A Symphony Fundraising Video: Closing 2024 with a Bang!

Those who live on the South Plains know that supporting local causes comes naturally here; it’s part of the southern hospitality that Lubbock is truly known for.  However, for a newer business to become part of the community fabric takes time, dedication, and perseverance. We’ve seen that journey firsthand, especially over the last 14 years as we’ve worked with organizations that make Lubbock a better place; especially as a video production company who sees so much market competition. Finding our place in the South Plains is no easy task.

Before the pandemic hit in 2020, Hamil Bros Studios was thriving. We were producing high-quality video content for Lubbock’s Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) and partnering with various businesses and nonprofits to help them reach wider audiences. Our commitment was to bring a level of video production to West Texas that few others could match. Then, like so many others, we faced unexpected setbacks when the pandemic brought everything to a halt. Like the rest of the community, we had to regroup and rebuild in a world where everything changed, almost over night.

Over the last four years, we have climbed our way back up. Thanks to support from clients and the community, as well as our partnerships with organizations like Liggett Law Group and the Hispanic Association of Women. And that journey brought us to a truly exciting new collaboration with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra (LSO). Through this partnership, we’ve been able to create advertising content and produce their 2024 Giving Tuesday fundraising video.

The Liggett Law Group

A few years ago, we received a phone call from a good friend of ours who told us that Ted Liggett was in a bind for some video production. He gave Ted’s number to Ross and Ross made the call.

Ted was the presenting sponsor of a gala and needed a presentation video. There was one in process, but it wasn’t going to be done in time. 

We had less than 2 weeks to complete the gala video and Ted couldn’t have been happier.

Later that year, Ted called us about doing another sponsorship video for another organization he supported: The Hispanic Association of Women. The gig was basically the same thing, except this time we recreated some scenes of the history of the organization.

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, Ted was also a presenting sponsor for one of the concerts that the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra was putting on. The Symphony would do the production, but Ted wanted to invest in having Hamil Bros Studios produce the video. 

Come Full Circle

In the summer of 2024, we were contacted by Molly at the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. She explained that she loved the sponsor video we had done for the Liggett Law Group and that she was also a member of The Hispanic Association of Women. 

She wanted to gauge our interest in taking on their end-of-year symphony fundraising video. Naturally, we were interested. We see so many of the larger entertainment groups in Lubbock put out video content that is not suitable for the level of performance quality that they provide and we wanted to be a part of changing that paradigm. The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra is a professional organization and should look like it. 

After ironing out the details, we came to the conclusion that we would and could take this project on.

Of Maestros and Men

When it came time to shoot the interview for the symphony fundraising video, there was only one logical choice as to who we would put in front of the camera: Maestro David Cho. 

In our encounters with David, it was hard for us to imagine having met anyone else who was as charismatic, caring, and genuine as he was. His demeanor oozes positivity and the gratitude he expresses is unmatched. 

Naturally, we wanted to catch all of that on film.

We were set for this to take place on the main stage at Buddy Holly Hall. 

 *As an aside, it was a surreal experience to actually step foot on the same stage shared by some of our heroes such as “Weird Al” Yankovic and Godsmack. So, we fanboyed pretty hard…

The Video Production Setup

We spent the morning loading in and got everything prepped and ready for the setup.

Jacob had the idea of flipping the camera view. The audience always sees the stage, but what do the people from the stage see?

So, we set up where our cameras faced a beautiful empty room full of potential.

The lighting for this setup was relatively simple.

For our keylight, we pulled out one of our favorites: our Aputure 600C full spectrum RGBWW COB point light. We rigged it on one of our Matthews Studios Equipment combo stands and diffused it with the Aputure LightDome 150.

This gave us a pleasant soft light on David and also had enough power to be able to push it farther back to stay clear of being in the shot. The light was set to a warm tungsten color between 2900-3200K to match the aesthetic of the room.

For our fill light, we opted, as we often do, to deploy our Amaran 300C RGBWW COB point light. This was placed on a regular Impact C-Stand to get the fill high enough to not reflect in David’s glasses. It was diffused by one of our Amaran LightDome Minis with a honeycomb filter in the front. This light was set a little cooler so that the filled side of David’s face wouldn’t look so saturated where it was less illuminated. 

