tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56197904549570523192024-03-13T04:17:56.186-04:00Mark Wagoner ProductionsInformation, photos, videos and stories from current Mark Wagoner Productions projects. We will share information on production techniques as well as thoughts on the process.
You can contact Mark at mark(at) markwagoner.com.Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-14111566066517253182014-02-20T10:53:00.002-05:002014-02-20T10:53:11.837-05:00Black & Blue Experience<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx1h26sYdcL-XXpH8UqttkvfUqarmWcGwHuVwY3LDmZCc8e3wboG4kXgcDsVEMck2yNT5qTlZbjcaLSqfCZXiHZG1O64aOVRTXTnbpsDsSKHOHvN7bdxdyejxjKotvIakT3_AXVHbwzM/s1600/BBE-Title.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></div>
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Recently, Mark and his crew had the opportunity to work on something a
little different, that turned out to be big fun! The Black & Blue
Experience needed a <a href="http://vimeo.com/81037184" style="color: #084c9e; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">music video</a> that captured both their musical talents and the vibrant style they bring to their performances. Working with <a href="http://www.eastcoastentertainment.com/" style="color: #084c9e; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">East Coast Entertainment</a> and <a href="http://www.sv2studios.com/" style="color: #084c9e; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">SV2 Studios</a>, Mark produced, shot and edited the video to tell the story of this energetic band.<br />
<br />
In just a few months since the video's release, East Coast CEO Larry
Farber confirmed the band has already seen an increase in their
bookings, as well as the size of venues they have been invited to play.
"It's definitely helping them move forward."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60uaRYFg9ia0mpWNriDxzNPmTZ5FWqZ5QV3gQxJWxUtcJa8amoOKSNUHDY2pOj7Ejv5X3oiU5HTuY6e-GHBVbhhLOrA9b8MaJgRubRgsV69_v-fzdWM_T93g37xzfqaMsFsaabJF-ekg/s1600/bbe+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60uaRYFg9ia0mpWNriDxzNPmTZ5FWqZ5QV3gQxJWxUtcJa8amoOKSNUHDY2pOj7Ejv5X3oiU5HTuY6e-GHBVbhhLOrA9b8MaJgRubRgsV69_v-fzdWM_T93g37xzfqaMsFsaabJF-ekg/s1600/bbe+group.jpg" height="400" width="351" /></a></div>
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Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-64550280897169983582014-01-08T10:36:00.000-05:002014-01-08T10:36:11.893-05:00Looking Back, Looking Forward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB7ihRaxatjy93yWWreTqJ01YqTgf0nr-Emg9UNY5znzFBMjxcwK8tOj5eTbyWuYx705Wf3Yq8UFhcSHYhcVtgG22a_fYHJGIAN6j3N7gpJe_T0qrB8HaHttI04vA4pxw3fPSaGoiY-Q/s1600/prodstills-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB7ihRaxatjy93yWWreTqJ01YqTgf0nr-Emg9UNY5znzFBMjxcwK8tOj5eTbyWuYx705Wf3Yq8UFhcSHYhcVtgG22a_fYHJGIAN6j3N7gpJe_T0qrB8HaHttI04vA4pxw3fPSaGoiY-Q/s1600/prodstills-2013.jpg" height="640" width="327" /></a></div>
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As we kick off the new year, we want to take a moment to thank everyone
who helped make 2013 a really great year for Mark Wagoner Productions,
filled with lots of exciting and fun projects. From clients to crew,
making great video and photography is a team effort, and not only could
we not do it without you - it wouldn't be nearly as much fun!<br />
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We wish each of you a happy, healthy and creative new year! We'd love to be a part of your upcoming projects, so drop <a href="mailto:mark@markwagoner.com" style="color: #084c9e; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">Mark</a> a line or call the studio to discuss - 336.854.0406.<br />
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Thank you!Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-13294382280597317982013-11-21T09:32:00.000-05:002013-11-21T09:32:19.844-05:00More Than Just Pretty Pictures...Everyone knows a picture is worth a thousand words, right? But for your brand, don't you want more than just words?<br />
<br />
Style,
comfort, sophistication, reliability, even sense of humor, can all be
part of a brand's identity. The right imagery can communicate that to
your audience even more effectively than copy. We work
with you and your team to design photography and video images that communicate your
brand's identity and personality to your market.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmcO7rY0ZHfWpOb7iQPWTDgFK6M16mevtE5LP3zrTh6b6aGpewRi74bEE0Gj9qQzmZMjgFkg_pegCyEBFIQr5eP3tGTah7pl77wr7aWw1svZaGHvxSBWW4-TXeuErSWwcjsyYe5nrkAI/s1600/Flexsteel-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmcO7rY0ZHfWpOb7iQPWTDgFK6M16mevtE5LP3zrTh6b6aGpewRi74bEE0Gj9qQzmZMjgFkg_pegCyEBFIQr5eP3tGTah7pl77wr7aWw1svZaGHvxSBWW4-TXeuErSWwcjsyYe5nrkAI/s400/Flexsteel-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flexsteel IHFC Showroom, 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Flexsteel
Furniture illustrates both style and comfort in the video that we
produce for their television commercials. The overall production value
sets it apart from much of the stock footage seen in traditional dealer
ads, which communicates to their potential customers that Flexsteel is a
high quality brand. <br />
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<i>"When we
started working with Mark on Flexsteel's commercial video, he really
took the time to understand what we needed from the footage - beyond
simple images of the furniture. We began working together on commercial
spots, and he started seeing other opportunities to help build our
overall image, such as virtual tours of the High Point Furniture Market
showroom. He and his crew are fun to work with, and we get great images,
too."<br /> ~ Justin Mills, Director of Advertising & PR, Flexsteel Industries, Inc.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQk4I1EyAROPGQb-3z73irLWIOctcNcBzypTgai-gqLn3VydNaAzDGh9WTmkSe-u0Re10N8nF-n5hy-mhSJyjo_UzM207oqGCxSJXeR-Mcf1UUc4pfuky1OW_d-tTiEb_wp9DLuK6A4s/s1600/SOF-combo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQk4I1EyAROPGQb-3z73irLWIOctcNcBzypTgai-gqLn3VydNaAzDGh9WTmkSe-u0Re10N8nF-n5hy-mhSJyjo_UzM207oqGCxSJXeR-Mcf1UUc4pfuky1OW_d-tTiEb_wp9DLuK6A4s/s400/SOF-combo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South of France - Cote D'Ivoire and Lavender Fields</td></tr>
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When
South of France introduced new packaging for their Natural Body Care
products, they needed new photography to further define their soaps and
body washes as exotic and luxurious. Mark worked with them and
production designers at <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.we3ink.com/ink/" href="http://www.we3ink.com/ink/" target="_self">Ink Photography Productions</a> to create artistic sets to capture the brand's new feel.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg6Vcb-pTnn_Q6fsZIEDhdmx3kVvQbjfPl5uGwwWJO5fS5VEWW-22jEkbCcxwtqfNu86DEMbSZP45hbK7WJeppvlwOOYbKR_a5WKIw0PjeCM0FIzKzgfP9kQjnflZDDNMFMhRhqsGBu8/s1600/SOF-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg6Vcb-pTnn_Q6fsZIEDhdmx3kVvQbjfPl5uGwwWJO5fS5VEWW-22jEkbCcxwtqfNu86DEMbSZP45hbK7WJeppvlwOOYbKR_a5WKIw0PjeCM0FIzKzgfP9kQjnflZDDNMFMhRhqsGBu8/s200/SOF-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South of France - Vanilla Creme Caramel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Sometimes a brand needs to feel accessible, more human. In those cases, the situation might call for a little comedy. Everyone dreads taking their car to the shop, right? When <a href="http://www.gforcemarketinginc.com/" target="_blank">G-Force Marketing</a> wanted to lighten the mood with a humorous character for a series of tv spots, Mark worked with them to create the world of "Betchadidn'tknow Guy." He rescues everyday folks from the the hazards of going to the wrong car
repair shop, and steers them to the clean, professional dealer of our
hero brand. With Mark behind the camera, his team of set designers, stylists, lighting & grip, and camera crew, brought "Betchadidn'tknow Guy" to life and had a blast doing it.<br />
<br />
Here are a few behind the scenes photos from that shoot!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zlgR9pNr7WTjJzKBsP8oGjBLramrUB16zWLLgDk5KZNEft2LdG7k4xDdk-v5Nyp1iHavOTwCiKHSi7d1QJknVrKY_flSxn5rhFMGhFIb3cFX1pOrUhCRi3GahwHqKKYlSEiFDmM1kmw/s1600/Betcha-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zlgR9pNr7WTjJzKBsP8oGjBLramrUB16zWLLgDk5KZNEft2LdG7k4xDdk-v5Nyp1iHavOTwCiKHSi7d1QJknVrKY_flSxn5rhFMGhFIb3cFX1pOrUhCRi3GahwHqKKYlSEiFDmM1kmw/s320/Betcha-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It'd be scary if it wasn't a set.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4PGEw6qoAvAWh-E9CG4nAW03sk0TzctHRlGzwGRzWVXdTA-dqWEDS8r-POH5KPaZzaujVXMzURZ6MZbc0eDMZrnvNL3nkfdWNeolSZTFvmaCPRFqljZnmWM9MaXGHOrN4gtXgoT5U3c/s1600/Betcha-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4PGEw6qoAvAWh-E9CG4nAW03sk0TzctHRlGzwGRzWVXdTA-dqWEDS8r-POH5KPaZzaujVXMzURZ6MZbc0eDMZrnvNL3nkfdWNeolSZTFvmaCPRFqljZnmWM9MaXGHOrN4gtXgoT5U3c/s320/Betcha-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would you trust this guy with your car?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjct4Sh7v4zp5rL91xaEFlb5zSZ_4HuK4n8KAnwDZYu0EaWKUKbo7LH9Uhjjc-iMPmLXIOa8lnYgQhNC8tWKfRoq0JucSFKqlsc3D1h2663vAWtM05p72-67yH700afG7geOA0UGWKd1CQ/s1600/Betcha-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjct4Sh7v4zp5rL91xaEFlb5zSZ_4HuK4n8KAnwDZYu0EaWKUKbo7LH9Uhjjc-iMPmLXIOa8lnYgQhNC8tWKfRoq0JucSFKqlsc3D1h2663vAWtM05p72-67yH700afG7geOA0UGWKd1CQ/s320/Betcha-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting room from hell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd68vrRC-uXmNCPw8AehYsGMxsfsfu1GE7RpSTNCsvVfvXf-hwkMve1hIVhW9DpCdvX849T106_p3dyclLxqQfwMm6rfXIai-xUfaID44Yey6v8OdYjbI-9y5v4yangrj2OOaNDUuhLlY/s1600/Betcha-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd68vrRC-uXmNCPw8AehYsGMxsfsfu1GE7RpSTNCsvVfvXf-hwkMve1hIVhW9DpCdvX849T106_p3dyclLxqQfwMm6rfXIai-xUfaID44Yey6v8OdYjbI-9y5v4yangrj2OOaNDUuhLlY/s320/Betcha-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happily Ever After!</td></tr>
