Corporate Video Time

My favorite thing about being a video camera operator here in Reno is all the variety of work I receive. Most of the time you know me for all the sports video and entertainment video work I do either for myself or other production companies. But last week I shot a quick talking heads video for the AGC (Association of General Contractors - http://www.nevadaagc.org/) here in Reno. Great people to work with and I learn something every time I do one of these. This one was about this Construction Defects Law that is running crazy here in Nev. I had know idea, google it and you'll see.

Now a Corporate Video can be many things - live Imag, opening videos, happy face videos, sales incentive videos, time lines, products/services, or testimonials like this one. With a testimonial you're basically interviewing a variety of people directly involved with the issue or person. It's a great way to present content because it's from the very people involved. You usually don't have to script them or give them a lot of coaching. It's very cost effective video production that carries a lot of power when presented correctly.

Here's Don Vetter (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/don-vetter/3/a46/530) from the AGC interviewing one of the four people we got on tape. As you can see it was an easy setup but you'd be surprised how many people in video production get this wrong. I've got the light high on the table next to Don so it doesn't throw a shadow on the wall behind our subject. Plus if I used a sun gun on my camera it would've been uneven and too hot. My video camera is positioned as close as I can to the subject so she looks past me towards Don and eliminates the chance of her flashing looks at me. We also switched the side we were shooting from for each subject just to add variety and mix up the shots. A lighter background with some color in it is best so the subject doesn't get lost in the darkness. Plus I didn't have a back light so this background was perfect. A wired lav mic is all you need, just keep it dressed to hide the cable and positioned somewhere below the neck centered as best you can.

I've done a ton of these videos and the hardest part is to make people feel comfortable and get them to just talk naturally. Once they get going it works like a charm and like I said it can be a very powerful video because their own words are best. Don did a great job of interacting with the subjects, keeping them relaxed, focused on the issue and their stories. All I do is capture it on tape because I'm the Reno Camera Guy doing some Corporate Video here in Washoe County.

2012 NIAA High School Baseball Season Begins!

Once again it's spring time in Reno with the snow falling so it must be the start of High School Baseball season! Here's Your Reno Camera Guy working the 3rd base sideline during one of our recent GSP (Gustin Sports Productions) games of the week. I usually sit in center field but the configuration of this ball park wouldn't allow that so I got placed next to the 3rd base dugout. It kept most of the snow off of me but didn't keep the foul balls from coming my way as one hit a leg on my tripod and snapped off the foot. Good thing it didn't hit my foot! The JVC 500's that Envision Video uses are light weight and easy to get all the action. As a camera op I keep my eye to the view finder but occasionally look up to see where the ball is going.

Here's Eric of Envision Video setting up the field mic right behind home plate. Good position for catching all the noise on the field but a bad place to be for stray foul balls. Every now and then a ball will hit the mic or close to it which really pops the ears of everyone listening.

Eric takes a break to pose with me. I like working for Eric as a Video Camera Operator here in Reno, we get consistent work and also enjoy the outdoor elements!

Here's fellow camera op Janos. We've known each other since Boy Scouts and he just moved to Reno so I'm putting him to work. You can see by the way he's dressed that he'll fit in nicely here in Reno. Janos had the 1st base side and got all the right handed batters. I got all the left handed ones. It was fun switching off camera angles, it keeps you on your toes and makes you follow the action.

The sun came out as I'm the center field camera operator for this game. It's peaceful out there as I stand on top of Craig's truck supported by a saggy piece of plywood. My shot was pretty much a lock down on the pitcher and batter but every now and then I'd have to break away to follow a fly ball. We run a 500 ft cable out to center field and pray that it works so I don't have to run it twice. I'll operate my JVC 500 on batteries and maybe have to swap them out once a game. The good news is I'm working as a video camera operator here in Reno, the weather is typical Reno weather, I'm out side, I'm watching baseball, and I'm Your Reno Camera Guy.

2012 Mtn West Basketball Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas !

It's March Madness once again as You Reno Camera Guy travels south to work the 2012 Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Yeah Baby! As you can see the girls love me.

It was four days of nothing but men's and women's basketball that ran from March 7-10. I worked all 14 games mostly under the north basket but I did spend time on the high cam too.

Here's the crew ready to work the final two Championship games. It was a long 4 days but everyone brought their A game and we had lots of fun on the headsets.



Here I am on the floor with my ace cable page Carl. He did a great job and always had my back like a good cable page should. We had no overtime games and only one final game winning shot which of course Your Reno Camera Guy got.

If I need to tell you who this guy is them you don't know squat about the UNLV Championship years.

