2022 has been quite a year for me! Worked on a movie in New Jersey starring Pete Davidson from January to April. Moved back to Norfolk in May. Spent two months with my husband before he was deployed in August. And, the biggest event to happen this year was landing a fantastic job at Jpixx in July! It came at the perfect time!
Since working here, everyone has shown they care about one another and are genuine! It’s refreshing to be able to work with talented, charismatic, and kind people. I’ve been with Jpixx for about four months, and within that short time, it’s tough to choose the top three moments for me this year. Though I have been on several shoots, getting to know one another is my favorite. It builds trust, confidence, and makes the workplace comfortable and lively. My first moment was getting the be the liaison on the VBEF The House Students Built groundbreaking! This shoot was the first to get my feet wet, literally. It had been raining all morning and, by pure luck, it stopped in time for the ceremony. Regardless of the weather, everything went smoothly, and I was able to get behind the camera as well! Trey and I tackled everything easily, and the footage looked awesome! Watch it here.
The second moment was our convoy to Busch Gardens. We stopped for lunch along the way at an Italian restaurant, chit-chatted, then went to the park for Howl-O-Scream. Never thought I’d go to one of those but there’s a first for everything! I discovered that the “haunted” attractions aren’t as terrifying as I had assumed. We had plenty of laughs and learned some new things about how to scare one another. It was a great day to be spooked.
The last moment would have to be The Grand Illumination Parade. After months of prep, to see it come to life was something else. Aside from the OEMS Symposium, Grand Illumination Parade was my second livestream. The parade livestream went as flawlessly as possible. It was a hectic, long day but worth it! The entire office was hands-on in order to get this event off the ground, and it was incredible to see us all come together in order to make it happen. It was an experience I’m thrilled to have been part of. Watch back the livestream here!
I am looking forward to what 2023 has to offer me, as well as Jpixx. I am looking forward to growth and all opportunities that head my way!
-Jillian
Interested in seeing more about how we #CaptureLifeCreatively?
How do we get from concept to completion? We’ll show ya! We partnered up again with our friends over at Roc Solid Foundation to capture their Roc the Holiday campaign.
We first start off with understanding the message and the “why” behind what they want to deliver. If you know anything about Roc Solid, you know we always have a “why”.
We know that Roc Solid aims to expand the number of Roc Solid Ready Bags distributed yearly. The concept of this video is to highlight the impact on each family that receives one. These Ready Bags provide everything families need for an unexpected hospital stay after finding out their child has cancer.
With two days of filming and 4 days until the presentation of the video, we started bright and early on Monday morning. Since it was the week following Thanksgiving, with bellies full of turkey and gravy, we headed to the Roc Solid Warehouse to begin filming. With our Rhino Arc II Slider and some canned atmosphere, we captured a spotlit ready bag in all of its glory.
Highlighting the importance of the Ready Bag and its contents, we aimed to show that it is more than just a bag but it is a representation of the many families that are connected by thoughtfulness, love, and hope. In the video, Bryan Sellitti, The Roc Solid Foundation Program Coordinator, stands in front of 43 bags to symbolize the current goal: to be able to provide a Ready Bag to every family diagnosed in the US with pediatric cancer each day. (That equals over 16,000 children a year).
After filming, we quickly jumped into Adobe Premiere. Trey was the lead editor for this video and after two long days was able to get the first proof out before the end of the week! The following week, the video was to be presented at Roc Solid’s very own ‘Roc the Holiday’ event in North Carolina. Ashley, our client, noted that everyone loved the video and it would be a great video to spread awareness of their Ready Bag program over the coming year.
We are so grateful to be able to be a part of Roc Solid Foundation. Thank you to all the families who take the time to be part of our Roc Solid videos! Being able to share your story is inspiring. It is always so meaningful to capture the mission of Roc Solid.
Interested in seeing more about how we #CaptureLifeCreatively?
The slogan: “Helping kids fight cancer, one brick at a time.” is a spark of inspiration that the Rios Family hopes to pass on to all families with children diagnosed with cancer. Kaylee’s Legocy combines Kaylee’s love for legos and the legacy she left for other kids fighting pediatric cancer.
We created this video to introduce Kaylee’s story and capture the delivery of legos to local children in treatment.
For this video, we shot for multiple days at CHKD in Norfolk, VA. This was the hospital where Kaylee was diagnosed and spent most of her time building legos. We filmed b-roll and interviews with Darlene and Ryan Rios, Kaylee’s parents and founders of Kaylee’s legacy. The Rios family debuted their brand new cart that was packed with legos to give to children in the hospital.
We also spoke with Kaylee’s Legocy Volunteers and parents of other children who are fighting pediatric cancer. These families have found fulfillment in knowing that a simple lego set can make another child’s day.