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Give Mark a call at the studio to discuss how our photography and video production team can help you capture and promote your brand's identity.<br />
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Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-40224944723229356372013-09-30T11:55:00.000-04:002013-09-30T11:55:58.494-04:00 Thirty Years Ago Today!<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Today marks an
event that I must say never really crossed my mind when I started
Mark Wagoner Productions, then known as Mark Wagoner Fotografie. That
was 30 years ago -- strange to even write that. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYrRxkoFHsnmrhaea0ysZdXxv9EBDVVxPe7h8dvUzPAFoNoQ-vJmwe-OBOjmbdC3YMabN-1ewgi9pTyjSGQQ53ywvndXGhm1CWrfulndALK651zbZd0ltUIr72g1uEIh2RzGNdmqSyRM/s1600/MWP+ad+-1984024.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYrRxkoFHsnmrhaea0ysZdXxv9EBDVVxPe7h8dvUzPAFoNoQ-vJmwe-OBOjmbdC3YMabN-1ewgi9pTyjSGQQ53ywvndXGhm1CWrfulndALK651zbZd0ltUIr72g1uEIh2RzGNdmqSyRM/s320/MWP+ad+-1984024.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
In the summer of 1983, I
had just returned from working in the Middle East and was planning my
next move. It turned out that I met Lynn Jaffe that summer, who in time would become Lynn Wagoner. Also, I already had some business contacts in North Carolina, so I
decided to look for a studio space in Greensboro. October 1st was the
day that I moved into 12-H Wendy Court, the space that I still use as
home base.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2O7Ht6d9RevSMmGEUQM-Y6yKTbEIBYCD8wQCNNF9bmbvQHLmNGvxCVyg5n6iMlDPnF5OYyLNb1WEab4nxOE7P9P4Da6MCjao6ozVPH83niwoJEhCJnQFde1nd5vTDuITVjhG87hXraIA/s1600/MWP+1983-studio.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2O7Ht6d9RevSMmGEUQM-Y6yKTbEIBYCD8wQCNNF9bmbvQHLmNGvxCVyg5n6iMlDPnF5OYyLNb1WEab4nxOE7P9P4Da6MCjao6ozVPH83niwoJEhCJnQFde1nd5vTDuITVjhG87hXraIA/s400/MWP+1983-studio.jpeg" width="385" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the cyc-wall, and what's that under the black cloth?</td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Back then, there was a darkroom instead of a kitchen, and they only computers in the studio were ones I photographed for Compute! Magazine. (I remember shooting a story about the very first Macintosh, which showed families with their <b>home computers</b>!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2XpMZUC2KhRK4qg0TJILeA7AIaURhNUyWnA-nUbGIFaZ-9w-JvaYJHpsUMxoI6mdu44Nl0JfKQjL-gqIQ1e2lmVJYX6krFQhoNv5WoPxri_yJIgUw3gC0BpW_Xs1Nb8CztZ_nsTl0v0/s1600/MWP+10+Year+T-Shirt.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2XpMZUC2KhRK4qg0TJILeA7AIaURhNUyWnA-nUbGIFaZ-9w-JvaYJHpsUMxoI6mdu44Nl0JfKQjL-gqIQ1e2lmVJYX6krFQhoNv5WoPxri_yJIgUw3gC0BpW_Xs1Nb8CztZ_nsTl0v0/s320/MWP+10+Year+T-Shirt.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A souvenir from the 10th anniversary.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have been supported by a wealth of
great team members, clients and friends. I find it really exciting
that 30 years on I am in the middle of one of the busiest periods I
have ever had! Thanks to everyone for contributing to the success of these first 30
years.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am looking forward to many more great
shoots with all the enthusiasm of that day in 1983, but with a hell
of a lot more experience. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqF4V65ltGVmmLRNRw-npk7BB5y7AvO_IAJevrY8Ox8kGVQJT2q4XPLSf_jWi0HyElfTbl-ohaMWM5m2dGJQqv7V1MNUf0Wym7fD1pGVj_-sZY_CrgzaX7D90WFUEC3RupsJ7iqFT7w0/s1600/MWP+1983-contact.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqF4V65ltGVmmLRNRw-npk7BB5y7AvO_IAJevrY8Ox8kGVQJT2q4XPLSf_jWi0HyElfTbl-ohaMWM5m2dGJQqv7V1MNUf0Wym7fD1pGVj_-sZY_CrgzaX7D90WFUEC3RupsJ7iqFT7w0/s640/MWP+1983-contact.jpeg" width="364" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many changes can you spot?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7VwMVEg2AxWQJD-ng1fnqLGL1VzrkgBxCk1KY61LxkVYFnuQ9NQOJFrXk_B0PbsDueH6T5AkMwZSG8m_txcEaSERuJYSJKMZn7Tt3Mtzwrvs_WDWCclVfAydPjIDJaiwHv1e40NW0t4/s1600/MWP+ad+-1984023.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7VwMVEg2AxWQJD-ng1fnqLGL1VzrkgBxCk1KY61LxkVYFnuQ9NQOJFrXk_B0PbsDueH6T5AkMwZSG8m_txcEaSERuJYSJKMZn7Tt3Mtzwrvs_WDWCclVfAydPjIDJaiwHv1e40NW0t4/s640/MWP+ad+-1984023.jpeg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1984</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2k5m_OtXo6a-zA4tAJWzHEoEfMb6Qbw_TOt54S9nwKMJwCuhNY2anRHSaRXvhxsBwso6q1dvMG88QzqTbfaqRKOFFhZRaBFGLNf4dhLveQLe3zzN-5jZWyHSTlCSMMBvg0kXFI9GbYg/s1600/MWP+ad+-1984025.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2k5m_OtXo6a-zA4tAJWzHEoEfMb6Qbw_TOt54S9nwKMJwCuhNY2anRHSaRXvhxsBwso6q1dvMG88QzqTbfaqRKOFFhZRaBFGLNf4dhLveQLe3zzN-5jZWyHSTlCSMMBvg0kXFI9GbYg/s400/MWP+ad+-1984025.jpeg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1985</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuKDDUjYnZdKXGcbXsh6TlRV8aVeSRTEr_secRVHfJ9sfkW0ZmiVxR2fzlKfWBwoIKLPuuEv350XZTXCLCXfk_RN_pS5W61WHWUKO1CpiqxRRhHbWkhdtD_4z6a1u_8w7RcXGG85cNgE/s1600/MWP+ads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuKDDUjYnZdKXGcbXsh6TlRV8aVeSRTEr_secRVHfJ9sfkW0ZmiVxR2fzlKfWBwoIKLPuuEv350XZTXCLCXfk_RN_pS5W61WHWUKO1CpiqxRRhHbWkhdtD_4z6a1u_8w7RcXGG85cNgE/s400/MWP+ads.jpg" width="385" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1986</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-12718685638083044232013-09-03T10:30:00.000-04:002013-09-03T10:30:00.115-04:00Win 2 Tickets to "Wait Until Dark" at Triad Stage!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQ3wdl6PKI7h7PVtuY4aKkvGq_VHumWos3RWoRhyBbM7wgITgP8qpAIh3q07ntWPL0UXTgfTLhFF3EJ0nwwdbKkKuzPubQYCd4STPDMcGi_rPsXiKx_rjBcH5a5hKw_5wawLK_jJ-HFA/s1600/doll.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQ3wdl6PKI7h7PVtuY4aKkvGq_VHumWos3RWoRhyBbM7wgITgP8qpAIh3q07ntWPL0UXTgfTLhFF3EJ0nwwdbKkKuzPubQYCd4STPDMcGi_rPsXiKx_rjBcH5a5hKw_5wawLK_jJ-HFA/s320/doll.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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We've been fans of <a data-cke-saved-href="http://triadstage.org/" href="http://triadstage.org/" target="_self">Triad Stage</a> since the beginning, so when our friends at <a data-cke-saved-href="http://bluezoom.bz/" href="http://bluezoom.bz/" target="_self">Bluezoom</a>
invited us to team up in creating promotional materials for their Lucky
13th Season, we jumped at the chance! We will be filming and editing
trailers for each of the six MainStage productions this season. We've
just completed the first piece for the thriller "Wait Until Dark", on
stage from September 1 - 29. (<a data-cke-saved-href="http://triadstage.org/series/124/wait-until-dark#videos" href="http://triadstage.org/series/124/wait-until-dark#videos" target="_self">See it here!</a>) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEZdAIqdm2YRtd8cH3ArvLVC5ldGx7MxpSSU-7ahYUHGNJnEuflFOGeElLdvsSNw5bqB1Au5273rk37HJjPx9TUzOdd1NK5RGpeEhVWDfe15vDblLvdgUPMmc3NCdQRigviFs4CSLEM0/s1600/TS-1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEZdAIqdm2YRtd8cH3ArvLVC5ldGx7MxpSSU-7ahYUHGNJnEuflFOGeElLdvsSNw5bqB1Au5273rk37HJjPx9TUzOdd1NK5RGpeEhVWDfe15vDblLvdgUPMmc3NCdQRigviFs4CSLEM0/s320/TS-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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With
help from the folks at Triad Stage & Bluezoom, Mark created a
trailer that we hope will send a chill down your spine. We had a lot of
fun working on the creepy visuals for the video. The trailers will be
shown to audiences at local movie theaters throughout the season, as
well as online - at a social media venue near you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEZdAIqdm2YRtd8cH3ArvLVC5ldGx7MxpSSU-7ahYUHGNJnEuflFOGeElLdvsSNw5bqB1Au5273rk37HJjPx9TUzOdd1NK5RGpeEhVWDfe15vDblLvdgUPMmc3NCdQRigviFs4CSLEM0/s1600/TS-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApHwv2xjOUqvPb0MeC42zQLT9N9v1GMwrc0qYtQTv3RdjOfHwN4HHxVKlawkRHh2a-kBsa66z-6jt_k-uAvdSOLXN8Vy6j_uxnSCSpDv4UCUp14LXwoH_r1bsb23vsCtD1auKKvtpxOE/s320/TS-3.PNG" width="312" /> <br />
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Mark Wagoner
Productions is excited to continue our support of local arts groups with
this partnership, and "Wait Until Dark" is going to be a great show. In
fact, we're giving away a pair of tickets to the official Opening Night
performance on Friday, September 6! Just leave a comment here on the blog or send Mark an email, and
you're entered! Act fast, because we will randomly select a winner from
all the entries we receive tomorrow morning, Wednesday, September 4.