I love the mascots and crazy fans. That poor Aztec guy must get cold, that CSU guy must get hot and this wacky Lobo monkey man fan must get professional help.

Here I am with my old LV buddy, Hiram. We use to work a lot of "El Solo Boxeo" together when I lived in LV back in the day. He was working with the FOX video crew and gave me $5 to include this picture in my blog.

Here's camera op Vic with Mike his page right before the women's championship game between the UNM Lobos and the San Diego State Aztecs. I thought the Lobos were going to roll because they had the best player in my mind in Porche Torrance #23 but MWC Player of the Year, Courtney Clements finished with 16 points to help the Aztecs win the championship trophy. 

Here's fellow camera op, Jordan right before the men's final game and here's the championship Lobo's entering the court. It was a good men's final game but the Lobos were in control most of the time and ended up winning 68-59 to earn the MWC championship.

Here I am at the high camera position as the Lobo fans storm the court after the men's championship game. It was a great four days, the MWC really knows how to put on a show and the people at the Thomas & Mack are the best to work for. I can't believe that they keep on asking me to come on down from Reno and work for them, it's really an honor.  Until next year that's what Your Reno Camera Guy did at the 2012 MWC basketball tournament.

2012 Nev HS Basketball Championship Tournament

Once again it's that time of the year for the 2012 Nevada State High School Basketball Championships from Lawlor Events Center (http://lawloreventscenter.org/) here in Reno. Of course Your Reno Camera Guy had the pleasure of working under the eastern basket for all 8 games this past Friday and Saturday, Feb 24 & 25. 

Here's Eric Darensburg of Envision Video (http://envisionvideoreno.com/) setting up to shoot all the pre-game segments. You can see our production space right under the bleachers at the end of the freight tunnel. It made for an easy loadin & strike but wasn't fun for the crew when a band was set up above them. How many times can you hear "25 or 6 to 4" before you go crazy?!

  Here's Dan Gustin (http://gustinsports.com/) and Eathan O doing their pre-game in front of a green screen. I think Eathan did all 8 games and was as sharp in the end as he was in the beginning.

Here I am with fellow camera op, Kevin Feusier. We both worked all eight games, 2 on Friday and 6 on Saturday. The 6 on Saturday were telecast live on KNPB (http://www.knpb.org/).

Here I am taking a break with the cheerleaders.

Here's Dan and Eathan court side calling the games.

The two 4A games we did on Friday were pretty uninteresting with the Reed girls beating Reno by pulling away in the second half. Then the boys 4A final was even more of a blow out with Bishop Gorman trouncing Hug by 40 points. I think BG had over 5 dunks in that game alone. There was only one dunk total in all 3 boys games on Saturday!

Here I am with head girls coach Amy Hunstman of Pahranagat Valley. Her Lady Panthers beat the Lady Leopards of Wells to win the 1A championship for the second year in a row. Hats off to Amy and her team!

 It looked like it was going to be a long 2 days because the first few games were blowouts but then the final 3 games on Saturday saved the day by providing lots of action along with close, competitive games. It ended with the best game of the tournament in West Wendover squeaking out a victory over Agassi Prep to win the boys 2A title. I can't imagine two different teams from about as far away from each other as you can get in this state. It was a real thriller that went down to the wire and if you get a chance to view it On Demand please do so, you won't be disappointed.

Over all it was another successful Championship Tournament put on by the NIAA (http://niaa.com/landing/index). Congrats to all who participated, I had a great time hanging out under the basket and doing what Your Reno Camera Guy does best!

Ultimate Reno Combat 31

It's fight night in Reno as Ultimate Reno Combat 31 (http://www.ultimaterenocombat.com/Ultimate_Reno_Combat/home.html) came to town at the GSR and your Reno Camera Guy was there to cover all the action. There were 8 hard-hitting MMA Cage fights, including a title fight in the light heavyweight division. As you can see from the picture above I was perched in my usual position above the cage. Everything went well except for the first time ever in my career a piece of my camera fell into the ring. The shade ring on my camera fell off at the end of one fight as I hung over the ring to capture them on the floor right below me. How embarrassing. Next time I'll triple check my camera before the show.

Here's fellow camera operator Mark Cronan doing the pre-fight video with commentators Justin McIlvain and Jeremy Irwin.

Here I am with the ring announcer, Greg DeLong of Inside The Cage Radio (http://itcradio.com/). He does a great job of keeping things moving along with his booming voice and presence. I really like the post fight interviews he does in the cage with the fighters right after the match. It's a difficult situation that he pulls off with flare and insight.

