Archive for May, 2010

May

24

An archeological dig.
That’s what looking through old video projects feels like sometimes – like we’re unearthing an ancient civilization – a now unknown way of life.

 

Is it possible that it was only 16 years ago when we were celebrating the food served on an airline?
Did we actually shoot scenes of nice meals being served, wine being poured and cabin attendants smiling warmly to depict air travel?
When I looked at this week’s blog topic – a 10th anniversary piece we did in 1984 for Midwest Express – it was hard to believe the onboard scenes.
But they were accurate.
The shots of the airline’s chef preparing food were, in fact, taped in the company’s kitchen, not a studio. The comfortable cabin scenes were done on a real plane, not a mock-up. And those cabin attendants – real people, not actors.


We remember Midwest CEO Tim Hoeksema and his team being as nice to work with, as the airline was to fly.
We miss them.
But put on your pith helmet and come along on our expedition to a lost culture – airline service.

 

Here’s a brief clip from the production: “Midwest Express – The Best Care in the Air – 10th Anniversary 1984.”



May

18

Obviously, we create video projects because it’s our business.
It’s also nice if we can help people in the process, like with this 2007 project we did on allergies and asthma. The DVDs were created to help physicians explain the causes and cures for these ailments to their patients. We interviewed experts in each field, shot examples of medical treatment, showed people sneezing and coughing, discussed treatment options.


But as with many things in life there were unintended consequences.


One of the experts we interviewed, Dr. Asriani M. Chiu Associate Professor of Pediatrics Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, provided a very helpful interview, but it wasn’t until well after the project was over that she really saved the day.

 

A few months after the project was complete, my father complained that he had this nagging cough and it had gone on for months. Not constant but annoying.
I remembered Dr. Chiu saying during her interview that any cough that goes on for that long isn’t normal and something should be done.
Even though my 83-year old father was a bit out of the “pediatric” years, Dr. Chiu took him on as a patient, changed his medication and three days later he called astonished that his cough had vanished.


He’s been symptom-free ever since and that little bit of knowledge we got from Dr. Chiu was a big improvement for both the DVD and my father’s health.


(Side note: During the interview, Dr. Chiu pointed out to us that she realizes that her name A. Chiu does seem too perfect for an allergy and asthma specialist.)

Here are some brief clips in both English ans Spanish from the production

 

Allergy English

Allergy Spanish
Asthma
Asthma Spanish