(You can also <a data-cke-saved-href="http://triadstage.org/series/124/wait-until-dark#calendar" href="http://triadstage.org/series/124/wait-until-dark#calendar" target="_self">purchase tickets</a> online!)<br />
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Enjoy the show!<br />
<br />
<img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuawTsta3Y8hrSi15a58DTD8PeKsyC1_wOOlIfHNlyqrU4NSktTxAUKnbjyuD62DCBAqpajFBKAc6URacGDA5BSE3wooYMO2JRIHwCJ9UrLuL5-_pq-3TQ6mIuSuB6Q9Rfd30_KEJAqPA/s400/logo.png" width="400" /> Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-6219123535632561532013-08-26T15:34:00.000-04:002013-08-26T15:36:54.204-04:00Supporting the Arts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqQ9a9vp8cH0O3AS9WNFmt1mKlzC6ZIdlkQ2Q9l8XZW8fwweuuh2szZGkT-sqT3E8kXFC5AmVSI6Cdz1b3_C_HD8lKCOSk0UlGIGXIyWYLvA0NxB7YHjCgAhUfsCsehHoOuBXnayIMCQ/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqQ9a9vp8cH0O3AS9WNFmt1mKlzC6ZIdlkQ2Q9l8XZW8fwweuuh2szZGkT-sqT3E8kXFC5AmVSI6Cdz1b3_C_HD8lKCOSk0UlGIGXIyWYLvA0NxB7YHjCgAhUfsCsehHoOuBXnayIMCQ/s320/collage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We're fortunate to have a vibrant arts community in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Mark Wagoner Productions is proud to have had many opportunities to help promote and contribute to its success.<br />
<br />
One recent project was a video to announce the rebranding of <a href="http://www.artsgreensboro.org/" style="color: #eb4102; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">artsGreensboro</a> (formerly the United Arts Council). Mark edited a collage of still images provided by a host of local photographers (including a few of his own), plus music and graphics, into an dynamic statement about creative life in our city.<br />
<em> "We needed a high-energy video solution to help us rebrand the United Arts Council as ArtsGreensboro. Mark Wagoner’s fresh creative approach combined that change with emotionally engaging arts images and a rhythm that literally jump off the screen. It’s brilliant!" -- Thomas Philion, President & CEO ArtsGreensboro</em><br />
Watch the video <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1503939/review/70030189/83823a576b" style="color: #eb4102; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">here</a>!<br />
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Another notable local arts event is the <a href="http://easternmusicfestival.org/" style="color: #eb4102; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">Eastern Music Festival</a>. Mark has provided still photography and video to help promote EMF for years, and this year he was honored to see three of his images incorporated into the festival banners at Dana Auditorium on the campus of Guilford College.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSZifaRjsDRiCEFzhYkRaCcFDtEfbGAuly3b1q3Kbgaq6XnkcApUuc9-Qwcvkshe8Zof_Rde1Y7qfiTCMlCJdXJi6IkzV-jK0elgLr_ahUAeoQl-HYxgW-BMptjQ1tsD68MXAlyPE5rw/s1600/EMF_bannersa3e202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSZifaRjsDRiCEFzhYkRaCcFDtEfbGAuly3b1q3Kbgaq6XnkcApUuc9-Qwcvkshe8Zof_Rde1Y7qfiTCMlCJdXJi6IkzV-jK0elgLr_ahUAeoQl-HYxgW-BMptjQ1tsD68MXAlyPE5rw/s320/EMF_bannersa3e202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-58409102260437995822013-08-26T15:28:00.000-04:002013-08-26T15:28:05.723-04:002013 Telly Awards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8x4qv2wTnGUt87WrY9t-Sx5zhnXFGZN4hcurDMC2CtIVdm4w5ZeSA_-am5Z2VYJHnnARxepvdz7UVbL0_h6SkGF2Awj0Xw1NMECoaVZQjFsEhQuUOxcV_OuI4CFQEa3xBCAUYhPkAuk/s1600/MWP_Tellys_2013343a9d.jpeg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8x4qv2wTnGUt87WrY9t-Sx5zhnXFGZN4hcurDMC2CtIVdm4w5ZeSA_-am5Z2VYJHnnARxepvdz7UVbL0_h6SkGF2Awj0Xw1NMECoaVZQjFsEhQuUOxcV_OuI4CFQEa3xBCAUYhPkAuk/s400/MWP_Tellys_2013343a9d.jpeg.png" width="365" /></a></div>
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We are so excited to announce that we have received three Tellys for creative work over the past year. The Telly Awards recognizes the very best film & video productions, groundbreaking online video content, and outstanding local, regional, & cable TV commercials and programs.<br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/48163843" style="color: #eb4102; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">Set the Stage</a>, a commercial spot that Mark directed for the United Arts Council of Greensboro's 17 Days Festival, won awards for use of animation and for non-profit promotion. Mark served as Director/DP on <a href="http://vimeo.com/43999829" style="color: #eb4102; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">Esperanza</a>, a short film created with Ink Photography Production, which was recognized for cinematography.<br />
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We are honored to have received these awards, and we are very grateful for the wonderful clients and partners who contribute to these exciting projects. Click the links below to view the winning videos!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z9ZXaAC1vGtYAPJdi60VwxJejGTntMnXb_pGgt7TeHYP67ZidvkHAFRjaQfOMlhK5q8V2f-DqKth7VE8omNyRov2kgBMu0i2Oy6jfvJKxFWiQc9IU-reyIciNBY9ng6fAQ0npr_u9C0/s1600/17_days.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z9ZXaAC1vGtYAPJdi60VwxJejGTntMnXb_pGgt7TeHYP67ZidvkHAFRjaQfOMlhK5q8V2f-DqKth7VE8omNyRov2kgBMu0i2Oy6jfvJKxFWiQc9IU-reyIciNBY9ng6fAQ0npr_u9C0/s320/17_days.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen shot from "<a href="http://vimeo.com/48163843" target="_blank">Set the Stage</a>"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGdYBKFlro59O-VPt3MbcgEJoBnaQ7HYj2eLn3sjxkp0OwTH3pWvcK1wVDEgJ7HFMAulz6vbK9Jj-JuXbY4Mx1Z0Cu06uti2cOurBMx1D9LyXTQhy68v0CCAw4gR7gUYxVVSxhR1soyw/s1600/esperanza.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGdYBKFlro59O-VPt3MbcgEJoBnaQ7HYj2eLn3sjxkp0OwTH3pWvcK1wVDEgJ7HFMAulz6vbK9Jj-JuXbY4Mx1Z0Cu06uti2cOurBMx1D9LyXTQhy68v0CCAw4gR7gUYxVVSxhR1soyw/s320/esperanza.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen shot from "<a href="http://vimeo.com/43999829" target="_blank">Esperanza</a>"</td></tr>
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Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-23516477555229064482013-08-26T15:20:00.000-04:002013-08-26T15:20:18.588-04:00Bon Appetit!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggItuXH7SpQVKip8ePC9muoHKDDo3OyOgb9cLDlkUYE2XUBsZ-DW6Y2tP309XBFcIQ7AeUNeZcck0DRtz1-f8BWs5sjQwBJfPflQH_KKmB63OyX13D4a7o0N7S95RPnMga23l-9EMPDxg/s1600/Food_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggItuXH7SpQVKip8ePC9muoHKDDo3OyOgb9cLDlkUYE2XUBsZ-DW6Y2tP309XBFcIQ7AeUNeZcck0DRtz1-f8BWs5sjQwBJfPflQH_KKmB63OyX13D4a7o0N7S95RPnMga23l-9EMPDxg/s640/Food_final.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>
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Sometimes you seek out a specialty, sometimes the specialty finds you. That has been the case with Mark and food & beverage photography. Over the years, he has been called on to do this appetizing work for both editorial and advertising clients. Being a bit of a foodie himself, it was a natural fit. Mark has experience shooting in the studio and on location in restaurants, bars, and kitchens for clients ranging from Darryl's Wood Fired Grill to Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.<br />
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Click through the photo above to be taken to more food & still life images in Mark's <a href="http://www.markwagoner.com/objects-photography-portfolio" style="color: #eb4102; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">"objects" portfolio</a>, or view his <a href="http://vimeo.com/36082859" style="color: #eb4102; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_self">Showreel on Vimeo</a> for more motion samples.Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-4894779091763572462013-08-26T15:15:00.000-04:002013-08-26T15:15:07.924-04:00Corolla 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC88_N5xVh7txlELgMpH7o8AODD4VPbr0ZPYLMc6ZfFhwe5vUueQRuQ1MNf8xHjvtUhc_DuhTG-5QatBBoYY7QWLa86YpGHGa4SnaCU5NGGlDpwvGnxtQDJOld2RMRsdMO6-FOE2JQG34/s1600/Corolla_Screen_Shot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC88_N5xVh7txlELgMpH7o8AODD4VPbr0ZPYLMc6ZfFhwe5vUueQRuQ1MNf8xHjvtUhc_DuhTG-5QatBBoYY7QWLa86YpGHGa4SnaCU5NGGlDpwvGnxtQDJOld2RMRsdMO6-FOE2JQG34/s320/Corolla_Screen_Shot.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Take a moment to unwind with this <a href="http://vimeo.com/60026990" target="_blank">video postcard</a> from Mark's winter trip to the Outer Banks...<br />
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<br />Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-5627019766718607782013-01-31T09:39:00.002-05:002013-01-31T09:39:25.882-05:00Producing Someday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgDqAzqnRaPEM3PBny181NvZTtByXhOqHBz-E-_7g47nJ5C-uev8wi9G0HX-HupnUfGdh6fkpQOQ1pdX2FxbAwHd6MBzj0SPtGh-5ZlGfWE9IpXb4cQgt6kfFUMEm-C1p8kz44AQIh64/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-01-30+at+11.58.07+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCE2wm0ZMKHiFCNklwrv8IVn71FW-fJostOwahyphenhyphenWzEbW80xIM4_OKw_NH_HzhYSAmdwD3-CxWkcW2MBrEqz5XvyjxGrJ6AjnoPHvOoBknQXQWPRPir9ZBB3yF-0321oSLCMv2Mz5Eq64/s1600/BTS-first+shot+prep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCE2wm0ZMKHiFCNklwrv8IVn71FW-fJostOwahyphenhyphenWzEbW80xIM4_OKw_NH_HzhYSAmdwD3-CxWkcW2MBrEqz5XvyjxGrJ6AjnoPHvOoBknQXQWPRPir9ZBB3yF-0321oSLCMv2Mz5Eq64/s320/BTS-first+shot+prep.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Standing in a field prepping gear, a cast and crew of 25 or so people each doing their part, and the AD is asking how long until you are ready to roll... not to mention the pressure to live up to the expectations of the director / script-writer. The first shot is a simple camera on slider move of a tombstone in a field, with a 200mm lens - no problem. But the next shot is a Steadicam shot walking backwards in tall clumpy grass. Is everything ready, have you done your homework, read the script enough, thought through all the gear, can you see the film in your head yet? You know they will call action in a few minutes, are you ready to roll?<br />
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That day was October 25th, the first day of a four-day shoot for the principle photography on a short film titled <i>Someday.</i> Written and directed by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0888231/" target="_blank">Stephen van Vuuren</a>, produced by <a href="http://www.sv2studios.com/" target="_blank">SV2 Studios</a> and <a href="http://www.markwagoner.com/" target="_blank">Mark Wagoner Productions</a>, I served as the director of photography. My main goals were to not shoot a lame-looking film, to tell the story, and to have fun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhbyQRqeMA5voY3uAaDdCAOq69vzWxTRA24DCk38za6f_shlRnR9ZKvi-dfJ7koARZVL5ulKncshZvJScSD95Du4GDgWHcuVFdCG1RtNBtqxRU0tmL6BPHpjK_KJRrduG3bkCwzacoYs/s1600/Bldg+Ext.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhbyQRqeMA5voY3uAaDdCAOq69vzWxTRA24DCk38za6f_shlRnR9ZKvi-dfJ7koARZVL5ulKncshZvJScSD95Du4GDgWHcuVFdCG1RtNBtqxRU0tmL6BPHpjK_KJRrduG3bkCwzacoYs/s320/Bldg+Ext.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
While we are still shooting a few shots this winter, the bulk of the shoot was completed in four days last October. Now we are deep into dealing with the footage, the edit in the early stages with Stephen, and I am working out the post-production details for the look and color of the film. The overall look was laid out in the hours (really more like days) that Stephen and I spent discussing and looking at films.<br />