Brick by brick, you can help other children like Kaylee escape the harsh reality of pediatric cancer and just be a kid. You can contribute to Kaylee’s Legocy by donating or helping sponsor a Brick Building Session! Learn more at KayleeLegocy.Org.
It’s a privilege to tell Kaylee’s story, and we are honored to help do it. Thank you to the Rios Family for your grace in sharing your story. And thank you for continuing the fight.
After five years, we had the honor of working with our lovely clients and friends over at Creative Annex and Tavss Fletcher Law Offices again! Back in 2015, we shot and put together the commercial spots for the same lawyers which you can read all about in this older blog post!
This year in 2020, however, we came back with a bang! Not only are we rocking the latest and greatest gear, but we also have a bigger and badder crew each with their individual skills and talent!
There’s a lot that goes into a production like this, and to take care of all of the roles that need to be filled, you need all hands on deck.
Teamed with Jessa on Art Direction, they were unstoppable and kept us from screaming about fly-away hairs in post-production!
JSlay and Caleb took on camera op duties to make the magic happen. JSlay got the “Capture Life Creatively” super gold star that day when he rigged his slider onto two separate tripods to get that dynamic camera movement. It took a couple of tries to perfectly dance with the timing of the footage, but in the end, we got that perfectly smooth shot.
While JSlay got the hero shots, Caleb shot that ultra high-def B-roll to add more visuals to the final sequence. We don’t always have a shoot day that requires a full crew, so we have to really document the professionalism of our well-oiled, well-organized, perfectly running machine when we’re there and running!
No, seriously, really professional.
There we go.
Not only did we have our Canon c-series, Aperture light, Mix Pre 6 for audio, and an active teleprompter, but we also brought out our ultimate production experience. Our Serv Pro system allowed our clients to connect their phones to our camera through the app VUER. They were able to see exactly what the camera captured so we could get real time tweaks and adjustments!
Phone screen too small? Not a problem! We sent a live feed from the Teradek to a digital village, which included audio. This provided a way for the client to see what was happening and take notes in real time from outside of the recording room. Creative Annex loved this feature, and we happened to get a few passersby from the office wanting to see what the new testimonial spots looked like!
It wasn’t long (or at least it didn’t feel that long) before we broke for a nice lunch from the Gourmet Gang. Sandwiches that hit just right.
Then it was back to the grind with actual client testimonials. We all retreated to our assigned jobs, moving fluidly to the beat of Jon’s direction. Here’s a wide angle of what that all looked like together!
Crazy how you can turn your everyday law office into a practical movie set!
In the winter, our crew ends up in the office for more post-production work. So to keep us active, we came up with a way to stay fit! Push-ups: 15 for every hour! In order to keep the momentum going, being on set is no exception to the grind. JSlay takes fitness very seriously.
Our shoot ran a little later than expected, but we were happy to get the right shots and the look that our client was going for! Lots of coffee, energy drinks, protein bars, and laughs fueled our shoot day–and we made it!
See you again in 5 years, Tavss! We can’t wait for the next one!
To the reader:
Join us next time when we have our quinquennial contest of who can say, “John Fletcher came to the rescue and settled her case without her even appearing in court.” with the most enthusiasm!
It’s finally time to sit down and rest after an eventful holiday season. And boy, to say we were all over the place in an understatement! We CRUSHED this Christmas (in a good way, of course!). From the Grand Illumination Parade live stream to the weekly MacArthur Holiday event coverage to the stumbling and capturing shoppers on Black Friday. Here’s a sneak peek into how our Holiday season went.
Days before, we prepped some promos featuring our hosts advertising the parade’s live stream and some commercials to play throughout the parade stream.
J-Slay and Savannah found their way out to The Main to cover the spectacular Christmas decorations hanging from the bottom lobby all the way up to The Grain on the rooftop! We composited the video the night before to have it ready for the production that was happening the next day. 11pm and counting, we stretched to make it pretty 😉
We knew that we were streaming the event live to Facebook like we have for the past two years, but there were a couple of new elements this year. The biggest obstacle of all was the rain. For the first time in 35 years, it actually rained on our parade. Even though we hoped all week that the forecasts were wrong, the weather lived up to the cold and wet predictions. Luckily, we prepared with rain ponchos, tarps, tents, camera covers, umbrellas, and bags to keep all of our gear dry and safe.
Another new element we added this year was the projection of the entire parade in the MacArthur Mall food court. We wanted a way for viewers to be able to see the parade from another location if they couldn’t find a place to sit on the streets, but when the rain hit, our audience was very pleased to find that they didn’t have to brave the weather.