Here's our crew with referee Kim Winslow. She's a real pro and a pleasure to work with. But you should've seen the look on her face when she handed me my lens shade that had fallen into the ring. I never want to see that look again.

Here I am with a couple of the ring girls. I love my job!

There's Mark in the ring video taping the post fight interview between Greg DeLong and the winner of the title match, Brad Robasciotti. It was the final fight of the night, a light heavyweight Championship match between Brad and Brandon Costa. Costa's heavy right hand which he landed regularly, seemed to have little effect on Robasciotti.  In a clash of titans, Robasciotti won the fight in the third round by TKO and is the new light heavyweight champion.

Overall it was another great night of cage fighting brought to you by Rick Collup and Blood Happens (http://shop.bloodhappens.com/). And of course Your Reno Camera Guy was there to tell you all about it.



Basketball and New Video Gallery on NagelVideoServices.com

Hi Fans, your Reno Camera Guy here just letting you know that I've added a Video Gallery to my website - NagelVideoServices.com.  I've only got 3 examples of my work up there now but more to come. Go check it out and you'll see video I shot at the National Finals Rodeo, MMA Fight at Harrah's Reno, and the Reno Blues Society's Get'Em to Memphis competition.

It's High School Basketball season right now and things are winding down this month with the Championship tournament taking place on Feb 24 & 25 here in Reno at the Lawlor Events Center (http://lawloreventscenter.org/). There's some great teams and players this season on both the boys and girls side. The above picture is of me under the basket at the Bishop Manogue vs Hug game played recently. Our wonderful Governor, Brian Sandoval (http://gov.nv.gov/), was there watching his sophomore son start for Bishop Manogue and he did a great job but Hug prevailed and won that game. I'll have more details from the tournament in my next blog. Until then, keep it focused and get the shot!

2011 National Finals Rodeo

 Once again I had the pleasure of being one of the 4 camera operators for the 2011 NFR at the Thomas & Mack center in the city of lights Las Vegas from Dec 1-10. It's a great gig that I thoroughly enjoy every year. This is the big one of all rodeo's, that's why they call it the National Finals Rodeo. Big money, big bucking, big stars, big hair and lots of Wrangler jeans. I love it. In the picture you can see me on the right with Wayne Brooks (cowboy hat) and fellow crew members Reggie and Justin. Wayne is a big time rodeo announcer (http://waynebrooks.net/). In fact he was the PRCA announcer of the year for 2005 & 2010. He did this 15 minute show every night of the rodeo on the performance stage in the COX pavilion where he'd interview people associated with the rodeo. It provided great insight for me and also helped me kill time while I was waiting for the rodeo to start.

Here's a picture of me with our director Chris Brock (www.chrisbrocktv.com) and fellow camera operator Victor Emond. As you can see Chris has a bionic elbow brace on because he broke his elbow and had it operated on 2 weeks before the NFR. I know he was in pain the whole time he was calling the show but he did a great job and never let it interfere with getting the right shot. A real pro.

Speaking of real pro's here I am with John and Dez our King and Queen of the control room. It's easy to get goofy after 10 days of rodeo and inhaling all that dust. They managed all the media on the Tri caster and also helped shade our cameras whenever we needed it. Keeping it fun is key when you're doing a 10 day marathon like the NFR.

Here's a couple of pictures from my position in basket #4.  I took one with a flash and one without just so you can see the interior of the Thomas & Mack. The huge jumbo tron above my head is where all of our shots were being played. My basket is right across from the bucking gates so I got all the shots of the bare back, bronc and bull riding. Fun stuff with lots of action. The hardest part was when our director Chris would ask us to get audience shots of people with some energy. Easy you'd think but it was funny to see peoples reaction to seeing themselves on the jumbo tron, some would get up and dance and some would just sit there gazing at themselves on the huge screen. Most would just wave. I had this one guy on camera stand up and rip open his shirt. Chris was quick to switch to another shot.

 Here I am in my basket again this year with Kenny Petet. He was there by my side every night to help us spot people in the audience.  He knows all the people associated with the rodeo so it was great having him there to help us spot dignitaries, people with signs, or dancing girls. The great thing I love about Kenny is that he's a real rodeo clown. He calls himself "a stand up comic in a barrel" (www.westernentertainment.org) It was a real pleasure and asset having him there.

Once again I survived the 10 days of NFR thanks in all to a great crew and people to work with. I'm telling you there is something special about rodeo people, I've never worked a show or event where everyone was so friendly, willing to shake your hand and introduce themselves. Kind of makes you feel good about this country.