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Author: Jon Abrahams

A Transformative Experience at the IOA Celebration

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Photography, Publicity.

You walk through a set of doors to find people lounging on beds, servers carting around cheese and prosecco, and a kilted host anxious to make your acquaintance. No, it’s not the plot to our new Roman/Scot film. It’s the 6th Annual Instruments of Art (IOA) Celebration & Auction, and we were front and center to capture it all.

Instruments of Art

The IOA Celebration was hosted by Tidewater Arts Outreach (TAO), a local nonprofit dedicated to sharing the joy and healing power of the arts with people who have special needs and are isolated from society. Proceeds from the event benefitted TAO and their 8th Annual Sea Level Singer /Songwriter Festival, coming in April 2015.

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Live jazz music tickled our ears as we maneuvered through the stunning instruments that lined the tables, transformed into each artist’s unique vision.

Tidewater Arts Outreach Instruments

After a silent auction of the pieces, it was time for the real fun to begin with a live auction!

TAO Live Auction

By the end of the night, the event had raised thousands of dollars, thanks in large part to our hosts at Decorum Furniture.

Decorum Furniture

For more updates on the world of Jpixx, follow us on LinkedIn!

 

We Sure Got Frosted

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Event.

Not to be outdone by your own office party which also goes by the name of “HR’s Biggest Nightmare,” we at Jpixx hosted Frost Fest to raise a glass to all the beautiful clients and crew that we’ve worked with over the past year.

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Several of our Hampton Roads friends came out to Central 111, mixing and mingling with these babies.

Frost Bite Drink

Oh yeah, we went all out with dry ice and a signature drink. #ThanksJessa

Jon also made a speech thanking his lovely wife Teviya and announced that plans are underway for a new website! He touched on additional plans to grow our Brand Entertainment division (because we’re awesome at that).

What is Brand Entertainment? Stay tuned for Jon’s video explanation.

The after-party continued into the bar’s hookah lounge, where some impressive smoke game was going on.

Smoke Rings

Oh yeah, and this hat made its way around.

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Jessa in Fur Hat

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Overall, a smashing success. Thanks to all who came out; we can’t wait to see you again next year!

Friends of Jpixx – Frost Yourself!

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Feature, Publicity.

Around mid-November, the crew at Jpixx started feeling the need to let down their hair and get dirty. martinis. We made it through a successful 2014 and the end-of-year holiday madness, which felt like as good a reason as any to begin celebrating. Thus was born Frost Fest.ClientInvite_Front_RGB

Frost Fest is our way of giving back. Of saying “Hey pal, thanks for choosing Jpixx this year. We love ya!” And what better way to say so than with a drink, h’ors deurvres, and a display of our greatest dance moves??

All of our friends – you included – are invited out to our night of celebration on Saturday, January 24 at Central 111 from 6:00 p.m. until whichever hour we feel like leaving.

We’ll also be revealing an update to Jpixx that we’re quite proud of.

Here’s a handy map to find us. See you there!

Map to Central 111

No Sleep Till Tuesday!

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Film & Video, Publicity.

More often than not, the long weekend surrounding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day isn’t exactly filled with excitement. This year, however, things changed with the Cinethon 72Hr Film Festival sponsored by Jpixx!

What is Cinethon? See for yourself in this promo we created featuring Jessa Gaul in the role that would’ve earned her an Oscar…had we submitted her for nominations in time.

That’s right, for three straight days the Cinethon 72 Hour Film Festival in Columbia, S.C. will screen 26 films of ranging genres – from documentaries to Hollywood classics, “Fantastic Planet” to “Seven Samurai.” Tonight’s docket (Sunday, January 18) even includes “Purple Rain” featuring Prince.

A Jpixx original is even included in the mix, with The Alcoholic streaming on a loop during a word from Cinethon sponsors.

The fest also includes a wide range of live events. Tonight you can catch the PA-JAMA-RAMA COSTUME  BALL, where you can rock out to your favorite local Columbia bands all in the comfort of your pjs!