We had a total of 20 crew members come together to make this happen! It was all hands AND cameras on deck as we stood outside of the Icon building, trekking to MacArthur Mall and back to make sure that everything was flowing smoothly and watching the wonder of the viewing party that had formed to stay dry while seeing the magic of Christmas on a projection screen.
After a long production day with lots of gear and crew members running around Downtown Norfolk, Lizzie celebrated as she checked every single piece of gear off of her list.
When the parade came to an end and all the gear made it into various crew vehicles, we hit up Grain for a much-needed after party to wrap up the first day of a whole season!
The Grand Illumination Parade was only the beginning of a series of event coverage that we did all throughout the month of December. We found ourselves at MacArthur Center every week covering all of their Holiday events, giving us front row seats to all things Christmas in Downtown Norfolk.
MacArthur puts on many holiday events all the way from the Santa Arrival Parade to the Gift Wrapping Station and Ice Skating Rink, but we adore the inclusive events that they host in order to make every child feel like Christmas is for them. Signing Santa is an event where children with hearing disabilities are able to communicate with Santa while getting photos taken with him and playing in the Ice Palace.
Calming Santa is an event that includes children on the spectrum and gives them a safe space to talk to Santa about the things that they would want for Christmas. In this sensory-friendly environment, the event takes place before the mall opens, as the lights are dimmed and the noise reduced, hosted in a place with limited foot traffic.
Half of the fun happens outside the mall. Step out onto the MacArthur Green to enjoy IMPULSE: interactive light and sound see-saws. Of course there’s the classic MacArthur on Ice back for another Christmas season, but something new to MacArthur Center is the Island of Warmth: 150 iridescent light bulbs in the shape of a campfire, which projects heat, smoke, and music when it’s activated by movement around the artificial flame.
Yeah, don’t get us wrong, the Holidays are our favorite time of year. But after the lights, the camera, and all of the action, it was time for some much needed R&R. What better way to do that than to have the Ugly Sweater Office Christmas Party of the decade (ft. Christmosas that didn’t last longer than an hour)?? We brought in white elephant gives and duked it out over who was going to get the rasta winter ski mask (spoiler alert: it was Jon). But of course, nothing could beat the look on J-Slay’s face when he opened the Chick-fil-A gift card!
Covering the Holidays is enough to put anyone in that red and green spirit, and we had a blast doing it! After all the bundling up, waterproofing, shivering, and traveling, we made it! We survived the Holidays! All that’s left to say is: See you in the happiest new year, 2020!!
“So basically, I need to make sure you are able to travel and attend an overnight trip on the evening of your first day. Lol…no biggie :)”
I was finishing my last shift at my retail job of five years. Sitting in the office, waiting for the time to pass, I laughed to myself when I read the email from Jon Abrahams (my boss starting the next day), because of course it was okay. No doubt I was so excited for the opportunity that I have been given. Finally I’d be putting my degree to good use. Finally, I would be working with other creatives and helping them produce content. Finally, I wouldn’t be working the same 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. shift every day… I’d be part of an actual crew, learning and taking in all they can teach me through solid hands-on experience.
Hey, what’s up! My name is Savannah Heller and I’d like to introduce myself as the newest intern here at Jpixx. I am a graduate of the Art Institute of Virginia Beach with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Digital Photography as of this year! Moving into photography and marketing is a much needed change of pace and I couldn’t be more excited to be working with a crew that understands that.
For years, I have kept a camera in my hands at all times. Among shooting a daily photo with my Polaroid camera, capturing funny and candid images on my phone, and creating content with my DSLR, I find sharing my experiences one of my favorite things to do. From the beginning I’ve been a storyteller and because I wanted to be more than just a writer, I chose to dive into the world of photography and cinematography, so I could tell these stories I would create all in a single photo.
Here’s a little example of what I mean by my “Cinematic Portraits”!
Coming from a childhood where my father documented everything on his Polaroid camera, I always had those to look back on, memories of me in my older brother’s arms, my mother holding me with sunglasses and a leather jacket on, my father smiling, proudly holding the horns of a deer he brought home, and endless memories of me getting into things I shouldn’t have. However, Polaroid film was unavailable from the year 2008 to 2017 due to chemical issues in the product, which means some of the key points in my life were missed with the disappearance of the instant camera. As September 2017 hit, Polaroid Originals released the Impossible Project Polaroid One Step 2, which had the capability to capture the traditional size Polaroid photos that half my life had been registered on. So I bought my own, saying, “there may be nine years I missed, but that doesn’t mean I have to miss more”. And yes, I still love Cheerios a lot.
