What’s New 2001

“A Brave New World”

2001 brought tremendous changes to our world, here in America and beyond. The economy took some devastating blows with the demise of the dot coms, the Enron debacle and of course the tragic events of 9/11. The shock waves of the past year have resonated throughout virtually every industry starting with airline and travel, along with the Internet, telecommunications, oil and gas, television and advertising, and many more. At the same time, our country has become united in its resolve to defeat terror and to adapt to sweeping changes. We have also developed a new appreciation for heroes: our military, the police, firefighters and rescue workers that are on the front lines. We see those that attend to our health care and the education of our children in a new light. Even those in the media and the postal service have risen to the occasion. Perhaps in some small way all of us who have persevered and have kept our hope alive are heroic. When I visited Ground Zero nothing touched me more than the many letters and pictures sent in from children throughout the world that were posted on the walls. So many of them began with the simple but heart-felt words, “Dear Heroes.”

When we speak of “sweeping changes in the way we live,” it means not only how we travel and communicate, but also how we value human life and prioritize our own lives. Many of us now have a greater appreciation for family and friends as well as for our fellow humans. At Channel Three Productions we’ll continue to strive for success and excellence, while producing more programs that promote understanding and compassion. Over the years, we have produced a number of pro-bono projects on behalf of charitable organizations, but now we want to do more. If you know of a charity that could benefit from a video, CD or DVD, please email us with your information.

In keeping with that commitment, Channel Three has recently produced videos for Destination Imagination, a national program dedicating to fostering creativity in the schools, and AVANCE which provides parenting and early childhood training for many parents struggling to attain an education and livelihood. The Destination Imagination video was told mostly through the kids in the program while AVANCE was narrated by tv anchor, Anna Martinez. We also continue our work in education with Harcourt School Publishers on new videos and DVD’s that outline their latest set of textbooks and learning CD’s.




What’s New Video Projects

TWO TELLYS IN 2001 FOR CHANNEL THREE PRODUCTIONS!

Channel Three Productions proudly announces two Telly Awards in 2001, one for Latus Lightworks and one for Frito-Lay. This marks our 13th and 14th Telly Awards since 1989. For a complete list of all of our Tellys and other awards, click here.

“Latus Lightworks: Broader, Faster, Farther” 

For Latus Lightworks, a start-up fiber optic company in Richardson, Texas, we scripted and produced a recruiting video that opens with Latus Lightworks employees loading up into their very recognizable company “hummer” jeep. They take off down the road and then are seen driving through a fiber optic tunnel and across a circuit board. To accomplish this effect, we modeled a 3D animated object of a hummer jeep and surfaced it with their logo. The people inside the vehicle were filmed in van seats inside our studio and mapped into the jeep. The fiber optic tunnel and circuit board were also modeled in 3D. The rest of the video is told mostly in the words of company employees and principals. The video was successfully used at trade shows and on the company website to recruit employees.


Frito-Lay “Intellectual Property”

Particularly gratifying was our Telly Award for Frito-Lay, “Intellectual Property.” Over the past 15 years, we have produced over 60 videos for the leading snack food company in the world. Due to the proprietary nature of most of these videos we have not submitted many of these videos for award consideration. With “Intellectual Property,” we devised a fictitious and often humorous story-line that followed the journey of a research engineer’s initial idea for a new product (a giant doughnut Cheeto), through documenting that idea, testing it, submitting it to Frito-Lay for consideration and then filing for a U.S. patent. Later the video spoofs various spy capers to demonstrate the importance of confidentiality and vendor agreements. Fortunately, no real trade secrets were revealed in the video!


MULTI-MEDIA GAINS MOMENTUM AT FRITO-LAY

2001 was indeed a banner year for Channel Three Productions & Frito-Lay as we produced many other videos, CD’s and DVD’s of note. Many of these projects were delivered in all three of these platforms for different uses. We certainly expect DVD to continue to become the dominant platform in the coming years as more and more users acquire DVD drives (SEE GEAR). We even produced several printed brochures and manuals for the company such as The Taste Test Manual and Consumer Insights Brochure. Below are some of the highlights.

“Controlling Variability”

To illustrate the variability of chip quality, we used a basketball free-throw percentage analogy performed by a Tim Conway “Dorf” look-alike and the real Larry Johnson (formerly of the NY Knicks, Charlotte Hornets and “Grandmama” of the Nike commercials). Having worked with Larry Johnson at his recreation center on another project a few years ago, we knew how telegenic and cooperative he was and indeed he created a very funny rapport with our “Dorf” character.

 

“Welcome to Frito-Lay”

After over 15 years of producing work for Frito-Lay, it was high time that we created a completely new orientation video to be used company-wide. Instead of continuing to update and re-work old videos, we convinced the company to allow us to write the Frito-Lay story from a newcomer’s perspective and utilize footage that we have produced from across the entire organization.


 “Pre-Pick”

Frito-Lay keeps developing innovative new ways to deliver their product to the consumer. We have produced several videos on this subject, filming pilot operations in Dallas and San Antonio. On this project, we ventured to scenic Heber City, Utah, to film this operation where it began. On a personal note, the project took place right after Labor Day and we decided to drive to Utah from Dallas, since we were already planning a trip to Denver. In one spectacular day, we drove through 4 states, waking up in Zion National Park in Utah, hiking in the Grand Canyon, dining in Albuquerque, and making it as far as Amarillo. We took in the beauty and serenity of the various terrains, and with a van packed with video gear, we thought what a nice alternative this was to flying. Little did we realize what an understatement that would become only days later!

