For those of us that are Graphic Designer/Computer Geek hybrids, Mixed Media and Motion Graphics work is always a welcomed treat. It gives us the chance to flex both the Left and Right sides of our brains to come up with new, high-quality ways to create presentations that sell the product or tell the story. For most of these works I typically combine graphic design, photographic stills, writing, 2D and 3D animation, non-linear editing, and synchronize it all to a soundtrack. Whether being distributed on DVD, VCD, Blu-Ray, promotional media or even through social networks such as YouTube or Facebook, another great benefit of this approach is being able to produce simple videos at a fraction of the cost of low-budget broadcast commercials while creating the same (or better) impact on brand awareness.
Current featured samples include:
Majestic Tile Demo Video
pTerex Product Demo Video
Umami Treats and Coffeehouse Commercial Spot
Majestic Tile Demo Video
Original Format: VOB MPEG-2 (stand-alone DVD)
Duration: 00:05:06s
[wposflv src=http://www.bgpublishing.com/bgp/wp-content/uploads/mt-demo2008.flv width=410 height=325 title=”Majestic Tile demo”]
This video for Majestic Tile is probably among the longest commercial multimedia pieces I’ve ever produced. As an integral part of Majestic’s promotional package and logo that I’d also designed, the goal behind this demo was simple and three-fold: (1) create a mindset of luxury that is within reach, (2) showcasing the natural beauty of wood, stone, ceramic and porcelain floors and interiors, and (3) set Majestic Tile’s team way above “handyman” status and very much apart from the rest of the local competition. Versions of this video are available on YouTube as a green alternative to sending it out solely as a DVD along with the print versions of their collateral materials.
[Return to top of page] [Return to Portfolio Menu]
pTerex Product Demo Video
Original Format: VOB MPEG-2 (stand-alone DVD)
Duration: 00:01:31s
[wposflv src=http://www.bgpublishing.com/bgp/wp-content/uploads/pTerex.flv width=410 height=325 title=”pTerex demo”]
In a nutshell, the pTerex MTEN Product Line is a portable, mobile communications hub that stays seamlessly connected with a central network – with or without established power grids, Internet access or telephone and regardless of where it is in the world. Because the likes of Pentagon brass had to be sold on the product before the military would begin placing orders for it, I knew that they (like other top decision makers) typically just wanted to know the basics of how it worked without all the Geek Speak. As a result, I wrote and produced this product demo video using a combination of Macromedia Flash, Real Satellite Imagery (rendered using NASA’s World Wind software), 3D animation (3D Studio Max), still photos and Ulead’s VideoStudio Pro. Although it was originally produced for distribution on a DVD and streaming video on the web, a version was imprinted onto a few thousand promotional USB flash-drive keychains that would automatically play the video once plugged into a PC or Mac.
[Return to top of page] [Return to Portfolio Menu]
Umami Treats and Coffeehouse Commercial Spot
Original Format: VOB MPEG-2 (stand-alone DVD)
Duration: 00:01:06s
[wposflv src=http://www.bgpublishing.com/bgp/wp-content/uploads/umami-spot.flv width=410 height=325 title=”pTerex demo”]
This video was produced for Umami Treats, a client in the Detroit area that is currently in the process of seeking investment capital to open up a coffeehouse to expand her gourmet pastry and catering services. Chef Steele originally contracted me to design her logo then later needed my services to come up with a creative and cost-effective way to help her pitch the business plan. I figured the best approach was for potential investors to feel like they’ve seen the coffeehouse so I decided to create a mock commercial spot and burn it to a self-playing DVD. Since there wasn’t a budget for live actors, voiceovers or broadcast-quality production, I decided to produce this commercial spot using Ubuntu Studio (Linux). Although the address noted at the end was the coffeehouse’s proposed location, as of the date I completed this video it was still at the corner of an empty strip mall that was under construction. To “create” the coffeehouse I used a piece of stock footage of a Detroit street, interior shots from a couple of lounges in that area, and the people and live music shots are from my photo archives — taken while hangin’ out with friends at Cafe Nema on U street in Washington, DC.
[Return to top of page] [Return to Portfolio Menu]