I was invited to shadow Alec and Jon covering the Festevents Norfolk In-Water Boat Show, and I hit the ground running. I picked up my ol’ reliable Canon T5i and I grabbed images the best way I knew how. Given that I came out of school with the brand of a portrait photographer, I was somewhat out of my element when I began event coverage. Tight quarters, hot sun, lots of people, and a perfectionist complex had me feeling a bit out of my comfort zone. But as the day progressed, I realized that I could get the hang of it. Jon was very helpful when he snagged my camera and sifted through to give me feedback as I was going. It’s a very proactive way to make sure that I was getting moments that we could use, and obtain constructive criticism that assists me with future shoots.
Monday came and we traveled to Roanoke, VA to show off ESI’s Open House event and I learned that we not only work hard, but we play hard as well. I was able to get to know Jessa and Jon better and find a good workflow in shooting with them (even if we did get lost in the woods hiking after dark!). I have always felt a thrill for the art of chaos burying itself deep within a schedule, knowing that change is always on the horizon. The way that plans morph and bend into something else over the course of the day keeps me on my toes and keeps me focused. Flexibility hiding in commitment is exactly the place I want to be; that place is where creativity thrives.
From the beginning, I traveled from Roanoke to Richmond to the “Three Murders in Manhattan” set in our office, up to Delaware and Pennsylvania, finishing the week in Virginia Beach, where we covered the Neptune Festival. After all of that adventure, I was able to grab some fun captures!
I woke up thrilled on Saturday to help cover the 46th annual Neptune Festival. My team was all drenched in sweat and I reeked of sunscreen by only two hours, but the parade made it all so worth it. Having my DSLR in one hand and my phone in the other for some BTS, I saw the faces of children feeling like princes and princesses, band members representing their beloved schools, and adults in costumes who looked into my camera and a big smile burst from their excitement. The heat was burdensome, but the emotions and thrill of the crowd made everything essential, watching people so happy to get in front of a camera. Weaving through the massive crowds surrounding the vendors, running through the sand to get the best shots of the beach volleyball competition, interviewing people enjoying the event, making sure the coverage was everything it needed to be, had us exhausted. But as we sat in the back of a golf cart to carry us to the next hot spot, I held my camera close and I took a breath of the fresh sea air, and turned my head up to the sky. In that moment I felt all the life that working retail had drained out of me return in one single gust of wind. In that moment, I knew that I was exactly where I needed to be. I’m excited for the days and experience resting in the future that this internship will bring.
Role – My title is Filmmaker/Editor/Motion Graphic Designer, but my role is assigned per project.
How did you get to JPixx?
I applied via LinkedIn.
What aspect of production are you the most fond of and why?
I love all of it, but pre-production is what I dig the most. If allowed to take a project from A to Z, a well planned production is a true treat to execute on.
What do you enjoy most about working at JPixx?
No two days are the same.
What has been your favorite shoot so far and why?
I would have to say DC Bar. Those skits were very fun.
What do you believe you bring to Jpixx?
Here it goes… This is what I quietly geek-out to.
Audio:
I am highly experienced in recording audio, conditioning environment for audio recording, audio post-production and delivery methods. My degree is in Audio Engineering (concentration in acoustics) and I’m also a member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES).
Motion Graphics:
I have plenty of experience designing motion for delivered vector art. I have worked mostly for Publicis owned ad-agencies through my creative studio, kreazione.net and for Chamoycreative.com Some of the brands worthy to mention include:
Photography:
From pre-production of photo shoot to post production and retouching of photography, I love it all. I’ve been published on various websites and a few magazines.
Video:
Started as an audio post production artist at Ratio Post production house under the director Kreg Lauterbach (EMI award winning director), was quickly promoted to video editor and eventually to shooter. I have since worked for many production/post production companies. I have also shot for local to national clients.
How important is staying up to date with new industry tools and trends to what you do?
I try to keep up with the times, from hacking Microsoft Kinect for 3D video mapping, to now, AR, VR, MR, and 360˚ photo and video capture. I love to play and figure out the latest trends in Audio, Motion, Photography, and Video. From interactivity to experiential brand activations, I will give my all to stay up to date.
What’s something that JPixx has showed/taught you?
Jon is a phenomenal director. It’s inspiring to see him in the zone.
Proudest moment as a JPixx team member and why?
Whenever I can add value.
What advice do you have for people new to the industry?
Listen, think, then execute.
Favorite hobby/pastime?
As of now, making sounds on a modular analog synthesizer, and shooting 120mm film stills. Haha, what a hipster thing to say.
Favorite Film?
whoof… there are many. Pulp Fiction? Birdman? Amelie?
Biggest Artistic influences?
Music: Trent Reznor, Junkie XL, Thom York.
Painters: Salvador Dalí, Jesús Soto, Carlos Cruz-Diez
Filmmakers: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo Del Toro.
Photography: Richard Avedon, David LaChapelle, Annie Leibovitz. Animation: Andrew Kramer, Hayao Miyazaki, John Lasseter.
