Sometimes we all need a little recharging. For me, that recharge comes when I go home. Home is Jackson.

Serenity is found in few places on this earth and every time I have the opportunity to travel back to Jackson, I’m never disappointed.

It is truly one of the most remarkable places in that you can escape from “the grind” with just a few miles worth of driving. City fades to Countryside and stress melts away. The Grand Tetons at sunrise. Bison and Elk grazing at ease. The long, familiar faces (forgive the cheap joke) that look to ask me where I’ve been. I wish I could get back here more often as with each year that passes, though it feels more and more distant, it is still home.

In Jackson, there is a great gem of a hike mostly known by the locals, although anyone can appreciate it. . . . that is. . . .if they can find it. And if you ever do get the privilege to travel to Jackson Hole, the Darby Wind caves are a must for the avid hiker. . . Just don’t forget your compass. . . . oh, and your Bear spray. I put together a little clip of the hike to the caves and also captured some images that mean home to me.

-Ben

A Picture is worth a 1000 words. . . . and a moving picture?

Sometimes, the best stories lie within the imagery. Heidi and Eddie didn’t say all too much on their wedding day. A quieter couple that is soft spoken, and subtle. However, what we felt and saw instantly was the connection that existed through their body language towards one another. This was their day, and they didn’t have to say anything for that to be reflected through the lens.

We decided to tell their story through a series of compositions that centers around their first dance. Situated in a beautiful botanical gardens, Heidi + Eddie shared the stage over a breathtaking coy pond as their family and friends watched from all around the garden. These two met on a fishing trip, so it was only fitting to incorporate not only the custom fishing lure boutaneers that Heidi made for the guys, but also the feeling of relaxation and calm that the coy fish bring to the venue.

Oh, and cats. . . . . Heidi loves cats.

No audio, just imagery. Heidi + Eddie // A Series of Compositions

A very special thanks and shout out to Ray and Erwin from Apertura. These guys know how to rock the lens. . . . seriously.

Perhaps one of the most rewarding things about commercial projects is that there is no mold for the direction to take. Often times with our clients, we conceptualize their piece from scratch based on their brand, their message, and any feedback they give us. In the case of Totally Rad, we were given the opportunity to run with our idea given the parameters of their product and how they wanted it to be portrayed.

Totally Rad is a great little company that specializes in creating Photoshop Actions and Plugins. For those who don’t speak “Photoshop”, what that means is they create really cool filters and tools that allow you to customize and tweak your photographs after you take them. They are about to launch their newest platform called RadLab, which will allow the end user a very simple and intuitive interface for altering photographs. Having seen the program and the way it operates, we can confidently say that anybody could learn to use RadLab in under 10 minutes. RadLab is a really cool little piece of software. For more info about RadLab, click HERE.

They approached us to create the spot for the launch of the product via an online campaign. So we brainstormed with them, conceptualized, storyboarded, and scripted what you see below. Hope you enjoy!

As always, a couple Behind-the-Scenes photographs from the shoot:

Running over the script and making sure everything fits just right. . . .

Doug delivering the message with precision. . . .

It’s all smoke and mirrors. . . .

Another perspective from multiple shots. . . .

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Drunk Driving fatalities accounted for 32% of all traffic deaths in 2009. And when you factor in those who were injured, but survived, the statistic becomes staggering. . . . to the point that nearly every 15 minutes, someone is injured or killed by a drunk driver in the United States. The issue is serious, thus when we were approached to help send a message to Juniors and Seniors from SMCHS prior to their prom night, we simply needed to know where to be and when to start filming.

The National “Every 15 Minutes” Organization provides schools with the opportunity to show their students the results of drunk driving without the real-life risks. To do so, they stage a car accident on school grounds that completely simulates real-life situations where teenagers have ended up in fatal accidents while under the influence of alcohol. Students from the high school volunteer to participate in the presentation and to say that the event is chilling and eerily realistic is an understatement. It was our responsibility to film the event and deliver the edit for the assembly presentation in the gym the following morning. Having the ability to apply our craft to such an important and powerful message is one of the many reasons why we do what we do. If this edit kept one kid from drinking and driving on the night of their prom, the entire program is well worth it. The sequence below depicts the prom party and then the accident that ensues.

A WORD OF CAUTION TO ANYONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT WATCHING THIS EDIT. It is very realistic and if you are sensitive to the subject matter at hand, please use your better judgment before pressing play. None of the footage in this edit is real, but the topic it covers is very real and the footage could be disturbing. Viewer discretion is STRONGLY ADVISED.