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Working on this element is as exciting for me as shooting - very different, but exciting. The shoot is full of nervous energy and emotions, lots of people working for the final goal of producing the film, but when I am working on the color grading, especially at the design stage that I am in now, it is very different. I am sitting at my computer, thinking about the emotion of the shots, how far too push the color without it becoming too heavy-handed. Very quiet and delicate business, it is a bit like meditation for me. After the edit is done and these decisions are made, and we are applying all of the grading to the final film, matching shots, correcting for lens color and the like - that is more like work.<br />
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<img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgDqAzqnRaPEM3PBny181NvZTtByXhOqHBz-E-_7g47nJ5C-uev8wi9G0HX-HupnUfGdh6fkpQOQ1pdX2FxbAwHd6MBzj0SPtGh-5ZlGfWE9IpXb4cQgt6kfFUMEm-C1p8kz44AQIh64/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-01-30+at+11.58.07+AM.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrMOaoRZjS_prp4AjjUfVqqJKvu8QXpK_eF395u7t-R1n3ssVNUh0k_LW6BedvZrzAmVAZBauIBSh6-BLGWxLjKbIPVOfuaUH2SQFAI31fXlfaT6NcWn8JP7m0sc4zcGLd98mxLdLimc/s1600/Hospital+walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrMOaoRZjS_prp4AjjUfVqqJKvu8QXpK_eF395u7t-R1n3ssVNUh0k_LW6BedvZrzAmVAZBauIBSh6-BLGWxLjKbIPVOfuaUH2SQFAI31fXlfaT6NcWn8JP7m0sc4zcGLd98mxLdLimc/s320/Hospital+walk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our design and pre-production process took nearly nine months. While Stephen was tightening the script, our art department was busy with some of the larger tasks that we knew would make it into the final draft. One of the most interesting was the collection of 50,000 sheets of office paper to populate the desk of the character Grim Man (and they also found a home for the paper after the shoot.) We were all busy with location scouting in addition to our other duties for the film. During the casting we had 2,000 people submit headshots, and we auditioned 200 people for the seven roles. By September 1, 2012, we had pushed our original shoot dates back a few weeks. The role of David was proving difficult to cast, and one of the primary locations was proving tough to nail down. But the film was coming to life, full of energy, and the pressure was mounting.<br />
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<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbYzGRaeIheIIAuXtQjnrrAP7ZyJYcleEjUJjfeEi8i0E6ddEjD6XjUGkcjFDU6aKpeHM42mPW_vB_tA8mtAuZ_0BXKlBevOGyrKXRn9u1lLR6QeCFYZCfoQzUAfY76VFaVG4YuzIrrc/s320/_F6C6803.jpg" width="320" /> <br />
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<span id="goog_528819073"></span><span id="goog_528819074"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIR6Amns6x5gUxfW2Oka6M74n5vylri58rdv_o9EcEVEPl8F5L8SWIpwxyFkv0w8b4F5Tw4URF4lVf5M2JSfRpQ5njw62reSSdSN9egX5Q8JydaUUl_lbyYMomwerXSy3sBGWnVpxNM2Q/s1600/Miriam+office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIR6Amns6x5gUxfW2Oka6M74n5vylri58rdv_o9EcEVEPl8F5L8SWIpwxyFkv0w8b4F5Tw4URF4lVf5M2JSfRpQ5njw62reSSdSN9egX5Q8JydaUUl_lbyYMomwerXSy3sBGWnVpxNM2Q/s320/Miriam+office.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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During those last few weeks before the shoot, I was busy with tech scouts, lenses, batteries and all of the things that require attention before a shoot. We were pushing into some new waters for me on this project, remote wireless video monitoring, using the Canon C300 in five different configurations, but the most interesting of all was the plan for recording the song that appears in the film. After much deliberation and discussion, Stephen suggested we record the actors singing on the set live - yes, live. Stephen had seen the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cDVdg7gVdg" target="_blank">teaser</a> for <i>Les Miserables</i> directed by Tom Hooper, and after passing around the video to the main team members, it was decided that we would use this concept to shoot the song in the film.<br />
This was a really big deal, as it meant having a keyboardist on set, a way for the actors to hear music in their ears, the keyboard player had to be able to hear the actors, and we had to record all of the vocals, as well as a sync track for the keyboard, while filming the whole thing. Now in case you do not know, we did not have multi-million dollar budget, a sound crew 3 times bigger than a normal film shoot and weeks to shoot. We had a a sound budget in the hundreds of dollars, a small but dedicated crew, actors and a music director who were willing to put themselves out on a limb and believe that this could be done, and only a few weeks to figure out how to pull it off. It was crazy to attempt on a project like this. I can only say I am glad we did!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNIEn5FIkOyNOFQ-1wXlIiC_mvy4JXd97lBzKk-NLr95mlegNoq9Fe7nA2xF-nCScUvsrp7QMH0WvHZ4PhTMBh6Ps3p4YN3O48DRbDOlu-qtIvYj-8oaTdswkA9EqI6Q9luuXWYBhhmw/s1600/David+w+guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNIEn5FIkOyNOFQ-1wXlIiC_mvy4JXd97lBzKk-NLr95mlegNoq9Fe7nA2xF-nCScUvsrp7QMH0WvHZ4PhTMBh6Ps3p4YN3O48DRbDOlu-qtIvYj-8oaTdswkA9EqI6Q9luuXWYBhhmw/s320/David+w+guitar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The thing that I really like about this type of project is that it
becomes an exploration space and a proving ground. It is a chance to test out
new processes and artistic thoughts, and then we are able to bring this
research to our commercial productions.<br />
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For the film, we had assembled a great cast and production crew. Some of the regulars that I work with were there, including Jill Davis as script supervisor and Christian Parsons as gaffer and camera operator, plus we brought along some new folks that really helped bring this show together.<br />
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With the post production process underway, it’s deeply satisfying to see that this goal is being achieved, beyond our high expectations. Every frame bears the mark of multiple creative contributors to the film – art, cast, production design, sound. But ultimately film is a visual medium, and I believe the hard work Stephen and I put into <i>Someday</i> will result in great addition to our body of work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUk3IlZDBSEC5t8JHGCU9w3OP4UHogVQs2Lwag_wjpMz3XW-Ls0tfp9Xfb5-9fxReczq9F2TzK6EI64eqBSsj1c4dal0I3RvVmAFrUb105n2rdxC9zi8c6ds6rO_xPKFFDi53ePV_cM8/s1600/David+at+Window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUk3IlZDBSEC5t8JHGCU9w3OP4UHogVQs2Lwag_wjpMz3XW-Ls0tfp9Xfb5-9fxReczq9F2TzK6EI64eqBSsj1c4dal0I3RvVmAFrUb105n2rdxC9zi8c6ds6rO_xPKFFDi53ePV_cM8/s320/David+at+Window.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-17349103770713198762012-12-05T22:31:00.000-05:002012-12-05T22:31:53.472-05:00Silver Tree, Pink Lights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZrBWYTUur2DVwZLyKL5PATDaxQnYZ3FxBr-ez3Fo9EALAxmae7H9HldsCc1odbkynIWOmudh2EdpU3B1ZfHQT1C2aHNVAkVZDSqDSZ-4rGMUD2Nq6V2daAj2FpxLNn6GW_fnLZmvegk/s1600/Silver+Tree-pink+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZrBWYTUur2DVwZLyKL5PATDaxQnYZ3FxBr-ez3Fo9EALAxmae7H9HldsCc1odbkynIWOmudh2EdpU3B1ZfHQT1C2aHNVAkVZDSqDSZ-4rGMUD2Nq6V2daAj2FpxLNn6GW_fnLZmvegk/s320/Silver+Tree-pink+lights.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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When I was but a wee lad, my Grandmother Tuck had a silver metallic tree with pink lights on it. As I recall at the time, I thought it was all a bit strange and not Christmas-y enough for my taste. However, my guess now is that she thought it very up-to-date, or else maybe she just liked it. I think the latter is probably the case, as she was not a fashion follower.<br />
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Now suffice it to say that I loved my Grandmother dearly, and she loved me "a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck." How could there be more? But the metal tree was always bit of a mystery, and after a time she went back to a more traditional Christmas tree, a pine of some type.<br />
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In the last few years I have found myself thinking about this tree, wondering about her choice, remembering the color and the sparkle of the needles. As I have become more interested in things mid-century, I have been wanting to bring this tree back to life - well, you know what I mean. So I was on a quest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMpwzgYuwmgHDW4iH0yayzf2CYxAYw5EHvVHDCDtaFR6gD80OfLNC-sVoFo4dTcmDSktP8udUBCoFHl9N9BPbhY4Kblc4nDQvwl9pBTNV__QH7wXkSJphUmmbtJo50ji72QUNRFf6njY/s1600/Wagoner+Family+Pictures085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMpwzgYuwmgHDW4iH0yayzf2CYxAYw5EHvVHDCDtaFR6gD80OfLNC-sVoFo4dTcmDSktP8udUBCoFHl9N9BPbhY4Kblc4nDQvwl9pBTNV__QH7wXkSJphUmmbtJo50ji72QUNRFf6njY/s320/Wagoner+Family+Pictures085.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>My Grandmother Ivey Tuck, sitting on Santa's lap </i></div>
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<i>while visiting my studio during a shoot for Hardee's around 1985. </i></div>
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<i>Santa was played by Dean Shelton.</i></div>
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With only Lynn and myself at home this Christmas, we had planned to
tone down a bit, we didn't plan on putting up a tree at all, until I
hatched the idea of the silver tree with pink lights. After an intense
search I realized that the silver metal trees were not so easy to find
anymore, and I wanted a vintage one in reasonable shape. Nothing was
turning up. A few places had them, but only for their in-store props. So after
some thought I decided we would do an homage to the tree. At Target I
found a modern silver tree and pinkish LED's. For now it will have to
do, but the search goes on...<br />
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Do you have any memories of quirky holiday decorations? Maybe family traditions gone awry? Share your stories with us!<br />
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Wishing you & yours a happy holiday season!<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Nanum Brush Script;"><br /></span></span>Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-30281516393454141972012-12-04T14:36:00.001-05:002012-12-04T14:36:47.126-05:00A New Way of Seeing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4M4x30973CXESj86bKyr19lNW5N21p0NuG7_ntE4Dy75Ssz1AP0XK5DwReJHL7HnIZef3vx3hYbdcKJ_VXlCaHyk9tZgQPgo9KXK7_W_hwrZPL_Y2btVt9wuy0eTKO7ADMv_x2EODIRc/s1600/shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4M4x30973CXESj86bKyr19lNW5N21p0NuG7_ntE4Dy75Ssz1AP0XK5DwReJHL7HnIZef3vx3hYbdcKJ_VXlCaHyk9tZgQPgo9KXK7_W_hwrZPL_Y2btVt9wuy0eTKO7ADMv_x2EODIRc/s320/shoes.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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These photos are just a few samples of a new technique that Mark has been experimenting with in recent months. It's an in-camera process that gives images surreal, dream-like quality, and it can be used for still photography, as well as for film & video. Our recent short film <a href="http://vimeo.com/43999829" target="_blank">"esperanza"</a> is an example of this technique in motion. The images above were created on the job for clients, including AAA, UNC Greensboro, and the Eastern Music Festival. We are intrigued by the potential this style offers, and we can't wait to see who wants to try it next!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Current Events</b></span><br />