What drives you? As in what pushes you to get up and do this everyday?
So if you’ve been following along with us for even a short period of time, you’ll have noticed our team’s love for 360-degree shots. At the end of a shoot, it’s almost expected that someone on the crew will whip out their version of this handheld device that, even with its two lenses, resembles the memory device from Men in Black more than it does a camera.
Well what’s not to love? Pictures that encompass an entire 360 degree view used to be insanely difficult to compose, especially for the recreational photographer. Now with the push of a button, the entirety of a room or landscape can be captured and stitched together in a matter of seconds. Check out the infographic below for a basic explanation of how these cameras capture and create their images.
This cool technology is accessible to anyone who wants to get involved with it. Filmmakers and other creatives alike have been using it to add another dimension to their work. Now we get to the cool part.
Immersive Reality! After formatting, 360-degree videos can be transformed into interactive virtual reality experiences. Combined with other photographic elements, these 360-degree shots can create the feeling of being in a completely different environment that’s viewable from any angle. Check out this 360 video we created a few weekends ago at our annual office retreat featuring some acrobatics from our audio expert Rodrigo!
Below, you’ll find an interactive 360 photo, which is another capability made possible by these awesome cameras. Using your mouse, grab the photo and take a look around the entire scene captured in one single shot taken by our Insta360 One X camera. If you happen to have a pair of virtual reality goggles lying around, this photo would also be viewable by simply looking around to view the scene.
These videos can also be combined with other video elements such as time lapses to create videos that allow you to look around a specific point while time is advancing. A great example is this video we put together for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater shown below. Not only can we see our mermaid mural taking shape over the course of days, but we can also see the setup for the event happening by simply turning the frame as you do in the 360 photo above.
By combining the interactive dragging element and recording 360 video, we were able to create this video recap of the 2016 Virginia Production Alliance State of the Industry as well. As you can see, immersive video has numerous applications that you are able to add your own creative spin on and produce really eye-catching pieces of work. Hopefully, this blog gave you some insight into how we #CaptureLifeCreatively as often as we can! Stay tuned for our next post!
How did you get to Jpixx?
My journey to get to Jpixx is a long one so I will try to keep the story relatively short. In August of 2018, my wife Alexis and I had our wedding and were off on our honeymoon adventure. During this time, we caught suspicion that I had been laid off from my previous place of work. So, at that time we began surfing Indeed.com to see what other job opportunities were out there. We saw Jpixx, checked it out and from there put the idea of applying on the shelf. Once we returned to New Hampshire, I went into my old office and sure enough, our suspicion was confirmed. So I packed up my things, went home and applied to Jpixx. After a few conversations with Teviya and Jon, we found ourselves in a position where we could either stay in New Hampshire and watch our savings drain, or take a chance and move to Virginia Beach to see what could happen. So we packed up our sedan with everything we owned and moved down. The next Monday I went into the Jpixx office and the rest is history!
What aspect of production are you most fond of and why?
This is a tough question because I have always loved everything about creating something start to finish. From planning, shooting, editing and finalizing, there is something in each piece of the puzzle that excites my creativity. If I had to choose one thing as my favorite though I would have to say Visual Effects. I started learning this area of post production when I was 12 years old and since have refined and continued to learn how to improve my skills. There is something about manipulating a shot to create something that can only be done by you and could never be exactly replicated. Since I first opened After Effects to begin learning how to composite, I have had a recurring spark of innovation every time I fire it up!
What do you enjoy most about working at Jpixx?
The people by far. I have never worked with such an eclectic, dynamic, supportive and fun group of people at any other point in my life! All of us at Jpixx are always learning, growing and teaching each other more skills to become better individually and as a group. Also, the parties we throw are always pretty rad.
What has been your favorite shoot so far and why?
I have had the opportunity to work on and direct a lot of great shoots while I have been at Jpixx. But my favorite so far is a project we are still in the middle of working on for the DC Bar. The reason being that it was an opportunity to go back to my roots of run and gun style of filmmaking. For a long time, I did absolutely everything start to finish on projects. But at Jpixx, things are done with a good amount of crew and equipment. At the DC Bar shoot it was almost like everyone on set got to go guerrilla style on their own areas of expertise. I got to focus on strictly lighting, directing and main camera operation while Rodrigo captured audio, Tyler manned our b-camera and Glenn in hand with Triston, took care of production. With each of us focusing on our strengths, we DOMINATED the shoot to create some incredible content at a fast pace.
What do you believe you bring to Jpixx?
