaks the language of advertisement and production!
The co-owner of Arizona Virtual Studios – John Koop – started originally with a 3D animation and video production company. Arizona Virtual Studios was the logical next step up when many of the clients requested marketing and business development. Arizona Virtual Studios is owned and operated by passionate and talented professionals. They provide full service for commercials, Internet based videos as well as corporate identity and branding. Arizona Virtual Studios also has a special 3D animation department as well as a large green screen and white screen.
With over eight years of experience in video production, 3D animation production and advertisement, AVS is the place to go to for any type of affordable advertisement and production.
In the end, it comes down to providing top quality production under the guidance of keen marketing. Arizona Virtual Studios is the place to go if you are looking for the combination of affordability and high quality for video production, 3D animations and web production- or simply Production Ad Agency.
Images from our green screen
Green Sceen
Arizona Virtual Studios painted their large cycloramic green screen today. Thanks Rob Pebble! It is a lot of surface to cover…
Since our promise to our clients is to delivery a freshly painted green screen before every video shoot, we go through many gallons per month. Our green screen is custom build from wall to wall. The size is 33′ by 22′.
Arizona Virtual Studios rents out their sound stage for $ 1,200.00 per full production day (10 Hrs) and $ 750.00 per half day. This includes the use of our cyc green screen, cyc white screen, all our floor lights and a stage manager. It also comes with a make-up room.
Several month ago we had a client who needed our green screen for a commercial that featured a cow (First Federal Bank)! It turned out great and the client was more than pleased. Mark Bork was the Producer/Director on set.
3D tracking test
Arizona Virtual Studios just uploaded a 3D tracking shot at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5vFg-4gcSg
We went to South Mountain, AZ – armed with our Panasonic HPX300 to get the background plate. The motion tracking was done in Boujou.
The truck was produced in Lightwave 3D. We used global illumination with a matching HDRI image.
Since the road was curved in all three dimensions, we had to match this exactly in order to get an accurate shadows. Interestingly enough, this was more tedious than the 3D animation and 3D tracking.
Motion Tracking
Arizona Virtual Studios is now offering motion tracking!
We are using Boujou and Syntheyes to get the 3D tracking data. Both programs work excellent. There are several important pre-production thoughts to consider. Here is my initial list:
1. If you are using a camera with long lens (lots of DOF), make sure your markers are not too blurred. Possible solution: Use couple of C-stands with bright colored tennis balls on it (3 minimum).
2. If your tracking plate has lots of contrast and color elements, you most likely don’t need markers.
3. A handheld shot from a standing position creates sometimes issues for 3D tracking. Solution: Walk a few steps towards your final mark while recording. This create true 3D tracking data.
4. Mask out cars and other moving objects that you don’t want to use for 3D motion tracking.
5. You only need a few markers (or original background contrast points) most of the time. Don’t overdo it with 3D tracking points!
I’m always open for advice and your thoughts about 3D motion tracking!
John Koop
www.azvirtualstudios.com
About
Arizona Virtual Studios is a production company specialized in HD video, 3D animation and green screen solutions.
Our services range from commercials to 3D animations and SFX shots. With over eight years of experience, Arizona Virtual Studios has helped many companies with their marketing needs.
Arizona Virtual Studios descibes itself as a Production Ad Agency. A self-proclaimed term that reveals what it really is: An ad agency that does all production in-house.
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