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It's been a busy fall for us here at Mark Wagoner Productions! In addition to the projects mentioned above, we've had some exciting collaborations in recent weeks including video shoots for HGTV, Stainmaster Carpets (screen grab above), Sealy and Wells Fargo. Check out our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MarkWagonerProductions" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> to keep up to date on all the fun, or give us a call to discuss your next project! <br />
<br />Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-54515776482320165022012-08-28T17:13:00.000-04:002012-08-28T17:17:30.091-04:00SET THE STAGE a short stop-motion film to promote the 17 DAYS Festival Early in June I received a phone call from my good friend Tom Philion, the CEO of <a href="http://www.uacarts.org/" target="_blank">United Arts Council for Greater Greensboro</a>. Tom and I have worked on many projects over the last dozen years or so, always to good end. This call started a conversation about promotion ideas for the up-coming <a href="http://www.17daysgreensboro.org/" target="_blank">17 Days arts event</a> in Greensboro. After some thought, I came up with an idea for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_motion" target="_blank">stop-motion</a> piece with a story of a stagehand who, after making a blunder, saves the day. Tom was intrigued enough to give me the go ahead, so I started assembling a team to produce the 30 second film "<a href="https://vimeo.com/48163843" target="_blank">Set the Stage</a>". <a href="https://vimeo.com/user1503939/review/48163843/ce7edff5c7" target="_blank"> </a><br />
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After a call to fellow filmmakers <a href="http://www.sv2studios.com/" target="_blank">Stephen and Marie van Vuuren</a>, I had the start of what would become a fantastic and enthusiastic team of stop-motionists (I think I may have coined a new term). The team was rounded out with Emma Hadley, an art student at VCU, Daniel Irons, a film student at SCAD, and Lynn Wagoner. I am grateful for all of their help, this project would not have come to life without them.<br />
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With Marie as lead set designer helped by Lynn, Emma doing the design and construction of the props and figures, Stephen working out timing and technical issues during the shoot, and Daniel handling the camera and lights, we had all of the aspects of producing a lovely project. Now keep in mind - this is a lot of work for six people! We had a total of almost 30 days of work - from planning to editing - by the time it was completed. <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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My inspiration for the story comes from an experience that I had many years ago while working as a stagehand on a fashion show. The pre-set was for the front rag to be in the up postion, set parts in place and lighting set for the first scene. Perhaps five minutes before showtime, with a full house, I needed to be in position in the wings stage right, but I was in the wings stage left. The only way to get to where I was supposed to be was to walk right across the stage, in full view of the audience. I was halfway across when I realized maybe it would have been better to walk upstage behind the backdrop. I was mortified, but I kept going on with the confidence of a 23-year-old. Of course, I walked right into the director who was waiting in the wings. This experience contributed to my style of directing, which helps keep me calm, even when not all is perfect. Like our animated hero, a figure of notoriety that goes way beyond Greensboro, I went on to help save both the day and my respectability, and I am reminded that we often get a second chance to prove our value.<br />
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The set features the number 17 as you would expect, a tip of the hat to our friend <a href="http://harryblair.com/pages/home.html" target="_blank">Harry Blair</a> and the beautiful Greensboro Oak Leaf design he created around 1985 for the Carolina Theater, and many of the feature performers and art that will appear during the festival.<br />
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We all had a hand in the animation. On the opening shot, we had the camera dollying, focus pulling from a chandelier moving up and out of frame, people in the audience sitting down, and the curtains opening. That was the shot with the most different movements, but perhaps not the hardest shot to pull off. We have different answers for that depending on who was the main animator for a given set-up. While on there can always be a bit of tension with the difficulty of some of these shots, everyone had fun is ready to produce another stop-motion soon, well, maybe in a few weeks, or perhaps a month.<br />
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<br />Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-60691874382650289832012-06-21T13:58:00.000-04:002012-06-21T13:58:05.850-04:00The Making of "esperanza"<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/43999829">"esperanza"</a><br />
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This little project started with an invitation to shoot at my friend Mark Hewett's store, <a href="http://www.areamod.com/" target="_blank">Area</a>. Lynn and I shop there, and we have rented and bought props from Mark for years for the studio. We even shot a print project there once, back when there was money spent on hosiery advertising (that seems like another lifetime!) I knew I wanted to shoot something that took advantage of the great windows upstairs, and had an element of a fashion and lifestyle look to it, but it had to have a story. I did not want to shoot just a collection of pretty pictures.<br />
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I was talking to Kelly Swanson from <a href="http://www.we3ink.com/ink/" target="_blank">Ink Photography Productions</a> about this, and she was excited to help. We spent a few phone calls and a lunch talking about cast, props, crew, time of day, everything except the lost subject, the story. After a few months of ruminating on this subject, it suddenly became clear in a moment - as these things often do. A story about longing for what might be, or what might have been. It would be the woman's story with the guy in the supporting, but perhaps not supportive, role.<br />
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Also going on at the same time over this past winter was a brewing battle of two new cameras, the Red Scarlett and the Canon C300. Both were announced to much fanfare on November 3rd, 2011, but with no exact delivery time. I was in the market to make a change, and I went back and forth with my excitement and decision. I worked on this every night, reading every test and comment I could find. Finally by mid-February, I had made a decision to buy the Canon C300, and as predicted, this has proved to be the correct move on my part. It shoots a wonderful image, with tons of latitude, and it is great in low light. We have already shot more than a dozen projects with this camera.<br />
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I have been thinking about a technique for manipulating the image on a motion picture camera that would feel very real, as in not done in post, and has a emotional feeling associated with it. I have tested many filters, lenses, mirrors and various objects to achieve what I saw happening in the head upon my shoulders, but nothing seemed to work. At last this camera plus some very old lenses gave me the combination to make this imagined image come to life. I am really excited about this look, and what's more, I can achieve it with still photography, too. A few clients have already asked me to create stills and video using this look.<br />
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(Please call me to find out more or how we can use this look for your project!)<br />
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So, back to the story of the story, longing is a theme that appears in many artistic forms, perhaps I am most knowledgeable with the subject from the writing of the Sufi poet Rumi. I decided, (after much mental tennis), that the film should end the way life often does, with some degree of uncertainty. Endings do not always end like the movies, I doubt I'm the only one who feels this. The way you see the ending may have to do with how you look at life, or then perhaps not. I go back and forth less now than i did during the edit, but even I still have mixed feelings about it.<br />
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Kudos to everyone who helped make this a reality, Kelly and Lauren at Ink, Mark at Area, Cheri Osterholt and Kent Chilton for opening themselves up for a great performance, Stephan Weed for all the hard work on shoot day, Stephen van Vuuren of <a href="http://www.sv2studios.com/" target="_blank">SV2 Studio</a> for help on set and on story building, Jill Davis for tons of post production support, and to Lynn for listening to me talk about this for months and her support on getting out and shooting it.<br />
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Hope you enjoy it.<br />
Mark<br />
<br />Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-77645193003691639192012-05-17T09:29:00.000-04:002012-05-17T09:29:26.947-04:00Telly Time 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0WlbeRfefT3O91693xlkedP_jo30HRei8bCm-303Rpi83sh2i8CXajeHya7Xs2ptJLdLMjqx1sh6-hOvPAUtmpLGfIG4D91AnkZg_1xeG5NWSpxWJ-S8bZYE4ddI2x73JtGw32bdcxE/s1600/tellys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0WlbeRfefT3O91693xlkedP_jo30HRei8bCm-303Rpi83sh2i8CXajeHya7Xs2ptJLdLMjqx1sh6-hOvPAUtmpLGfIG4D91AnkZg_1xeG5NWSpxWJ-S8bZYE4ddI2x73JtGw32bdcxE/s320/tellys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We are so excited and humbled to announce that Mark received four Telly Awards for his work as a Director and DP during the last year! You can see the award winning spots by clicking the links below:<br />
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Charitable / Not For Profit, "<a href="https://vimeo.com/38590772">Go Out For A Run</a>"<br />
for the GO FAR Club with <a href="http://www.wattsideas.com/">Watts Communications</a><br />
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Cinematography, "<a href="https://vimeo.com/28768847">Sam the Flim Flam Man</a>"<br />
with <a href="http://www.gforcemarketinginc.com/">G-Force Marketing Solutions</a><br />
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Cinematography, "<a href="https://vimeo.com/37975080">Taniya Nayak - Mohawk Flooring</a>"<br />
with <a href="http://www.asv.com/">ASV Productions</a><br />
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Cinematography, "<a href="https://vimeo.com/38021728">Santa Letters</a>"<br />
with <a href="http://www.gforcemarketinginc.com/">G-Force Marketing Solutions</a><br />
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We want to thank our good friends and colleagues who worked with us on these projects. They were all team efforts!Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-4594342804883733172012-05-08T10:44:00.000-04:002012-05-08T10:44:17.515-04:00New Showreel for 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Come view our new showreel on <a href="http://vimeo.com/36082859">Vimeo</a>! It's an
exciting collection of the wide variety of work we've been
up to recently. Then browse our <a href="http://www.markwagoner.com/">website</a> for more