As a content creator, I am always trying to learn and expand my knowledge base in the filmmaking world. Sometimes I need to stop and look back to say, “Whoa, I actually made that?” Often, I am criticizing my own work and not recognizing the skills that I actually have a lot of the time. However, I do know that I bring a certain set of skills and knowledge to Jpixx as does everybody on staff/freelancing! Specifically, my post production knowledge and ability to think outside of the box to solve problems. Creative thinking is a skill I have because it’s something that, quite simply, I’ve needed to adapt to in order to thrive in this industry. Jpixx has equipped me with the most resources I have ever had to create and my reputation has always been to go beyond the scope of what I have to produce something stunning. Even now, I am still adjusting to the resources Jpixx has to offer and before you know it, I will probably be pushing the boundaries of that as well. It’s just an instinct I have to always do my best on whatever I am working on!
What is something that Jpixx has showed/taught you?
To enable and equip people to do what they are best at. As stated above, before Jpixx I was a one man band. Any help I had on set was usually just from someone who wasn’t a part of the industry, just willing to give a hand so a lot of the time I would have to teach them how to do things on set. Now being at Jpixx, I have the opportunity to delegate to and trust the people around me which has been an incredible blessing. From on-set crew to the post production workflow, Jpixx has taught me that the people around me are the best filmmaking asset!
Proudest moment as a Jpixx team member and why?
This is an interesting question because I could never honestly answer this about myself. However, my proudest moment would have to be about Lizzie Bankowski. When I joined the Jpixx team, Lizzie was still an intern and was working on a documentary about the fishermen in Virginia Beach. While she was editing, she had asked me for a few tips and tricks to help the process along. As she worked more at Jpixx, her skill set expanded and helped her do more with her documentary. She entered it into a festival and won a bunch of awards for it! I don’t feel I did much in the grand scheme of things, but seeing a coworker succeed, especially if I was able to aid, is always a proud moment.
What advice do you have for other people in the industry?
The best advice I have ever gotten (in one form or another) is simply to, ‘Fail as Fast as Possible.’ The quicker you get all your failures out of the way and accept that your first attempts might not be your best attempts, you will grow exponentially. The more you take this principal to heart, the faster you will learn and the less attached you will become to your own biases when it comes to your art. Now, that was the best advise I have been given. The best advise that I could give is actually something that I said entirely impromptu during a keynote panel that I had the opportunity to speak at. We were doing a Q & A with the audience and somebody asked what they should do if they didn’t have the tools they needed to accomplish their dreams. During a rather long answer that I was giving, I remember saying, “The only way to achieve unlimited resources, is to not allow your resources to limit you.” (sometimes I am ordained with such nuggets of wisdom (chicken nuggets specifically)). Essentially what this means is, if you can dream it, you can probably find a way to make it as long as you look at what you do have and not at what you don’t. Anytime you get something, you are always going to want or ‘need’ to get something else to accomplish it. Now, this doesn’t mean you should never upgrade your equipment or increase your resources, it simply means that if your thinking is bound to that, then you will always be bound to that way of thinking. Once you start thinking beyond what you have and creatively solve your problems to achieve those dreams, you will be an unstoppable creative force.
Favorite hobby/pastime?
Well even in my free time I am filmmaking (it’s an addiction, I will admit it.) But outside of that, I love hiking, coffee and exploring what nature has to offer!
Favorite film?
This question isn’t fair. There are too many. But, it would have to be a tie between The Shawshank Redemption, Hacksaw Ridge, and The Prestige.
Biggest artistic influence?
I have a lot of filmmaking influences that I follow for inspiration but by far my greatest influence is music. No music in particular, just all sorts of music. Whether it is 1920’s show tunes, Rap, Orchestral, Metal or just an ambient track, I am constantly influenced by the music around me.
What drives you? As in, what gets you up to do this everyday?
Filmmaking has always been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. It’s something that I have always loved and strive to be better at. It is, quite literally, one of the fuels in my life second to my faith and family. The excitement of trying something new, the innovation of the craft, the amount of which it absolutely sucks at some point on every project, the recurring ignition to achieve your goals and the sense of accomplishment and learning you gain by the end is a part of my life. It’s not something I have to think about, it is part of who I am as a person.
What big life change did you experience recently?
On July 3rd, 2019, I got to meet one of the coolest people I know! My son Ryker Ivan was born into the world. He is a great addition to our family and every day is an adventure with him. (And yes, I am working on a documentary about the little dude!)
Hey there! My name is Triston Creekmore and I’m one of the newest additions to the amazing Jpixx team! I recently graduated from Johnson & Wales University in May, and found my home at Jpixx shortly thereafter. I’ll be spending my summer working and learning as the Marketing Intern where I’ll be managing our social media, managing other platforms such as our newsletter, and lending a hand as a PA just to name a few of my responsibilities. Here’s an inside look on how my first weekend with the gang went covering Harborfest!
