That Evening Sun – Special Screening & DVD Release Event!

Tennessee audiences get a chance to see the critically acclaimed feature film once again on the “big screen” – a film shot entirely in East Tennessee and starring legendary actor Hal Holbrook – at the DVD release event!

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., August 24, 2010— after a nationwide 74-city theatrical run and widespread critical acclaim, East Tennesseans once again have the chance to see familiar local landscapes come alive in the feature film That Evening Sun during a special event to promote the DVD release.

On Tuesday, September 7th at 7:30pm, the Clayton Center for the Arts will be transformed into a world-class movie house for a special screening of That Evening Sun starring the legendary Academy Award Nominee Hal Holbrook.

Tickets to the screening are $10.00 each (general admission) and all proceeds benefit the Clayton Center for the Arts. A Q & A will be held immediately after the screening with Executive Producer Larsen Jay. DVDs and Blu-ray disks will be available for purchase in the lobby throughout the night. Audience members will also have an opportunity to win a Hal Holbrook autographed DVD.

That Evening Sun was filmed entirely in East Tennessee, specifically in the Knoxville, Rockwood and Lenoir City areas. It is based on the short story I Hate to See that Evening Sun Go Down by acclaimed Tennessee author William Gay. That Evening Sun”has won top prizes at 13 film festivals including Austin’s South by Southwest, Nashville, Atlanta, Sarasota, Little Rock, Newport, Indie Memphis, Sidewalk, Secret City, New Hampshire and Naples International Film Festival. The film also received the Wyatt Award from the Southeastern Film Critics, presented for the film that best represents the South.

The film stars Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild, All the President’s Men, The Firm, Wall Street), Ray McKinnon (The Blind Side, O’ Brother Where Art Thou?, Deadwood), Walton Goggins (Predators, The Shield), Mia Wasikowska (In Treatment, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, The Kids are Alright), Carrie Preston (True Blood, Sex in the City, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Duplicity), Dixie Carter (Designing Women), Barry Corbin (No Country for Old Men, The Closer, Northern Exposure).

Visit www.ThatEveningSun.com to watch the trailer and learn more about That Evening Sun. That Evening Sun is produced by Dogwood Entertainment, the film division of Knoxville-based DoubleJay Creative. The film is distributed by Freestyle Releasing. Press kit and photos can be found at www.thateveningsun.com/publicity.

What: That Evening Sun Movie Screening & DVD Release Event
When: Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / 7:30pm
Where: Clayton Center for the Arts / Maryville College Campus
Tickets: $10.00 each / general admission (all proceeds benefit the Clayton Center for the Arts)
Tickets are available at the door or in advance by calling (865) 981-8590
Contact: Larsen Jay
Executive Producer, That Evening Sun
President, DoubleJay Creative/Dogwood Entertainment
865-246-1334 o / 865-384-2656 c / larsen@doublejaycreative.com

The Friday 411 – Tweets of the Week (2010-08-13)

• We are selling one of our extra laptops, great condition. Only 30 minutes left! http://bit.ly/dr9naS ^PM #
• Another great blog post: Politicking: Video Production, Let’s Get Started http://bit.ly/9YArhX ^PM #

Politicking: Video Production, Let’s Get Started

Television is still likely to rule as the primary source of political news for most Americans this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 59% of U.S. voters plan to get most of their political news in 2010 from television. That number includes 37% who will rely on cable news networks and 22% who will turn to traditional TV network news.

Twenty-one percent (21%) will count primarily on the Internet, with just nine percent (9%) relying on print newspapers. Nearly as many (7%) will get most of their political news from radio.

But indicative of the ongoing media shift in U.S. society is the finding that one-third of voters (33%) under 40 plan to get most of their political news from the Internet.

Here at DoubleJay Creative, we have been working on many projects producing great video that can be delivered over the air and on the web. Candidates are learning that just because a video is on the Internet, it cannot be just as simple as having an intern tape them and throw something up of the Web, you need to develop a good story and plan for your footage, so that it can be dual purposed for both mediums.

The two videos below showcase how quality video production really shines through to the the delivered product, suitable for both web and television. Furthermore, you now have high quality media for your portfolio that can be used in future videos for a more in-depth look at your message.