Finally, our third light: the back light (otherwise known as the hair light). For this we used one of our three Amaran 150C RGBWW COB point Lights. This was also mounted to an Impact C-Stand and boomed out slightly with the standard 40” grip arm. This light was modified with one of the Aputure Barn Doors with a 30-degree honeycomb filters loaded in. 

For the backlight, we decided on a daylight (5600-6500K) temperature. If you see any of our work, we love using that as our back color because it introduces the teal color when the cameras are white balanced to tungsten.

Our A-camera was our Blackmagic Pyxis paired with our Tokina Cinema Vista 105mm, with our Tilta 4×4 matte box, monitored on our tried and true SmallHD DP7-Pro 7” monitor, all mounted on the Kondor Blue Pyxis Cage

Our B-camera was our Blackmagic Cinema 6K Full Frame Camera with the Tokina Cinema Vista 50mm, housed in a Tilta Cage and monitored on our OSEE G7 7” hi-brite monitor.

Both cameras were supported by our never-failing Teris tripods and powered by our Blueshape Granite Mini 140s.

For our C-camera we wanted an angle that would show the magnitude and awe-inspiring architecture of the room. For this we chose our Gen 1 Blackmagic Pocket 6k camera with our EF mount Tokina Cinema 11-20mm wide-angle zoom lens. It was mounted to our Dana dolly which was run on the floor and was operated by our eMotimo ST4.3 belted motorized system which ran in a ping-pong pattern for the duration of the interview to give some dynamic motion to the interview. This rig was powered by one of our Blueshape Granite 290 batteries.

To monitor these, we brought out our OSEE 21” field monitor, powered by another Blueshape Granite 290 battery.

Our audio setup doesn’t not often deviate, and this setup was no different. We ran a single Slate ML-2 microphone into our Zoom F8n 32-bit recorder. For portability and to reduce electrical hum, the F8n is always run off of a Blueshape Granite 90. To mount the microphone, we use our 9” Saramonic Boom Pole Pro, mounted with a boom pole holder to an Impact C-Stand and held in place with an Impact sandbag.

The last piece of the puzzle was tying all of the cameras and audio together with time code. For us, there is only one choice in this matter. We exclusively use the Tentacle E timecode generators.

Once the interview concluded, a sense of urgency permeated the air. We had to make haste, for a grand symphony concert was scheduled for that very night, and our current location was precisely where all the intricate preparations needed to unfold. The stage, currently a labyrinth of our equipment, was soon to be transformed into a majestic platform for the evening’s performance.

With a concerted effort and as quickly as humanly possible, we rapidly wrapped every piece of gear. Each cable was coiled, every camera carefully packed, and every fragile component secured. Our movements were synchronized, a well-rehearsed dance of efficiency as we worked to clear the stage. The rhythmic thud of equipment being loaded into cases echoed through the empty hall. Piece by piece, the stage was reclaimed, its vast expanse emerging from beneath our technical clutter. 

Once everything was off the stage, it was a swift operation to load it all into the waiting vehicles. The back of the truck rapidly filled with our organized cases, a testament to our speed and precision. With the last box secured and the doors slammed shut, we wasted no time. The engine rumbled to life, and we hit the road, leaving the now-empty venue behind, ready for its transformation into a concert hall. Our mission was accomplished, and the next chapter of our day’s demanding schedule beckoned.

As we continue our journey into 2024, we are filled with immense excitement and anticipation to further our commitment to nurturing Lubbock’s thriving arts and culture scene. We extend a warm and open invitation for you to join us in this vital endeavor. By actively supporting esteemed local organizations like the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra (LSO), we collectively contribute to the intricate and beautiful process of weaving a richer, more vibrant cultural tapestry for our beloved community. 

Your involvement, whether through attendance, volunteerism, or financial contributions, directly empowers these organizations to continue presenting world-class performances, educational programs, and community outreach initiatives that uplift and inspire us all. Let’s work together to ensure Lubbock’s artistic heart beats stronger than ever before.