Day 1
Being a Virginia Beach native, I am familiar with FestEvents annual Harborfest but never been to the event myself. Therefore, I was psyched about not only getting to experience the event firsthand, but being able to capture the many moments of enjoyment and awe through my lens during the entire weekend. Beginning in 1976, Harborfest has established itself as the nation’s largest and longest running maritime festival that is free to the public. Rooted in the traditions that Hampton Roads is built on, attendees can get a glimpse at the ships the first settlers in this area arrived on as well as immersing themselves in all of the cultural offerings our area provides.
Starting Friday morning, we got right into action by organizing and packing up all the gear we would need for the weekend. This was actually my first experience around a lot (almost all) of the equipment that we needed, so I was definitely in a whirlwind attempting to keep up with things such as the difference between a 16-35mm and a 70-200mm lens! Looking back, this process definitely helped with me putting names to what was being used, instead of the blank stare I had been using for my response up until this point.
Getting to our HQ office in Norfolk was great for the fact that I met almost the entire team by seeing them in action! I was paired with Caleb for the first half of Day 1, where we covered events inside Harborclub at Waterside and a children’s event at the Slover Library. Not known to many at the time, this was actually one of my very first experiences shooting photos in active environments such as this. While some would be daunted, I really enjoyed getting to learn in the moment and Caleb was AMAZING at putting things into simple terms for me understand and apply. Check out some of my first attempts at using the 5D Mark III!
In the afternoon, I moved to covering locations being featured in Norfolk’s “Epic Weekend,” which was centered around showcasing why Norfolk is a great place to live, work, and play. This proved to be quite a tasty undertaking as many of the restaurants we covered showered us with enough food to share with the entire team at HQ. La Brioche was the first location that showcased their corner of authentic French baking in Norfolk. Below are some pics of Yvan, one of the owners, in action making the namesake brioche.
Later that evening, Jessa and I were able to groove to some classic tunes at a Prince Birthday Bash/Celebration at the historic Granby Theatre. Little did I know, “The Purple One” still has a devout following in Hampton Roads and DJ Bee poured out hit after hit to the delight of the crowd.
Day 2
The beginning of Day 2 saw Matt and I capturing some of Norfolk’s premier living options and activities that house and keep its citizens occupied. Among these were the luxury Rockefeller (top) and Icon (bottom) apartment buildings, both with awesome amenities for an uptown style of living in the heart of Downtown Norfolk.
After this, we were lucky enough to take the USS Wisconsin tour at Nauticus, which included an indoor museum as well as a self-guided tour of a decommissioned WWII era battleship. Fun Fact: The ship, while being built in 1941, was kept in a state that if needed, could be reactivated in a national emergency to defend the waters surrounding Hampton Roads until 2009!
At night, the main musical act of the weekend took the stage as DJ Afishal brought down the house, and I got to use an awesome piece of equipment in the movi!
Day 3
Finally, Day 3 brought an end to this weekend full of Hampton Roads entertainment and culture. After capturing some moments from patrons of downtown’s MacArthur Mall, Jessa and I braved a HOT June afternoon to see teams sponsored by local organizations attempt to build and race two man canoes in the harbor. This event had one of the bigger turnouts throughout the entire weekend and was a great opportunity for us to capture the high stakes emotions of a race and its viewers.
Harborfest was an amazing experience, not only due to the festivities but also the fact that I learned the ropes of a completely new topic in an environment that gave me plenty of great moments to capture. After this insane weekend, a much needed wrap party served as a housewarming for Rodrigo’s new apartment! Nothing better than sitting back and toasting to a job well done. If you haven’t already, check out the culmination of the team’s hard work in our recap video here.
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Meet Lizzie! She started as our fall video production/marketing intern and has quickly become a key crew member as our new full-time production assistant. She does some shooting and editing too when she’s not eating Mexican food or organizing the gear room. See what she’s all about below!
How did you get your start with Jpixx and what is your title?
I was looking for jobs after I graduated from UNC Wilmington in May, and I started with Jpixx in August 2018 after seeing their listing for a video production/marketing intern. Now I’m a full-time production assistant!
How long have you been on the crew?
About eight months!
Why do you like working for Jpixx?
Every day is different. The people are the best. I’ve learned SO much. There’s usually free food.
Why do you like your job?
I get to do what I LOVE. And I get to have access to awesome equipment that I didn’t get to use while studying film in school. Plus, every single day at Jpixx is different, which means I’m constantly learning and having new experiences in production. One day I’m a grip, the next I’m on sound, the next I’m shooting or editing photos. It keeps everything well-rounded!
Everybody has a nickname in the crew…what’s yours?
Hot Minute
What do you hope to help Jpixx accomplish as a company through your role?