in depth samples.Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-23818636548496437902011-12-21T12:31:00.000-05:002011-12-21T12:31:49.437-05:00Holiday Memories & Giveaway WinnerIn our last post, we offered a giveaway of 2 lbs of coffee from <a href="http://www.carolinacoffeeroasting.net/index.html">Carolina Coffee Roasting</a>, and a delicious tin of cookies from <a href="http://www.simplyscrumptiousbakeshop.com/">Simply Scrumptious</a>. And now, we announce our winner... chosen by a <a href="http://random.org/">random number generator</a>... <b>Chris Ferguson</b>, Art Director at Pace Communications! Congratulations!<br />
Thank you to everyone who entered! We enjoyed reading about your holiday traditions & memories so much, we just had to share them with everyone. Here are a few of our favorites. <br />
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Happy Holidays & Best Wishes for the New Year!<br />
- Mark</b><br />
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<b>From our winner, Chris Ferguson:</b><br />
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of my favorite holiday treats is something my wife makes (passed down from her mother): Crème de Menthe bars!</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhsgEN7NsGzfikRxBXxNI7xSUPpK8AG9OtpWG6cFTRCD1grFZN6cU2z8eNdXq9Z0HxXTqhOZd4WHkJmYl0mpBu5vnWRK9YPm2mfunAWeTb2lAsSquj83W0gKxJe0KgLj2kUoc7GZxqNA/s1600/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhsgEN7NsGzfikRxBXxNI7xSUPpK8AG9OtpWG6cFTRCD1grFZN6cU2z8eNdXq9Z0HxXTqhOZd4WHkJmYl0mpBu5vnWRK9YPm2mfunAWeTb2lAsSquj83W0gKxJe0KgLj2kUoc7GZxqNA/s200/image.png" width="155" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>From Banu Valladares:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don’t drink coffee or eat cookies (I have dairy and gluten allergies) but love the smells of those two, particularly in the holiday season. In Venezuela, we didn’t bake. I was introduced to the joy of holiday cookie eating and later baking after I married Jay. His mom made a fantastic “monkey bread” – carrot bread that she’d bake in a tin can…. It was the most fantastic thing in the world – moist, sweet…. And then, a stay-at-home neighbor who baked and gifted sparked the spirit in me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In Venezuela, we make a traditional meal starting in early December – hallacas. They’re like tamales, but wrapped in banana tree leaves and stuffed with a stew made with chicken, pork and beef, as well as raisins, almonds, pickled veggies, bacon…. We made hundreds of these that we’d eat throughout the month until the day the kings arrived (Epiphany in January).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Making hallacas was a family affair. The elders took care of the guizo (stew) and making the dough. These required huge bats. I remember my grandma sticking her arm all the way to her elbow in a bat to knead the white corn dough mixed with annatto and oil for these. The youngest kids were responsible for “curing” the banana tree leaves – using the same combination of annatto and oil to clean and soften them so they could be pliable enough to wrap. The grown ups would then add a bit of dough to each cured leaf, flatten it and add the stew. The little ones could then add little bits of all the other ingredients and, as they got older, wrap the hallaca, reinforce it with a faja (a thin strip of leaf where there might be a tear to keep the stuffing from falling out) and tie them the way you wrap a Christmas gift except crossing over twice. Then, the elders would boil them twice and stuff the bottom shelves of our refrigerator as well as the drawers until they were all gone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">We never tired of eating hallacas, maybe because of the time we spent together making them, maybe because we only ate them in December while the gaitas and aguinaldos played all day and the fireworks lit up the nights.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>From Terri Beam:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Every year since I can remember, my family has attended the Moravian Love Feast service in the afternoon around 4:00 on Christmas Eve. We have visited more than one particular Moravian Church over the years. Many times our church selection was driven by friends or family that may help serve and present the unique services of the Love Feast or by those that sing in the choir, as my only surviving Aunt does now. The service is beautiful, touching and invites much congregation involvement. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: small;">Regardless of your religious preferences, everyone is invited to attend these worship services all over the city of Winston-Salem, in what seems like every Moravian church (of which there are many.) Yes, the minister/pastor delivers a sermon, the choir sings Christmas anthems, but the congregation practically guides the service in their participation in sharing and receiving a cup of hot coffee in a hefty mug, a delicious Moravian Love Feast bun (baked by Old Salem, Dewey's or local food artisans) and a lighted candle to be held high in exultation of Jesus Christ's' birth at the very end of the service. There is an adult choir, a hand bell choir and a children's choir, all of which deliver sweet hymns that bring Christmas into my heart every year. There is something very special about entering that church, sitting with my family, waving to friends, trying to get my aunt to laugh out loud while she sits and faces the entire congregation that brings merriment to my heart.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: small;">It is usually tough to stifle a laugh more than once as my Mother and I sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" since we have our own way of raising our voices at offbeat times. When the buns and coffee are received by all the congregation and choir, we must all sit quietly and wait until the minister takes his first bite or sip and then we may begin our Love feast portion of food. Several people choose to balance their bun on top of their coffee mug to keep their coffee warm prior to partaking of the tasty meal. My boys and I always smile as we wait for buns to topple down the aisle with one sneeze or cough! Miss Mannerly, that my Mother is, usually comments on how one or another person is eating their bun "incorrectly" or started eating prior to the minister's signal to begin. Oh my gosh, another opportunity for me and my sister to laugh and shake the row of seats in doing so. Mother's will be Mother's but church will never be church without a little bit of laughter from MY family!</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: small;">I have lived out of state several times, once in Boston and another in Chicago, but I always came home for Christmas and attend the Love Feast service with my family as Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the Moravian Love Feast and I will cherish all my memories there for the rest of my life. </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div>Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-87696750764240219862011-12-14T18:52:00.002-05:002011-12-15T08:29:09.733-05:00Home for the Holidays... in the Studio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuc76I13H3Ac9AXeph3PkJS5JqfRkin357vA_xebsMe5zCyCd6IHRd9jIvInnabc2d8RPKa9q0vIVUT5x68FGLgOQPGVfC48nxKzOuq5e0vWOSAj0SKGDYTg-NuNKAB63sNYNgcnDgIo/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuc76I13H3Ac9AXeph3PkJS5JqfRkin357vA_xebsMe5zCyCd6IHRd9jIvInnabc2d8RPKa9q0vIVUT5x68FGLgOQPGVfC48nxKzOuq5e0vWOSAj0SKGDYTg-NuNKAB63sNYNgcnDgIo/s400/collage.jpg" width="385" /></a></div><br />
One of the things we love about preparing for the holidays is the opportunity to bring the comforts of home into the studio. Freshly baked cookies, a cup of hot coffee on a cold winter morning, having these delights as subjects for our still photography take us to a happy place this time of year. <br />
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We've been especially fortunate recently to have two of our studio neighbors work with us on some delicious projects. Julie Watson of <a href="http://www.simplyscrumptiousbakeshop.com/">Simply Scrumptious</a> created a variety of Christmas and classic cookies for us to photograph. Julie makes amazing cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, truffles, etc. for any occasion, and from locally sourced ingredients. Candy Azarcon at the <a href="http://www.carolinacoffeeroasting.net/index.html">Carolina Coffee Roasting Company</a> has provided fresh and roasted coffee beans for shoots, but also keeps the studio caffeinated with our own special studio blend that she helped create. Their coffee is roasted in small batches and freshly ground in their shop just around the corner. Sometimes we can even smell the coffee roasting from our front door! <br />
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We love being able to work with and support our small business neighbors and friends, so we'd like to share their talents with you by having a giveaway! The winner will receive 1 lb. of the MWP Studio Blend (a lovely mix of Columbian and Guatemalan organic coffees) and 1 lb. of Jamaican Blue Mountain from Carolina Coffee Roasting, plus a delicious tin of cookies from Simply Scrumptious. Just reply to this email to enter, or leave a comment on our blog! The winner will be selected at random from the replies. (Tell us a really good story about a favorite holiday treat, and we'll give you 2 entries! ;)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmp_KZVgyVe0u6sRapU_Yk4bIBM0bR8GXyml93Q2HbRiOgqyVmzFxnPaGQumRLTgAzInKOqK3tzZm_nwZJHCzmpjFYVvbVkC6kv_Z-5ogX3BWFWJn4QLn0eptQMBT4LmotRn9YZ3Tace0/s1600/Coffee+Pour+Spill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmp_KZVgyVe0u6sRapU_Yk4bIBM0bR8GXyml93Q2HbRiOgqyVmzFxnPaGQumRLTgAzInKOqK3tzZm_nwZJHCzmpjFYVvbVkC6kv_Z-5ogX3BWFWJn4QLn0eptQMBT4LmotRn9YZ3Tace0/s320/Coffee+Pour+Spill.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br />
Wishing you and yours holidays that runneth over with all that is wonderful!Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-8931525449924178142011-11-15T16:31:00.003-05:002011-11-16T12:02:00.273-05:00Time, something to toy with.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyV_AUQAl8OxFbljWHTJWCSbb9evC4HzAfa-VyvupZQoJAWw8LLDWMmNEWmqJ3jbyQoOtd5lQv4ernWr35quA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our new Time Showreel</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Time affects us in many ways, we run our life by it, music is based on time, we mark its passage with rites and ceremonies, and yet the main way that we tend to think about time is based on divisions interpreted by people. It is amazing to me that something that is so abstract and untouchable can be used by us all each day, divided up, possessed by us, then bought and sold.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>I became interested in using time as a way to express emotion with photography while still in high school. My friends and I were doing these large, hours-long exposures with flares, big flashlights, boats... well, needless to say they were big productions for a bunch of high schoolers. This experimentation continued in college with things like running a roll of 35mm film all the way to the end, then opening the shutter and rewinding the film to expose it, then contact printing the result.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4nBJCq4GYgNKYeAtK3NHa21NgKUjF1yScGqFvBiKR3826eZ5g9Z6Tkn9ORfxDYL-eCwRV1gcW6_d5rxWih3d58o7cmeoEr_7Lsq1l2Qz83yrKeW4GFW9nz-5XARMKVkTFkxiNl_iBNo/s1600/Suzy+with+candle+RSH+img007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4nBJCq4GYgNKYeAtK3NHa21NgKUjF1yScGqFvBiKR3826eZ5g9Z6Tkn9ORfxDYL-eCwRV1gcW6_d5rxWih3d58o7cmeoEr_7Lsq1l2Qz83yrKeW4GFW9nz-5XARMKVkTFkxiNl_iBNo/s320/Suzy+with+candle+RSH+img007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of my first experiments with long exposures. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is 2 o'clock in the morning at Reidsville Senior High.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Believe it or not but the photo guys had a key to the school.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Since those days I have worked with time-lapse, fast motion, stop motion, frozen moments in time, and motion blur to change how we think about time. My interest has three facets:<br />