The last film streams Monday at 5:30 p.m., so be sure to get down there and check out all that the fest has to offer. And don’t forget the popcorn!

Cinethon 72Hr

The Weekend of Launches

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Feature, Film & Video, Photography.

January is all about what’s new and this weekend was no exception. The music video we produced for Logan Layman’s song “Won’t Let It” debuted and we browsed the shelves at Norfolk’s newest library.

First, we kicked off the excitement at the Slover Library grand opening celebration full of music, food and quality brews.

We saw several familiar faces as we mixed and mingled with Norfolk’s finest. Even MaryAnn Toboz from Tidewater Arts Outreach (TAO) was out, pumped up and ready for the following night’s events.


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Which leads us to our Saturday night. There was music! Dancing! Art! Yes, we’re talking about the Logan Layman Concert, hosted by the Sea Level Festival and TAO. The stage was set with opening act Pyrrhic Whim.

Her rousing performance was then followed up by Dustin Furlow, who recently launched his album Wood and Steel.

Then, it was time. The much anticipated music video for Layman’s “Won’t Let It” debuted, courtesy of yours truly. Finally, weeks of filming, scheduling and editing paid off with this awesome tribute to cancer fighters.

And Sunday? Sunday was a day of rest with these guys.

Jpixx Family

To keep up with more happenings in the Jpixx world, follow us on Facebook!

Aww shucks! Behind the Scenes with BCF

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Film & Video, Photography, Publicity.

Saturday might be a sleep-in day for many Americans but, let’s face it, the Jpixx crew is far from average. We woke up at the crack of dawn for a 6 a.m. shoot with BCF Agency on behalf of the State of Virginia.

The theme? Oysters!

Pleasure House Oyster Bar

Both of our teams settled in boats and sailed down the river to arrive at Pleasure House Oyster Bar. The scene was set for a perfect shoot as we waded into the water as the sun rose behind us. Thankfully, galoshes were provided.

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At Pleasure House, any meal can become a fun adventure with the ability to hunt for your own oysters and have them prepared at your table. With tables overlooking the water, it could even be a fun idea for your next date!

Meanwhile, we were far from charming as we sampled our own oysters…which turned out to be props.

Now that’s attractive.

To keep up with more food and festivities, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Happy shucking!

A Brand New Look For Every Book – Grand Opening at Slover Library

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Film & Video, Publicity.

Books have the power to challenge the minds of every individual, whether young or old. Who wasn’t inspired when Dr. Seuss told them “Kid, you’ll move mountains!” And didn’t Sam I Am get us to try new things before making blind assumptions?

The impetus behind a great read to see more,  reach higher and push the boundaries of imagination is compounded and multiplied in every local library. Now, with the Grand Opening of the Slover Library, the city of Norfolk is welcome to unleash the potential hidden among the pages.

We partnered with the library to create this video invitation for you and your family to come out and visit this weekend for all the fun festivities.

The new library will open at 10 a.m. on January 9 with the First Book Checkout ceremony performed by Mayor Paul D. Fraim. Celebrations will continue all weekend through January 11 with Dr. Seuss-inspired activities, games, and entertainment. Rumor has it the Cat in the Hat will even be in attendance.

See you there! And remember, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

The One with the Creepy Cat Lady – ESI video series

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Film & Video, Photography.

“Oh those folks at Jpixx, they’re so crazy.” Recently we asked ourselves how crazy we really can be when given free reign to do anything with our scripts. Anything.

The results came out nicely in a six-video package that we produced for Electronic Systems, Inc. (ESI). We not only told you who ESI wasn’t but who ESI strives to be each day with its top-notch customer service and information savvy technicians. But don’t let us do all the talking, see for yourself:

Jessa said watching Amie bring her “cat lady” persona to life was the funniest part of the shoot.

ESI Cat Lady

“I absolutely could not stop laughing. Every time she turned her chair around and I saw the lipstick on the teeth, I lost it.”