I hope to help Jpixx stay organized on and off set. We have a lot of shoots and a lot of employees, and since Jpixx is a young, growing company, we’ve been testing different methods on how to keep equipment and footage best organized. I really like helping with this mostly just because I love when things are clean and organized.
While working at Jpixx, what is the most important lesson you’ve learned? (something Jon/Teviya has taught you)
Gosh, I’ve learned so much since I started. I feel like I’ve learned more at Jpixx than I did while I was in school. I’m not sure if there’s a single most important lesson I’ve learned, but Jon and Karla have taught me so much about the technical aspects of lighting, shooting, and editing. I learn something new every day here.
What’s been your favorite shoot so far?
I loved the shoot in Michigan because I got to swim in Lake Michigan, which was AWESOME. But maybe my all-time favorite has been the short documentary that I’m working on with Karla as my internship project because it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and Jpixx gave me the resources to make it happen!
What has been the project you worked on that was your proudest?
My internship project is a short documentary about local seafood and watermen in Virginia Beach. I’ve wanted to make a film about this subject for a long time. It’s given me the opportunity to get involved in the community, test my filmmaking abilities, and make a beautiful film that will hopefully help people.
Favorite film of all time?
Into the Wild
Favorite Food?
Mexican or anything Tex-Mex!!!!
Music?
I like it all!
Hobbies? What do you do on your free time?
Go to Jazzercise. Go to the beach. Watch the sunset. Go for tacos and margaritas. In that order.
What motto/quote do you live by?
Everything happens for a reason.
What is your advice to aspiring photographers/videographers?
Particularly for females, ask a lot of questions. Us ladies are made to feel uncomfortable with being curious; we feel like we’re bothering the boss if we ask too many questions. But do it anyway. This is your time to learn, so ask away!
Hey guys, it’s Jpixx’s new Marketing Intern Calvin here, bringing you a new blog post fresh off the press. A couple weeks ago I was able to attend my first ever video shoot with Jpixx! We had the chance to work with Chesapeake Homes to film a promotional video at their lovely Design Gallery.
Their design gallery is where you are able to choose from a wide array of products and finishes to customize your brand-new home. They have everything from cabinets, to flooring, to countertops, and more, including some of the latest smart-home technology. To get started, homebuyers will attend a Preview Event, where a Design Gallery Consultant will take them on a tour of the design gallery and allow them to ask questions and get hands-on with the various home accessories on offer. This is the experience we were trying to capture on film.
Our shoot spanned across two days, with the crew on-set comprising of Jessa, Jslay, Lizzie, myself, and of course the boss himself, Jon. We were also accompanied by the ever-entertaining Lynn of Easton Advertising, our client, who kept diligent watch over proceedings and kept spirits high. Each day saw us working with different on-screen talent, though both days saw us working with the incredible Stephanie as our Deign Gallery Consultant, a job she performs flawlessly both on and off camera.
Day one was an early start at 7 a.m., and it focused on filming a young couple as they toured the design center. They were played by Jpixx freelancers Dominique and Will, who honestly might want to give up freelancing and start acting full time. The cameras followed them as they looked through high-end home finishes, guided by Stephanie, as we meandered through the gallery, ending up in the office, where pen was put to paper on a new home. In between we also filmed group shots in the kitchens and smart-home area, with yours truly playing one of four extras that accompanied Dominique and Will. All in all, day one was a huge success, and we walked away with the shots we needed, looking forward to day two.
The second day saw us start at a more reasonable mid-day and involved a shift from young couple to older couple, though our talent Patty and John showed us that age is but a number with their acting prowess. We were able to get a different variety of shots with them, including areas from the previous day seen from different angles and new areas altogether, including a shot from outside, where it was rather chilly. This day also saw another group tour with four new extras, where they ventured through the kitchens and the bathroom display.
We ended again with a shot in Stephanie’s office, where Patty and John were delighted to sign off on a new home. Day two saw us wrap with a fun little Jpixx video of Jon sitting on the toilet in the bathroom display, yeahhh don’t ask.
Overall, I had an incredible time on my first shoot. It’s really cool to get to be on set and see the sheer amount of gear and work that goes into getting the right shot. It’s also amazing to be around such a fun and talented crew. Throughout the shoot I was able to get some good behind the scenes pictures, which are strewn throughout this article for your viewing pleasure. I was also able to capture media for our socials, so if you’re not following them, check out our Instagram and Facebook. Here, you’ll get all the juicy behind the scenes content Jpixx has to offer.
In the end though, I really enjoyed by first shoot and I’m looking forward to the next! I know we’ve got loads lined up. Also, be on the lookout for a possible blog post as Jpixx takes to the road to continue our Chesapeake Homes adventure!
