Production requires flexibility and a creative mind. Not everybody can withstand the scrutiny as well as the pressure from the “hurry-up-and-wait” fluency into making a commercial appealing. Hurry getting the trucks into place where the producer wants them, then wait for the production to create an enthusiastic message that makes you need a new car. In context, after watching endless Vince Bloom car commercials, it is imperative to maneuver around little minor obstacles and finally wait for the perfect outcome. Vince Bloom always portrays himself as a unique character. He incorporates the environment around him into the commercial such as the man of mystery, “Bloom, Vince, Bloom” or utilizing an aloha shirt to “glow with deals”.

Although, producing a sufficient media clip requires many tenacious employees. One cannot sit on their hands waiting for the producer’s orders. I noticed Chelsea always communicated with the crew but instinctively knew exactly what the cameraman wanted. She maintained a high amount of gumption from the second she arrived on set to the end of the day. During the Dodge shoot she suggested ideas, read the minds of the talent and the agency, and retrieved necessities for the crew to use such as sandbags or water bottles. I was astonished and I tried to keep up with her. Throughout the shoot my goal was to be like her. Her natural quick reflexes outwitted my caffeine heightened mind. When we were told to pull the shirt off of Vince Bloom, it took a few takes until our timing became perfect. This gave me an incentive that—one day—I can be like her. She is quiet, sufficient, reliable, and the most effective production assistant any producer can ask for. Chelsea is the picture perfect mentor for all production assistants. 

The Subaru and Dodge shoot gave me more experience and knowledge. I realized the skills I need to develop are how to deal with conundrums on set and in post production. Producing commercials is not about the money, it’s about art and passion. Producers and cameramen are willing to suffer through all-nighters editing a thirty second commercial, able to negotiate with every detail and problem-solve any off-set nuisances in order to create a masterpiece. I highly respect and am grateful to work with people who love every second of their job. In the future I hope to become as sufficient yet loving as the crew I am interning with this summer. 

The art, qualifications, and mentors construct the epitome of commercial videos. Without the love and a critical eye, videos today would flounder into a sea of boring bland factory made television. I was presented a curriculum so that I can integrate work with fun. One of the interesting methods taught to me is ‘word-of-the-day’. It sounds elementary but when was the last time you used the word ‘gumption’? It sounds educated; it helps me communicate and makes my writing more fascinating. In the past week I learned context, tenacious, gumption, conundrum and brevity. One of the things I need to work on is brevity, trying to make a simple task stay short and apt. The ‘word-of-the-day’ gives me the opportunity to omit needless words and improve on my weakness. I look forward to what Christensen Media has in store for me in the future.  

[Ariel studies French at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and will be an exchange student in Paris by the end of Summer. She chose to intern with Christensen Media in the mean time to better her skills in media production.]  

   On June 11, 2014, I was lucky enough to work with one of the highly respected photography and videography production companies in Sacramento, CA. --Cmediapost.  After Google Maps lead me through a maze of directions I finally got to their location in the nick of time. Once I got there, John Christensen, the founder of Christensen Media, not only showed me what he was doing but he also included a brief description and threw out a few vocabulary words for me to remember. He enters the garage and I follow behind, at this point I knew it was "go time". Unloading and packing equipment for the photo shoot wasn't as daunting and difficult as I thought. He gracefully gave me instructions such as “this is a softbox-light put this in the cab on the right side directly behind your seat”. It was simple yet specific. Everything had its place in the car. We packed all the necessarily equipment like a game of Tetris and made way towards the dentist office where the photo shoot took place.

Arriving at the office, I was ready to go. Tell me what to do and I will put all of three photo posts, two bags, and sand bags in the office in under thirty seconds. John had me slow down and think what kind of post was it? What was its purpose in life? And learning why it is called a C-stand. I felt like a ball-obsessed dog stuck on a leash while tennis balls were being thrown. It was beneficial though because how can a successful crew member communicate with each other if they don’t know the terms or the basic knowledge? I quickly stopped my overactive mind and came to terms the beneficial reasons. As we set-up the photo shoot, there was an odd although positive energy in the room. Everyone seemed to be at ease. There was no fuss between the photographer and the dentist staff, everything flowed. Even the most recognized and highly respect dentist (Dr. Binon) began talking about my future endeavors in Paris, which I'll be studying at by the end of Summer. While holding the reflector that was gargantuan, it struck me how personal and passionate John is. This man not only takes your photo but he develops a foundation of relationships amongst his clientele. He wants to create an ambiance full of laughter and creativity yet stay on task and get the job done. I thought to myself, “Here are two passionate men interacting during what normally is a stressful photo shoot but they're laughing showing each their accomplishments. How lucky am I to work with a cameraman who is passionate about his work but also invests enough care with his clients so that they become a friend rather than a stranger.” The photo shoot ended with happy faces and attitudes. I was also a happy intern with a happy attitude as well.

