Visual Contact has teamed up with Biznik.com to produce a series of videos about innovative Seattle businesses. The first spotlights fast-growing custom cabinet maker Abodian, whose CEO is Jeff Bowlby.

Last December while working on a film about the Solstice, I got wind of an unusual bunch of people who ride all night long on the darkest night of the year. I knew I had to meet them. Ride organizer Joe Platzner graciously allowed us to follow him and his riders though the night. It was a great adventure, and we met some amazing people. Two of them, Greg Cox and Andy Speier, later joined our filmmaking team on June 18 and made a big contribution to our successful event coverage, which we’re currently editing into the film that will become beyondnakedfilm.com.

I cut this video to help promote their ride. Although I can’t imagine why they’d have any trouble finding anyone to join them, can you? If you’re up for the challenge, you can learn more at seattlerandonneur.org.

This short web film was commissioned by the first annual Seattle Interactive Conference. It features brief thoughts on the current state of interactive design from several of the luminary thinkers who were scheduled to speak at the conference, the first of its kind in Seattle. The video was used to promote the event to potential attendees and was also used to successfully attract additional sponsors for the event.

Seattle culinary artist Tiberio Simone combs through the forest in search of mushrooms for an unusual recipe.

Client: Eton School, Bellevue, WA

This short piece, 1.5 minutes in length, spotlights the work of Dr. Patricia Feltin, who founded Eton School in Bellevue 31 years ago. Today the school is the largest Montessori school in the Puget Sound area.

1. Concept. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” the saying goes. What is the objective of the video? Who is the audience? What type of film will be most likely to produce the results we’re after? A written script isn’t always necessary, but knowing where you’re going is vital before you start.

2. Planning. Scheduling participants, crew, and equipment can be time consuming, but it always pays off when “the day” arrives.

3. Production. Shooting itself generally involves at least two people: the cinematographer, and a sound recordist, who work in concert to produce high-quality audio that supports moving pictures.

4. Post-production. After shooting concludes, the real work of filmmaking begins: assembling the film in the editing room. Typically a first “radio edit” is made solely with audio, which provides a foundation for the story. Then, visuals are added, followed by transitions. Music is often added as the last step in this process, although it sometimes goes in much earlier. It’s important to note that music can add significant cost to a project, depending on choice of music. But inexpensive alternatives are widely available. Finally, color correction is applied, to make it all pop off the screen.

5. Delivery. When a completed draft of the film is ready, the filmmakers present it to the client. If the client loves it, the project is finished. But usually there is one round of changes requested at this stage by the client. After these changes have been made, the video is complete, and the client receives a full HD copy of the finished file for sharing on the web, burning to DVD, or for projection on any supported medium such as TV or theatrical screenings.

This video, created to help promote a Seattle jewelry designer, is a celebration of friendship.

This piece, created for a Seattle jewelry designer, focuses less on the product for sale – friendship bracelets – and more on the underlying sentiment: friendship.

Client: Eton School, Bellevue, WA

Eton School, a Montessori School in Bellevue, Washington, chose Visual Contact to make a series of four videos promoting the school. This is the second in the series. It features pre-school students paired with their parents’ voices, talking about their experience of Montessori education.

Client: Experimental Education Unit (University of Washington)

For more than 40 years, the University of Washington’s Experimental Education Unit has pioneered techniques for integrating special needs children into typical classrooms. The school wanted a video that makes an emotional appeal to assist with fundraising efforts.