YouTube and other video publishing accounts are free – giving anyone free access to a worldwide audience for $0. For better or worse, candidates and other political leaders must assume they are being taped 24/7 by their opponents if not the average Joe. Web video is now an inescapable fact of political life. Be prepared for this, produce great video, and you will stay a step ahead and make sure that your message is heard.

So how do you get started creating great video that can be used on the Web, as well as traditional media outlets? How do you begin to integrate Web video into what you already do in politics? This post should help get you thinking about the kinds of things that Web video is well suited for and being used for already. Below is our top 10 ideas of effective video for the web.

1. Bio Video: The bio/profile spot has long been a staple of the campaign. Unrestrained by TV’s 30 & 60 second time limits, Web video allows you to post a 3-5 minute video telling the story of your candidate (or organization) – and making the case for their candidacy. Several 60 second “cut downs” of the longer web version give you a solid advertising campaign to release to television.
2. Issue Videos: Organizations and candidates should include short videos on key issues. These shouldn’t be videotaped “white papers” – but short, engaging snippets of your candidate on the campaign trail or organizational leader working your issues.
3. Gotcha/Opposition Research Video: Forget the smoking gun, today the coin of the political realm is the smoking video. The Macaca video showed how a video showing one’s opponent making a major mistake on the campaign trail can be deadly effective. Recent videos showing political leaders flip flopping have further proved the point.
4. Campaign Trail Vlog & Event Vlogs: Supporters love to see the candidate on the campaign trail, pressing the flesh, making speeches, and the like. Videotaping key campaign trips and speeches is a great way to leverage events – and have them live on forever.
5. Debates: Your candidate shines in a TV debate, but most voters aren’t watching. Sound familiar? Your campaign should publish debate content on your YouTube account, yielding an exponentially greater impact.
6. Web video Town Hall: YouTube’s YouChoose Spotlight has shown the way for candidates to engage in interactive video dialog with supporters. Campaigns solicit video questions from supporters, and candidates answer in an engaging, personal way.
7. Fund-raising: Fund-raising is always more effective when the candidate or a surrogate makes “the ask”. The fund-raising video is becoming an important Web video and fund-raising staple.
8. Endorsement/Testimonials: Endorsements from officeholders, celebrities, civil leaders, and regular voters should be touted by your campaign – including through video online.
9. Traditional TV Earned Media: Local TV stations remain some of the most powerful sources of news and information. When your campaign receives favorable TV coverage, leverage and multiply that coverage by posting it to YouTube and your website.
10. Video Contests & Supporter/Volunteer Videos: User generated content is increasingly being used by campaigns. Your campaign should smartly solicit your supporters, either through a low key website announcement or a high visibility contest, to create and submit content for your campaign. Supporters videos build community while possibly revealing low cost, high quality volunteer resources you may not have been aware of.

All of these ideas can help reach your voters. Producing them professionally will help you build a media library that can be used for your entire campaign, regardless of the delivery medium, and ensure that your message is heard by the most number of people – staying a step ahead of the competition.

Contact DoubleJay Creative today to address any and all of these idea, and let us help put you on the path to great stories, great video, and maximum exposure.

Of course, you can always just use the old spice guy.

Back to School

The Fall semester is fast approaching and it’s time to think about the great stories to be told at your school. Whether its student recruitment, alumni affairs, athletics, or donor engagement – an effective video can inspire, engage and connect on a level like no other.

We have worked with a diverse selection of schools and institutions with equally diverse budgets to produce the best message to be delivered via video; regardless if the final delivery is a full auditorium presentation, distributed DVDs, or online video via the Web.

In another post, “Start with what you have“, Amy talked about inexpensive ways to utilize media you have been collecting for years, and deliver it in an exciting  way that static images cannot provide alone.  Animation of static images is not the only way to produce a budget constrained video.  Student and staff interviews, with solid storyboarding and editing, can deliver a very effective message to your target audience, whether that is incoming students, alumni, donors, athletics or other demographics you wish to reach.

The University of Richmond convocation video is a good example of using interviews to deliver a great story, in this case to have seasoned students offer advice and guidance to the new student body. University of Richmond students from all levels and disciplines talked about their first day, how they found their way, best ways to use the many available resources, and how their education will prepare them for the world after college.