The first lesson learned on the first day was rapport. The well-established relationship and care John gives to each of his clients. The positive charismatic words of encouragement to his crew members and the people he is shooting. How astonishing to maintain a foundation of relationships and trust with clients and coworkers. I am lucky to work with a well-respected production company, and I cannot wait until the next shoot on Friday.


[Ariel studies French at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and will be an exchange student in Paris by the end of Summer. She chose to intern with Christensen Media in the mean time to better her skills in media production.]   

The Emmy’s, the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Spirit. The Tony, the ESPY, the Gotham and the Governors Awards too…. Whew! That’s a mouth full! And that’s not all of them in this Award Season.

We have heard about all of these awards for decades and have watched the spectacles of each award show feverishly. We simply can’t turn away as we watch the super talents in film, fashion, & sports make their way onto our television and take us out of our day to day life. Even in between these shows, we are given little morsels to grab at our every desire or need as we anxiously await to see who won in the upcoming category when the award show returns.  These 5, 15, 30, even 60 second commercials are very much a part of the entertainment taking place. And yet, they are often overlooked as a creative force.

 There is one award that fits nicely amongst the heavy hitters mentioned above. The entries do not compete against one another- rather they are judged against a high standard of merit from a panel of over 500 accomplished industry professionals.

The Telly Award.

This award has a long reputation for honoring the very best in local, regional and cable TV commercials & programs; video & film productions--as well as online commercials, videos and films. Approximately 12,000 entries are submitted per year from all 50 states and numerous countries. Less than 10% win the Silver Telly-- the highest honor. While 25% are awarded a Bronze. The winners of the Telly Award represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators & corporate video departments in the world. Quite simply, they are the best of the best.

                                                “The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video.”

                                                                                                                     Linda Day- Executive Director of the Telly Awards

John Christensen is the man behind CMedia-- an independent Sacramento video production company. With over 20 years in the industry, John is able to quickly and thoughtfully bring concepts together and communicate that back to his audience in a positive and effective way. This has gained him recognition amongst his peers and clients alike. 

Christensen Media has been entering the Telly Awards since 1997, submitting on average every other year and multiple videos at a time.  And with over 1200 commercials under his belt, he definitely has the resume to show his work.  This is not to say that CMedia was a winner each year they submitted. Some entries yielded zero results. But that did not deter John from bettering his work and submitting to the Telly Awards. He believes in what he does and in the clients he works with and a recognition of his work is a win for everyone.

To date, CMedia has won 10 Telly Awards. 1 Silver and 9 Bronze. This year they won a Bronze for the Slakey Brother’s online, company video. With John Christensen’s tenacity along with his great crew, this small company has big heart and vision, which goes a long way in video production. 

By Julia Jones
Hi again friends! I am back with another Blog post (once you start with these its really hard to stop). Today, I am going to share with you some of my favorite aspects of this job and why you should be a little jealous. First off, lunch break, on pretty much any given shoot at Christensen Media, is awesome. It’s probably because the cast and crew accomplishes quite a lot before noon and we obtain mammoth like appetites for lunch as a result. On a shoot, I usually get to look forward to some epic deli sandwiches or hot pizza deliveries. 

This Sunday is the NFC playoffs between the 49ers vs. Falcons, and it's live on KTXL Fox40. It will be a fun game to watch. However, I was called in a few days ago to produce a 5-second spot that will air during the broadcast. The spot is for one of my favorite clients, Performance Chevrolet.
What can you do and say with only 5 seconds?  Is there enough time to deliver the message? Is anyone going to see it?  All good questions and not only does the message have to be simple, but it also has to-- most of all--be effective. 
A black cloud can follow an ad agency when, after spending millions in creative production, find that the message missed it's objective. A famous TV spot can win notoriety and national awards, but research has proven that very few of these commercials were useful in identifying the actual product, thereby the entertainment outweighed the message. For instance, back in 1972, there was the famous spot that everyone would repeat over and over again because it was funny and relatable. It was a large man sitting at the dinner table moaning "I can't believe I ate that who-o-o-o-o-ole thing." It became the most used catchphrase in households and dinner parties across the country.  The problem was no one connected the ad to the product Alka Seltzer. And a few agency heads were ready to role. 
It couldn't be that much of a failure because they remade the spot in 2005 with Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts from the 1996–2005 TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. The difficulty in being eye-catchy and get results in today's media is even harder. 
How does this relate to football and only having 5 seconds to send the message to viewers that "trucks can be purchase at Performance Chevrolet?"​

I don't know, I'm a baseball fan!