 
“Go Snacks”

For over a year we have been secretly filming “Product Alpha,” the exciting new product now known as “Go-Snacks” that Frito-Lay rolled out nationwide late in 2001. We filmed consumer testimonials and focus groups at test markets, food and packaging formulations in the technology department and initial manufacturing lines. For the National Sales Meeting, we produced a music video showing people enjoying the unique tubes of bite-size snacks on everything from jet skis to ice skates. We also modeled 3D animations of the product that flied through the screen. Other highlights of the year include training videos for running a “Taste Test” and a product handling training video for Tostitos (featuring a delicate, but talkative bag of chips). We conducted in-store consumer testimonials that we presented at “Quality College.” We produced an important educational video on the subject of Food Allergens and labeling, and a management training video entitled “Leading Teams.” Currently we are working a series of training aids that depict how to hold on-the-spot team meetings that has taken us to Bakersfield, California and other plants around the country. This series of programs is being delivered on both videotape and CD-ROM and once they are all completed will be released on DVD.


 

CHANNEL THREE CELEBRATES “A CENTURY OF SERVICE” WITH THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY

On the heels of our Telly Award-winning Centennial video for Dallas Symphony Orchestra, we scripted and produced a video profiling the 100-year history of the Dallas Public Library, starting with its first branch, which also housed the Dallas Museum of Art, up to present services and future plans. At their Central Library we filmed permanent exhibits such as the rare book collection, Shakespeare’s First Folio, and the Declaration of Independence. We also highlighted community outreach services throughout the library system, as well as taking to the streets with the Library on Wheels bookmobile, which made a notable stop at the Dallas Zoo for a summer reading program event hosted by Mayor Ron Kirk.

 

CHANNEL THREE KEEPS ROLLING WITH THE TxDOT!

In 1999, Channel Three Productions was awarded a two-year contract with the Texas Department of Transportation to produce a series of electrical training videos for State of Texas inspectors and contractors on the proper installation and inspection of electrical systems. That contract was extended in 2001 to accommodate an ever-growing list of topics. From stepping on a metal ground box lid to pressing a pedestrian push-button at a crosswalk, we are all exposed to potentially deadly levels of electricity everyday. Our first set of videos included Grounding, Electrical Safety, Conductors, Conduit, Duct Cable, Ground Boxes, Breakaway Connectors, and Bonding Metallic Ground Box Lids. Our current slate of projects cover different aspects of the high mast poles you may see towering high above expressway overpasses. To capture the latest techniques and technology, we have scoured the state of Texas to film “first generation” projects. We have also continued to create 3D animations in order to provide a powerful teaching tool. TxDOT has taken real initiative by providing this training in order to prevent the loss of property and more importantly, the loss of life. Channel Three is proud to continue in its work with TxDOT in this endeavor.

 
BAE “KEEPS THINGS MOVING”

One of our oldest clients, BAE Automated Systems, manufactures and installs baggage-handling systems in airports throughout the world. In the wake of 9/11 they are now tasked with designing systems that offer greater security support for our airports. From BAE’s corporate video ” We Keep Things Moving” to their latest generation of classroom training programs for American Airlines, we are gratified by our long-time association with BAE and hope to continue to partner with them on these most important communication tools.


CHANNEL THREE SERVES UP A TASTY “STAR BAR TRAINING VIDEO” FOR CHILI’S

Channel Three ate very well during the course of creating a bartending training video for Brinker International’s Chili’s Restaurants. Demonstrating winning customer service, drink-making and flair, we filmed the “Star Bar Video” in Chili’s restaurants in Dallas, Texas, and Tampa, Florida. We enjoyed “researching” the great food and drinks in order to write our script and that fun continued as we filmed team bartending tricks and lively crowds.


 

CHANNEL THREE CUTS NEW HAIR-CARE PRODUCT VIDEO FOR PRO-CUTS

Channel Three Productions renewed its long-standing relationship with Pro-Cuts on a new sales training video for its line of hair-care products. The video featured humorous wrong way/right way scenarios that demonstrated techniques for upselling its line of shampoos, conditioners, holding sprays and gels. This video marked an even dozen training videos we have produced for Pro-Cuts on subjects ranging from haircutting techniques to customer service.

 

CHANNEL THREE PARTNERS WITH VISUAL FRENZY TO PROVIDE

ON-LINE ADVERTISING FOR HOTELS IN TEXAS

Channel Three is proud of the relationship we have recently developed with VisualFrenzy Media Inc., a leading provider of streaming marketing videos to the lodging industry. As VisualFrenzy’s Texas supplier, Channel Three has shot videos for the Radisson Richardson and San Antonio, the Houston Marriott and the Wyndham/St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio, with plenty of other properties on the schedule. Recently VisualFrenzy was contracted by MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, the largest independent hotel management company in the U.S., to produce and distribute streaming marketing videos for more than half of MeriStar’s 120 full-service properties, including Sheraton, Hilton, and Marriott branded properties throughout North America. The milestone with MeriStar is indicative of the increasing importance of streaming videos as a marketing tool that companies can use on their own Web sites and a growing number of third-party related sites, e-mail marketing campaigns and in direct sales efforts with interactive CD-ROMs.