Riding in Chairs with Girls

The shoot also involved animated running down the halls, smacking straight into walls, and intense facial distortion to bring each character to life. One of our own Jcrew members even got a few cameos in the series. Check out Chandler at 0:23!

A big thanks to all the ESI employees that let us take over their space and recreate the characters that could be in your very own office. For the complete series, visit ESI’s YouTube page and follow us on Facebook for new installments in the ESI saga.

Jpixx filming at ESI

Red, White and Bleu! 2014 Annual Wine Festival

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Film & Video, Publicity.

What could be better than a weekend of wine, food and music? We don’t know either, that’s why we partnered with Festevents to produce this film of the 27th Annual Town Point Virginia Wine Festival at the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront.

More than 30 Virginia wineries came out to the festival to represent their craft, and Festevents even helped coordinate transportation for those guests who maybe weren’t so ready to drive themselves home.

For winos and wannabe-winos, Festevensts also arranged Sip-N-Learn seminars featuring sommeliers and wine professionals who gave tips on everything from selecting the right wine to pairing the right red with the right dish.

We ran into several friends along the way, who were more than happy to invite us to a glass or two.

Town Point Virginia Wine Festival

If you missed the Wine Fest this year, be sure to attend next year’s event because…wine not???

Celebrating Mike Evans, “The Ultimate ‘Possibilist'”

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Film & Video.

This December, the folks at Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company (HEWV) took a moment to celebrate the career of beloved founder Mike Evans. A narrative tribute was the highlight of the celebration, featuring several of the company’s employees and clients nation-wide. 

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Deborah Marquardt, Hanbury Evans public relations director, said Evans continues to be the quintessential leader. “I’ve come to believe the impossible things because Mike is the ultimate ‘possibilist,’” she said.

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The Jpixx video crew visited the Hanbury Evans office to help capture employees’ favorite moments with Evans that inspire the rest of his team to believe in themselves and put forth their best effort. Of course we couldn’t have done it without the help of our assistant Jerry, a handy cellophane prop who contentedly watched with a bagel by his side.  

Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas Cellophane

For more updates on our video and film projects, follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Jpixx at Hanbury Evans in Norfolk

And with a Hot Ticket it’s a Golden Day

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Film & Video, Publicity.

This year, we had the pleasure of working with our new client Cox11 across several projects in their Hot Ticket series. With Hot Ticket, Hampton Roads receives heightened attention through special features on local events, concerts and festivals.

Will Rodriguez, a video producer at Cox11, contacted Jpixx about a project with a quick turnaround. Both the 26th Annual Virginia Children’s Festival and War of the Wings were the same day with the former in Norfolk and the latter in Virginia Beach. Challenge accepted.

The Children’s Festival drew children and parents alike for a wide variety of attractions including storytelling, hands-on workshops, arts and crafts, and costumed characters. Teviya and Epic even made it out to see Maisy Mouse.

Maisy Mouse at Children's Fest Norfolk

From there, we headed off to Virginia Beach for a good old fashioned wing showdown. After a long morning, you could say we were a little hungry. Right as we were about to head for the wings, it was time to shoot the War.

Jessa’s heart said “Nooooo!!!!” but managed to keep semi-calm and carry on.

Hell’s Kitchen finalist Bryant Gallaher was among the guest judges who each sampled 50 wings in order to make a decision.

War of Wings Virginia Beach

Finally, we were able to take turns at our own samples of Hampton Roads’ finest. You could say the hunger left Jessa a little delusional as she headed straight for the untouched mounds of garlic mashed potatoes. Except the bowl of “potatoes” was really a generously whipped serving of butter. #NoThanks

After exceeding expectations with our non-traditional approach to film and photography, Cox11 has called us back for more shoots with an express wish that we continue to implement our style in further videos.

“It’s cool because we get to see so many events that are happening,” Jon said. “We get to be part of it.”

We’re so happy to have worked with Cox11 this year and look forward to many more shoots with them in 2015.