Have a look anyway.       

Hi everyone! 
Ever wonder what a day on a shoot is like with Christensen Media? Well, you came to the right place to find out! My name is Julia Jones and I am a production assistant here at Christensen Media.
My responsibilities as a production assistant range from audio tracking (what I am doing on the left), coffee runs for the cast and crew (which is great for me because I am addicted to caffeine), applying make-up on the actors and clients, cue card writing, chasing cast members on a shoot to make sure they sign a waiver to appear on film and sometimes even being a extra in our local production shoots (because I am a born star, duh).

The crew at Christensen Media consists of Phil Mohr, our awesome video guy, and John Christensen producer, director and creator of his company aptly named Christensen Media!

Working at Christensen Media is a blast. Every shoot is new and exciting and I have yet to encounter a boring day! Luckily, I work with a crew who knows how to have fun and get the job done. 

Be sure to visit our Kickstarter page to see our other projects!
http://kck.st/VX8VTg

I'm back to work...
Cheers!

When I first came to Sacramento, I search for a job at two photo stores. The largest called McCurry's Cameras, and the other was a small photo store lovingly called The F-Stop. The former would not give me the time of day and the latter not only became my first employment in the area, but I ultimately became its owner a few months later.  That's right; I bought the place at the ripe age of 20. I was young, had no cash, but had quick learning skills and a burning desire to stick it to the oversize unfriendly McCurry's chain. They had 5 to 6 stores, and we were just a little shop nestled in a small shopping center. Even though we were just a spec to them, when we roared we made everyone stand up a listened. My store was the first to hold model photography workshops, the first to introduce Polaroid's instant chrome film system, and we were known for having the friendliest staff that did not embarrass you when you needed film loaded into your camera.   During the Christmas season, we offered professional Santa photo service for those who did not want to deal with the malls.  Retail is hard work and after three years I made some valuable business contacts.  While owning and operating a retail store is not for everyone. I respect those who choose to be in it. Maybe that's why I know how to make great commercials when it comes to retail. When most producers shy away from showing the front of the establishment (calling it old hat), I always show the storefront.  A lot of money goes into the facade of a business and how else are customers going to recognize it when they drove past.  My other joy was having the experience of working with a great staff. Thank you, Tom, Chari, Tim & Santa.          

Mentor and Friend

My fondest memories were working with this amazing man and mentor, many many years ago. His name was Jim Meagher, the owner of Meagher Electronics, a recording studio/electronic repair shop in Monterey, California. He also specialized in public address systems and sound installations.  I was lucky to be an intern at his establishment.  I was 15 and worked late at night tinkering with old TVs and tape machines.  He taught me the basics of electronics and great tips like what to do if you grab the hot soldering iron with your bare your hands, which happens more than you think. It was a simple trick of licking the area of contact on your skin as fast as you can, before the heat works its way deeper into the skin.

Jim was a sound engineer at the Monterey Pop Festival in ‘67 where Jimi Hendrix showcased to the world his talent. He would also tell stories of how Janis Joplin first recorded at his studio, which was always a treat to hear. We got to do many sound events at local celebrations, including great concerts featuring Cal Jader and other jazz performers.

Even though Jim was in the age of tube amplifiers and 1/4” reel-to-reel tape machines, he practiced recording methods still used today. He had a constant focus in achieving optimum results in all the work he did.  He adapted and was always in sync with the changing technology around him, as he would always say "the basics are still the basics." 

For others who knew him, they would shake their heads in agitation as Jim was a non-stop talker.  You could easily be stuck with him for hours before you had a chance to stop him.  I had to endure many of his long conversations, but I found that he was a wealth of knowledge and was always willing to explain things whenever you asked. He was a kind man, an excellent teacher and a friend. I miss him.​

Note: The photo is of us setting up our instant audio booth at the Pacific Grove Singing Christmas Tree event (1979).  We rented a small U-haul truck and parked it behind the stage while setting up until the late hours of the evening. This was normal for us.          

Wikipedia source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meagher_Electronics