Eleven model homes are going to star in their own online videos. Builder and developer Rottlund Homes has contracted with Tampa Bay production company CMR Studios to visually feature the amenities that will be shown on the Rottlund Homes corporate website. Unlike the virtual tours that are more common on real estate websites, these productions will lead viewers though the properties and showcase the high-end finishes, layout and design, using production techniques usually reserved for television commercials. The project will be shot in High Definition and the footage can be re-purposed later for TV commercials and promotional DVDs.

The Quiet Life

The client wanted to stress the portability of their oxygen generator so shot the actors in everyday locales all around the Tampa Bay area, including Lowry Park Zoo. One of the specialties of this device is that it’s FAA approved. To demonstrate this unique quality, we obtained clearance to shoot inside Tampa International Airport.

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It’s no debate that technology is taking front stage in the Presidential race. While in town for the CNN/YouTube Republican debate, Congressman Ron Paul recorded radio commercials in Iowa from the CMR Studios in St. Petersburg. For studio owner Mike Weber the event was mildly ironic. He used to work in Iowa in 1976 when such a technological feat would have been far more uncommon. “We would spend a lot of money shipping tapes overnight between studios to do this.” Weber went on to say, “If you would have mentioned YouTube back then, people would have thought you were talking about real tubes in their TV sets!”

A video production promoting participation in the foster care program for Hillsborough Kids Inc. of Tampa, Florida, presented a challenge for us. The stories were heart-wrenching and personal, but because of privacy issues they couldn’t show any of the families involved.

Unique Approach
Studio president and creative director Mike Weber presented HKI with the concept of writing a script that was the blending of several true cases into the story of one child. The treatment would be done in a form parents can relate to: a storybook. More specifically, a pop-up storybook that would become a virtual set for the six-minute video. The live action actors would be inserted into the pages using greenscreen compositing. “It seemed like a simple idea at the time” says Weber. But original artwork takes time. Ultimately CMR artists Adam Weber, Melissa Cozart, and Marina Weber devoted nearly a thousand man-hours over sixth months to producing the one of a kind book.

Local Landscape
Every page turn reveals one of eleven scenes depicting: the Tampa skyline, the University of Tampa, a house, various interior settings, Busch Gardens and Lowry Park Zoo. They each open into dimensional art that was then shot close-up in HD. All the actors that appear on camera also appear on the pages of the book, so artist Marina Weber had the job of creating their likenesses, along with a whole cast of paper extras. Dimensional background plates and animation elements add even more detail that wouldn’t be possible to physically fold in the book.

High Def Video and Special Effects
Renu Parker, General Counsel at HKI, edited the script and selected talent through Alexa Talent and Modeling to match their typical client profile. Rich Roddman directed the greenscreen shoot on the in-house CMR stage. Adam Weber handled shooting the HD footage of the pop-up book virtual set and designing unique pinpoint lighting for each scene. Page manipulation was done by Marina and Melissa.
Like puppeteers, they hid behind the book and wore green gloves so their hands could be removed from the shots later.

Post-Production
Once all the HD footage was shot, the multi-talented CMR production team changed roles again. Melissa edited the footage in Final Cut, while both she and Adam composited together all the pieces using Shake. They put the actors “in” the book, added background plates, animated elements, did color correction and color grading. Mike Weber then added a customized music track and sound effects for each scene before the final audio mix and project completion.

Award Winning Work
The HKI project was recognized for excellence with a national TELLY Award.

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This six minute special effects video for Hillsborough Kids Inc. of Tampa, Florida was the result of over a thousand man-hours of hand-crafted creativity. The concept and original art for the unique pop-up book was designed, drawn, painted and assembled by the CMR Staff prior to green screen high definition filming on our in house shooting stage and compositing to create the video.

Reducing traffic on Florida highways may be as simple as getting workers to just stay home. That’s the message Bay Area Commuter Services wants to send in a video being written and produced by CMR Studios. The High Definition project will feature on-camera talent Art Edmonds. Bay Area Commuter Services, Inc. (BACS) is one of the Florida Department of Transportation’s nine commuter assistance programs within the state. It is a private, non-profit organization founded and funded by the State of Florida Department of Transportation to promote transportation alternatives to the single-occupant vehicle in the Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties. The agency operates in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. CMR has already produced two corporate videos and a series of award winning television commercials for the transportation agency.

Your Public Adjuster

Launching a web and direct mail campaign, this Tampa client needed an informational video to educate the public about the services their profession provides, while positioning them as the experts in insurance adjusting. We wrote and produced this video. Since this is largely based on information, production planning started with extensive background research, then editing it to a reasonable length and shooting the supporting footage. Our archive of footage shot for our own stock library provided most of the dramatic scenes of destruction.

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Did You Know?

This Florida regional TV spot is all special effects. It was shot on the cyc in our infinity wall green screen studio.

Though it appears that both of the on camera talents are on stage together they are actually independent layers made possible by shooting the footage in our studio. It was then composited together seamlessly. The hardest part was getting the novice pizza thrower to catch the “pizza” in frame. (It’s really a rubber practice pizza used for training.)

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CMR Studios has been signed by Macken Products Inc. for the product launch of the GrillTamer, a newly patented gas grill accessory that eliminates food burning flare-ups. The St. Petersburg based electronic media production company will create two direct response television commercials and website video content for the device that controls grill temperature, eliminates overheating, reduces propane use and allows for better cooking. The new GrillTamer line of products also being featured includes “Grand Championship” award-winning Master Blend seasonings.

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Duratek

Shot over the course of several months, this time-lapse video shows the many benefits of building precast homes. It was designed to be a marketing tool to persuade other homebuilders a faster and safer solution to traditional wood-frame homes.

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