Perhaps you need a broader message, or a larger scope in mind with your ideas for a video for your school.  We can help you define and deliver that message as well, like we did for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

This project for SAIC was an in-depth look at everyday life at the school. From move-in day to graduation, this video showcased every major event of the academic year and highlighted the accomplishments of each department. Feature events, such as Bare Walls and the annual Fashion Show, were also highlighted.

As a dynamic production company, we have a unique set of skills and resources to offer:

• Flexible staff of producers, camera / sound technicians, directors and production staff that can travel anywhere in the world and coordinate additional crew, equipment, and all other expendables needed for a shoot, no matter the location.

• A company that has all your visual media needs under one roof, from video, to graphics, to animation and story producers, all working to bring you a consistent product.  This strategic production utilizes your valuable time and resources most effectively.

• We work virtually. Every project is delivered for review through our company’s online client portal, where you can view the media from anywhere in the world. You can review, make comments, and add notes, etc., so the process is simple, streamlined and efficient.

We would like the opportunity to speak with you about your storytelling needs, in person or by phone.   Contact us today to get your story told!

We are a Google Favorite Place!

Thanks to all our visitors, clients, and friends that have made DJC a favorite place in Knoxville!  Not sure if it is our great view of the river, our sweet 25 foot waterfall park, or just the fantastic office tours presented by Mr. Larsen Jay that keeps you all coming back for more; apparently we are one of the most popular local businesses on Google as measured by how many times people found our listing and clicked through. According to Google, less than 1% of businesses can boast such an accomplishment.

So for this, Google  sent us a cool window sticker which includes a QR Code that allows users with a camera-phone / webcam to pull up our info.

Next time you are in the Knoxville area, look us up, stop in to say hello, or just come relax by the river. Oh, and we produce a lot of great videos like these too; we would be more than happy to speak with you concerning your next video project.

The Friday 411 – Tweets of the Week (2010-07-09)

• It's a sad time in Hollywood, Bond is dead, The Hobbit can't get rolling, and 50% of the weekly top grossers are sequels and remakes ^PM #
• In better news, "Life in in a Day" announced, looks interesting. What will you contribute? http://bit.ly/dyHxZv ^PM #
• Emmy noms streaming in 30 minutes http://bit.ly/aX9zNA ^PM #

The Friday 411 – Tweets of the Week (2010-06-25)

• It’s heating up!!! DJC is trying to keep it cool in downtown Knoxville this summer! Check us out to beat the heat! ^TB #
• Knoxville News Sentinel highlighted a business that is taking off… http://bit.ly/9NEwib . Oddly this is an interesting read ^CK #

The Friday 411 – Tweets of the Week (2010-06-11)

• Rather ominous storm heading up the river towards our office… here comes the rain! http://bit.ly/9Amumb ^PM #

The Friday 411 – Tweets of the Week (2010-06-04)

• RT @CarConnection : Best Toyota Ad Ever: The Swagger Wagon http://bit.ly/aK6FyG #
• Promoting your iPhone App: Go Viral! http://bit.ly/b2alk6 Need a great product #video DoubleJay Creative can make it happen! ^PM #
• Great to work n live in a downtown that has so much going on. This weekend is rockin in dtwn Knoxville. Get on board…^LJ #

Results are in

At the end of May, DoubleJay Creative will celebrate five years of creative production.  In commemoration of this upcoming anniversary and in pursuit of government contracts on a national scale, we employed the help of some of our clients and asked them to participate in a third party survey through Dun & Bradstreet.  The results assist us in gauging our progress thus far and enable us to set goals as we chart the course for the future.

Clients from a variety of different institutions and businesses responded, from colleges and universities, to manufacturing companies to law firms.  Questions focused on their experiences with DoubleJay Creative as they related to completed projects.  Such factors as reliability, cost, order accuracy, delivery/timeliness, quality, business relations, personnel, customer support, responsiveness, and overall performance were evaluated and ranked.

Results are in and we are pleased to announce that DoubleJay Creative scored 96 out of 100!  Thanks to all of you who took the time to contribute your thoughts and convey your experiences. We look forward to working with you again in the future and please, feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions with us at any time.  We love hearing from you and take your comments seriously.  Thanks again!