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1. The technical challenge of getting all the gear dialed in just right, and planning the performance or action. This is the fun of the moment.<br />
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2. The visual appeal of how the image looks. If done well, we go beyond a gimmick to something that holds up over time.<br />
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3. The emotion - when used in the right context, time is a meaningful story telling element. You have to use the right technique at the right time to make it effective.<br />
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All three of these elements take years to learn how to use correctly, and getting them to work together can be difficult. Sometimes it just does not work, but other times when you place one into an edit and add the music, it can seem magical. That is when you forget about sitting in the cold for five hours, the dead battery at the wrong time, and the never ending purchase of hard drives!<br />
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I don't understand time, I just hope I have some more of it to play with!Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-65807830132598431092011-07-12T11:51:00.000-04:002011-07-12T11:51:34.224-04:00Case Study: Eastern Music Festival<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4jnGr011gujp0M3BXZ_jKKnZuxMgbNnrFt6AyuwRsxkwN1BcK9x_u1ab7K13opmb0vyqHSh3Ug0HPSz2p7I9L5phbZNHtBqmjKqjuP2UJtcmOFVm7JiM79Dc6zk1fIng0kTJRK-iXWE/s1600/Schwarz.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628491093094217794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4jnGr011gujp0M3BXZ_jKKnZuxMgbNnrFt6AyuwRsxkwN1BcK9x_u1ab7K13opmb0vyqHSh3Ug0HPSz2p7I9L5phbZNHtBqmjKqjuP2UJtcmOFVm7JiM79Dc6zk1fIng0kTJRK-iXWE/s400/Schwarz.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Each summer, the Eastern Music Festival brings students from around the world to Greensboro to study with outstanding professional musicians in classical music. In addition to classical performances, EMF offers events in a variety of musical styles, through EMF Fringe, Jazz & Blues and Kids programs. As the Eastern Music Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary season, we thought it appropriate to celebrate our partnership with the festival.<br />
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Mark has always loved live music, both as a listener and a performer. So it was natural that he had an interest in documenting and promoting this unique musical event. For 15 years, Mark has contributed to EMF by photographing classes, students and performances for use on <a href="http://www.easternmusicfestival.org/">EMF's website</a> and print pieces. He has worked closely with Director of Education Nana Wolfe-Hill to cover the events and people EMF wanted to highlight in their promotions.<i><span style="font-family: "";"><br />
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</span></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8og-mH4aV_Da7zcl7WHXECFimL8-Pcri5HG6t1C3NYTedLpjUw3psedBk8dh48LR8_WUf-HgX_OHgWYXwlAECqEZUyP9Vmve46JzQzME61fymsKYWsxWi4Wy14nbQgbbcu5r53rY1G4/s1600/EMF-1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628493177607765474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8og-mH4aV_Da7zcl7WHXECFimL8-Pcri5HG6t1C3NYTedLpjUw3psedBk8dh48LR8_WUf-HgX_OHgWYXwlAECqEZUyP9Vmve46JzQzME61fymsKYWsxWi4Wy14nbQgbbcu5r53rY1G4/s400/EMF-1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 101px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "";"><br />
Mark Wagoner is creative, talented, and professional. He has been working with Eastern Music Festival since 1996 and brings innovative and thoughtful ideas to our team. He has initiated several projects to help promote our Festival and follows through with each one, working with us during each stage so that the final product is just what we need. Mark goes “above and beyond” for EMF and we are deeply grateful for his commitment.<br />
~Nana Wolfe-Hill, Director of Education</span></i><br />
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In addition to still photography, Mark has created multiple videos documenting and promoting EMF. In 2009, Mark proposed that these short films could became the foundation of EMF TV, a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/EMFGreensboro#p/a/u/1/RJGxcD52iMY">YouTube</a> channel dedicated to videos featuring Music Director Gerard Schwarz and other students and staff of the festival. Through this venue, the public and EMF donors get a closer look at the amazing experience the festival offers to young musicians.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVY9e65kNKeM59IB5bH3JX7cJQYSmD9M7N7PdYcEXh17DRx_837iB8hfZqNP1LRQ1EazZbkRrxUydNxKrLmoyO6G5bcDaV3kqdKlKjmP014HmbPBNQc1SIAm1ObfrENWuQHJObqULoKC4/s1600/EMF-2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628491528572811890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVY9e65kNKeM59IB5bH3JX7cJQYSmD9M7N7PdYcEXh17DRx_837iB8hfZqNP1LRQ1EazZbkRrxUydNxKrLmoyO6G5bcDaV3kqdKlKjmP014HmbPBNQc1SIAm1ObfrENWuQHJObqULoKC4/s400/EMF-2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 138px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
One other fun note - Mark once performed at EMF, as part of an ensemble of drummers performing traditional African music!<br />
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This summer, the Eastern Music Festival continues until July 30. Visit their website for a <a href="http://www.easternmusicfestival.org/schedule-2011.php">schedule</a> of the many different events, and to <a href="http://www.easternmusicfestival.org/tickets.php">purchase tickets</a> online! Please visit our website to see more of Mark's video production and photography: <a href="http://www.markwagoner.com/">www.markwagoner.com</a>.Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-33067508352636866582011-06-03T14:51:00.006-04:002011-06-04T12:43:15.386-04:00Father's Day 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.propertopper.com/wordpress/?p=6771"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJjx21LWhUbABn5zBJUFDGA2bZXJL4yYITpgSKMNt0vuJoG7Zmyg1xYyFFWshpOSxCB2KzmnJKh1vCkPsdmi9RQCP_G9srBvEfk6lAWw7IkCxCWBDJk4pFAZ0jS4akUalX5J7-p77XcA/s320/lauren1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614189629747422962" border="0" /></a><br />I had the nicest surprise last night, I received an email from my daughter Lauren with a link in it. On opening it, I saw a lovely photo of the two of us in DC where she now lives; the photo was shot by my talented wife Lynn. Well, then I read the text with the photo and was overwhelmed with emotion. It was the nicest thing about me that she wrote for a blog about Father's Day.<br /><br />It is a very special thing to find out the effect you have had on your child. I guess it would be safe to say I really had no idea she felt this way.<br /><br />Wishing all my fellow Dads a happy Father's Day, here is the article, reposted from Propper Topper's <a href="http://www.propertopper.com/wordpress/?p=6771">wonders never cease</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i>“If I had to describe my dad in only a few words, I would say he is worldly, goofy, and passionate.”</i> </span></span></span></span></span><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i><b>Just HOW worldly, we wonder?</b></i><br />As a professional photographer for over 30 years (and still going strong!), he has had a chance to travel or live in over 25 countries. As a result, I grew up in a household full of culture. He (yes, my dad is the main cook in my family!) would only cook different ethnic foods for dinner EVERY night. It got to the point where I would beg my mother to take me to the “plain restaurant” as I called it, a cafeteria down the street which served mashed potatoes, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and chicken—all the “normal” dinner foods that I knew my friends were eating with their families. Looking back on this now, I am so grateful that I was introduced to ethnic cuisine at an early age. Now, when I am going out to dinner, I almost always pick to go to an Indian, Thai, or Greek restaurant, and when I do get to go home to North Carolina I make sure to ask my dad to prepare me a Mediterranean style meal (my favorite in his repertoire!!). I can definitely say that I owe my appreciation of different cultures and love of travel to him and when I have children of my own I hope to be able to spread this appreciation on to them. </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCxMAE8p3ZnnsvC8tsMbhANqCpZCHM7CV7j2lw-B8nWeyNoUyLZZ2457KJqfSC0oqeIaLZ-eoM_s2mBquBiudTj4vynhe4tFTJNb0xvdDpJjU-F2-HUbWsoJMYk0Vnxs8SZM3G-LadIQ/s1600/thaifood.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCxMAE8p3ZnnsvC8tsMbhANqCpZCHM7CV7j2lw-B8nWeyNoUyLZZ2457KJqfSC0oqeIaLZ-eoM_s2mBquBiudTj4vynhe4tFTJNb0xvdDpJjU-F2-HUbWsoJMYk0Vnxs8SZM3G-LadIQ/s320/thaifood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614406039737039618" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i><b>And the goofy part?</b></i><br />My dad is quite the jokester. He would make jokes with random strangers in stores, waitresses at restaurants, and anyone who would listen. Talk about trying to mortify your 13 year old daughter—I swear I thought it was his mission in life to embarrass me at all times; he definitely got a kick out of my over dramatic reactions to his shenanigans. Of course I now understand that it was all in good fun and he was not out to destroy my teenage years, and I am even grateful for the sense of humor I have picked up from him.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img src="http://www.propertopper.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/3stooges.jpg" alt="3stooges" title="3stooges" class="alignright size-full wp-image-6800" height="145" width="349" /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i><b>What about passion?</b></i><br />When my dad gets interested in something or starts a project, he goes all in. I would say that this is one of his most admirable traits. He became interested in photography when he was 5 years old, and he has never looked back. This is what he studied in college, and he now owns a very successful photography and videography business (<a href="http://markwagoner.com/">Mark Wagoner Productions</a>). I always point out his work to my friends when we are in public because it makes me so proud! I mean, when you drive on the highway and see a billboard with a photograph your dad took or when you are in Barnes and Noble and see books his photographs are in, it feels pretty cool! His passion is not just in his work though, it shows through in everything he does.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img src="http://www.propertopper.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/oldcamera-300x199.jpg" alt="oldcamera" title="oldcamera" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6801" height="199" width="300" /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i><b>What is a gift possibility, this year? (Mr. Wagoner: CLOSE YOUR EYES!)</b></i><br />I have been waiting for an excuse to buy my dad <a href="http://www.propertopper.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product3500.html">Strange Maps</a> by Frank Jacobs because I think it will appeal to both his goofy and worldly sides. I think Father’s Day will be the perfect excuse! </span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:1.5;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><i><b>What would you do with your father on June 19, if you had the whole day to spend with him?</b></i><br />I’m lucky that this year I actually will be with my dad on Father’s Day. We haven’t determined whether he is coming up to DC or if I am going down to North Carolina, but for the first time in several years we will be in the same place! If we are in DC, we will probably go to a nice brunch and then go to a museum of his choosing. If I go down to visit him, I will definitely be cooking breakfast for him and then we would maybe go for a hike with the dog and/or a movie, obviously his pick! I haven’t seen him in several months, so I am counting down the days!</span></span></span></span></span></p>Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-84534219368758582362011-01-05T16:20:00.006-05:002011-01-06T11:12:48.997-05:00Slinkyness<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dylnX03huRJcFvi1MzXx--oWmgclcuz59Zq4U8Mc0fecyx-Cz3DXRYCBvfaOC5HKs_2vw43iVHjoadP0KIstQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />This iconic toy was invented by a naval engineer named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_T._James" title="Richard T. James">Richard James</a> in the early 1940s and first sold at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimbels" title="Gimbels">Gimbels</a> department store in November of 1945. I loved having a new slinky when I was young and it was great fun, as long as you could keep it from getting twisted.<br /><br />While I was on a prop search for another project this past summer, I saw Slinkys for sale in a store, and I could not resist getting one. OK, I went back for a second one (to have as a spare in case of a kink, of course). I had this idea of shooting it in slow motion and crawling across a flat surface. After a bit of mental problem solving and design time, followed by a few hours of shooting, here is our little short visual experiment called "Slinky".Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-13180077263096253482010-12-15T15:01:00.021-05:002010-12-21T10:14:57.524-05:00Hanging Lights<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMNgtE-7I7HYGAI8r2kAlj0dfOK5ZRhMKC5qQ53MxQ7hebcv_xvA0v5ehcocxtPZ3cfjJsGXIKLVG5ljjrfcj9hSIo36Pei7OTXNSo1FRUoeTOa0gk8iNO1ZX9qccSo4joE6VKhcC4qI/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 355px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMNgtE-7I7HYGAI8r2kAlj0dfOK5ZRhMKC5qQ53MxQ7hebcv_xvA0v5ehcocxtPZ3cfjJsGXIKLVG5ljjrfcj9hSIo36Pei7OTXNSo1FRUoeTOa0gk8iNO1ZX9qccSo4joE6VKhcC4qI/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552588547713452850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Electricians Wayne and Charles hang lights, 1975. I am glad I shot these photos.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> For many years my Dad, Raymond Wagoner, Sr., and his business, Wagoner Electric Company, would hang the downtown Christmas decorations for the City of Reidsville, North Carolina. Imagine long strings of lights on gold and silver tinsel that were strung from the street lights back and forth across Scales Street. Giant red bells with lights in them hung from the strands over the middle of the road.<br /><br />Now for me, this was a major event in my calendar of cool things. On the big day I would wait with as little patience as one can imagine to get out of school and go downtown. I would get to help in any way that I was able, depending on my age at the time. When I was very young, that meant tagging along when my father went for coffee, but in time I was handing lights or tools up to the men on the ladders. By the time I got to high school I would work on the ladder myself, which proved to to good training for my career.<br /><br /><div> The other part of the job that was great fun and seemed at the time to carry a great deal of importance happened a week or two before the light hanging day. We would go up into a warehouse space that was over Davis Pharmacy to test all of the bulbs, and replace the ones that were burned out. OK, I know it does not sound like much, but trust me, it was big fun. See, it involved getting to bust the old light bulbs! Oh, and when you changed a bulb, if you got the aluminum tinsel into the socket (by accident, of course) the bulb exploded - like I said, big fun.<br /><br /></div><div><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE3qyViF0pHLkS0b5DoDX-Am2OT-qrzVktp5kxrjOxA_nAVdRwg8U9_9CorA24ClEChtyOF2P_OX4ThElL6E438-rvZVpIorsIUcQaRXdgxVLaYevswpb4mWhg-P9aqmav3YmVPrdQQU/s320/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551381378979148194" border="0" /></div><div> Around 1970, the Chamber of Commerce made a major change in the Christmas lighting plan for Reidsville. They decided to go modern and replaced the old gold and silver strands that were strung across the street with these "things" that just hung on the poles of the street lights. Heresy I say!<br /><br /> I do not know how many years my father's company did this job, it started before I came along and ended after I had moved away from Reidsville, but it always gave me a sense of pride that my father was asked to oversee what seemed like such an important task for my home town. These are moments that I cherish and will always remember.<br /></div>Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-30947124154546635102010-12-09T12:10:00.010-05:002010-12-09T16:29:44.241-05:00Christmas Magic... behind the scenesIn the beginning, there was an idea. Mark had an idea for a scene of an enchanted forest, perhaps at dusk or in the evening. Over the course of several months, three days of shooting, 720 still photographs, and 500 snowflakes, this idea developed in to "Christmas Magic," a stop-action animated short that we are very excited to share. We were pleased to have Natalie Jester and Kelly Swanson at Ink Production Services collaborate with us, and you can see their artistic touch throughout. You can see the video on our <a href="http://blip.tv/file/4485037">Blip.tv channel</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzAO3clN5e6gjzJ8yRVt0k0KlwItaZ40Uw72awGIgOMb6nZONxw1dFVTLMjqBmEbliOj26d7es77hmElxxwwy_bcydDpnGVT_gv0BoMWvoNZn0w4lZFC8aR1TdB565wn9jBMAuR0-Fws/s1600/tree.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzAO3clN5e6gjzJ8yRVt0k0KlwItaZ40Uw72awGIgOMb6nZONxw1dFVTLMjqBmEbliOj26d7es77hmElxxwwy_bcydDpnGVT_gv0BoMWvoNZn0w4lZFC8aR1TdB565wn9jBMAuR0-Fws/s320/tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548763765384256050" border="0" /></a>Although the final product is only one minute and 30 seconds long, months of research and planning went into creating this piece. One of the most difficult parts was finding the right elements for the scene. Trees from model train sets and miniature villages were tested for size and shape. Also, arranging the trees to create the perspective of depth in the forest took careful planning. The snowflakes in the scene were arranged on three different planes, also to give the illusion of distance. Finding tiny decorations to fit our hero tree was another challenge. Eventually, lights and ornaments intended for a dollhouse Christmas tree were located. (and the transformer required to provide electricity for them, without burning down the studio!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0V4rytval3GOSXaxp_BkbtGfZ2-acVHQYa6a9ndzCR7D9c5LQa6nmyJH5y93V3OvUof8Jh94kmnbnzyzLBbYwqfgYRG5iRpma39uRev3TWrHllt2XIZuXHzJNNVX0PMZcvnBr-952sUA/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0V4rytval3GOSXaxp_BkbtGfZ2-acVHQYa6a9ndzCR7D9c5LQa6nmyJH5y93V3OvUof8Jh94kmnbnzyzLBbYwqfgYRG5iRpma39uRev3TWrHllt2XIZuXHzJNNVX0PMZcvnBr-952sUA/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548795562664895282" border="0" /></a>Finally, our deer was assembled by Kelly and Natalie, with articulated joints to let him walk, jump, angle his head to look at the tree, and of course, wiggle his ears and tail!<br /><br />We hope you enjoy viewing the final result as much as we did creating it!Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619790454957052319.post-35886419476343832922010-12-09T11:59:00.015-05:002010-12-09T16:30:52.864-05:00Letters to Santa... behind the scenes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYasySTninudGOTXToYWw76YkG7_FQU731DLRvx1YePyek0Y63uak6Rp95kkGt_wLYOheyNsZ4HliVwXiLX5qq8u5keBmr_YV4rRRjbuSiKMTPVnuUBVVurFfnetUKYaSAMjarOuG46EE/s1600/santa-5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYasySTninudGOTXToYWw76YkG7_FQU731DLRvx1YePyek0Y63uak6Rp95kkGt_wLYOheyNsZ4HliVwXiLX5qq8u5keBmr_YV4rRRjbuSiKMTPVnuUBVVurFfnetUKYaSAMjarOuG46EE/s320/santa-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548760048002523506" border="0" /></a>"Letters to Santa" includes footage shot for a series of commercials with our friends at G-Force Marketing. Mark wanted the results to show "classically beautiful lighting and camera movement" to give it a traditional, yet timeless, feel. He re-cut the footage to showcase the results into this short film, which can be viewed on our <a href="http://blip.tv/file/4484565">Blip.tv channel</a>. Here are a few production stills from the shoot, showing all the work it takes to make something look natural and effortless!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6_2LuK3h8TfaCmeTNUTOzVWtRCQS-NTQjqBJHEME_nn-4d4GLfu1yGEo8s2Dd8V7NTc8t08L4GQXcm74P1ETrMzy51Rub3eJ8vWYdaI2wJLjTs6jjyTLdvWOpIU0J1Z_l7hlImUDpwg/s1600/santa-4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6_2LuK3h8TfaCmeTNUTOzVWtRCQS-NTQjqBJHEME_nn-4d4GLfu1yGEo8s2Dd8V7NTc8t08L4GQXcm74P1ETrMzy51Rub3eJ8vWYdaI2wJLjTs6jjyTLdvWOpIU0J1Z_l7hlImUDpwg/s320/santa-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548730397178719330" border="0" /></a>Mark shot the film using the Letus camera attachment, which combines still camera lenses with the video camera. This allowed for the shallow depth of field and critical focus pulls that give the video a very intimate feel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKAuixyX_PVVc2N2V4v_xAgo5KiiE4S_HoaDbEr2d1mwyEGfc8hKVdg8IpsN4XjsbGEfOxq_kJQfvNYLQCnYPpHQS21vXy1FSb4XJLahPGuZYCB14UKidyVqbBo5SLiFTEErAsrO8kGE/s1600/santa-6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKAuixyX_PVVc2N2V4v_xAgo5KiiE4S_HoaDbEr2d1mwyEGfc8hKVdg8IpsN4XjsbGEfOxq_kJQfvNYLQCnYPpHQS21vXy1FSb4XJLahPGuZYCB14UKidyVqbBo5SLiFTEErAsrO8kGE/s320/santa-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548762498511048674" border="0" /></a>The crew rented a real, lived-in home for the day, rather than build a set, for a variety of realistic environments. It made it a tight squeeze for the dolly and track, but they were necessary for the camera motion that contributed to the classic look.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7g4jOnfxUpNjaTirfc9aOXAHuUxYk3_t2TiI8QQp-OkzyfpYEjZW1THR43bpoKZi3C6xEojDBCaAleYdog3B2_OmDWv5txRLxoe0AeuaGkQVTqqMeK9p8mrhThS4XPp4dptpQMJ9etk/s1600/santa-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7g4jOnfxUpNjaTirfc9aOXAHuUxYk3_t2TiI8QQp-OkzyfpYEjZW1THR43bpoKZi3C6xEojDBCaAleYdog3B2_OmDWv5txRLxoe0AeuaGkQVTqqMeK9p8mrhThS4XPp4dptpQMJ9etk/s320/santa-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548730852601325794" border="0" /></a>Actors don't always appreciate the time it takes to get everything set just right... But we think it's all worth it in the final film!Mark Wagonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16175883941121483885noreply@blogger.com0