The Motion Source Video Production Blog

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

- Benjamin Franklin

April 21, 2017

Motion Source Movie Picks: Hidden Gems Edition

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Spring is in the air! The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and in the spirit of all things new and fresh, we put together a list of lesser-known films, or "hidden gems" if you will. From foreign films to dark comedies, these recommendations are sure to revive your movie queue!

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March 21, 2017

Motion Source Wins Four Muse Creative Awards!

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Throughout our #WeekOfWinners, we have revealed our four Muse Creative Award-winning videos. Now, to round out the week, we want to give you some background information on this year’s competition, introduce you to the key players behind these projects, and share with you their insight and reactions to receiving this recognition.

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March 10, 2017

Industry Insights: Makeup Services with Nini Jenkins

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Welcome back to our blog series “Industry Insights”, where we interview members of the production world that we have had the opportunity to collaborate with! This week, we are featuring a Chicago-based makeup artist with a passion for the craft. Meet Nini Jenkins!

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February 24, 2017

Budget: The Big Bad “B” Word

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Budget: no one wants to talk about it, but it is a vital part of the project, both for us and the client. We get it, you don’t always want to share yours upfront, but we’ve come to find that budgets are like opinions: everyone’s got one, whether they realize it or not. And understanding your budgetary boundaries off the bat helps us begin to build a blueprint for your project.

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February 10, 2017

How To: Use Color to Tell Your Story

By Libby Smith • Project Manager

Color theory, particularly in cinema, is a conversation we could spend years discussing and debating. However, for our purposes (and the sake of your sanity) we’ll limit it to three different ways you can use color to tell and/or enhance your story. Let’s start with the basics- there are three main components of a color: hue, saturation and value. These three components, paired with the wide spectrum of colors, allow for limitless possibilities. Color is such a significant element as it translates to the viewer subtle, unspoken cues regarding the emotion of a scene, or the motivation of a character. Whether you’re looking to let color tell a significant portion of your story, or merely dip your toe into the possibilities, we have a "hue" suggestions…

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January 27, 2017

5 Tips for Writer's Block

By Libby Smith • Project Manager

The great thing about scriptwriting is there isn’t a right or wrong way to go about it! But, at some point, we all experience a moment or two of frustration. So here is some advice to help, whether you’re having a tough time getting started, or you’re experiencing some serious writer’s block! These are some of my personal favorite tips to help maintain your momentum.

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January 13, 2017

New Year, New Marketing Budget: Think Video

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

The champagne bottles have been recycled, “Auld Lang Syne” has been played for the last time, and we are back to work and ready to jump into 2017. Are you? While the “New Year, New You” mantra may seem overused, its sincerest meaning rings true. With a new year underway, projects are already being planned, budgets are being set, and if video hasn’t been accounted for, you may want to reconsider.

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December 30, 2016

The Making of...The Motion Source Holiday Video Card

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

The past few years, Motion Source has created and shared a holiday video card in December with our network of family, friends, clients, and industry partners. Video production is our specialty, so a video card is the most appropriate way for us to spread holiday cheer! This year, we again embarked on this project; however, we decided to literally “flip the script” with a new narrative.

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December 02, 2016

Industry Insights: Voice Acting with Maya Tuttle

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Welcome back to our blog series “Industry Insights”, where we interview members of the production world that we have had the opportunity to collaborate with! This week, we are featuring a voice-over artist who has also drummed up some notoriety in the music industry. Meet Maya Tuttle!

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November 11, 2016

Client Profile + Behind the Scenes: Evans Scholars Foundation

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

For the second consecutive year, Motion Source has produced a video for the Western Golf Association, benefitting their nonprofit organization, the Evans Scholars Foundation. Each year, the video premiered at their annual Green Coat Gala fundraising event, which has welcomed golf legends such as Gary Player in 2015 and Johnny Miller in 2016. In addition to these notable names, the event also gives Evans Scholars an opportunity to share their story. This year’s event featured Zack Sielck and his incredible journey from foster homes as a child to Purdue University as a college freshman.

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October 21, 2016

Motion Source Movie Picks: Halloween Edition

By Libby Smith • Project Manager

Happy (almost) Halloween, folks! If you’re anything like me, you’ve had your costume planned for months now… If you haven't chosen a costume yet, fret not! One of the best (and easiest) ways to start brainstorming costumes is to turn to some classic Halloween flicks. Below, we have a list of some of our all-time favorite Halloween movies. Whether you’re looking for a movie that makes your hair stand on end or something delightfully spooky, we’ve got you covered.

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September 23, 2016

Client Profile + Behind the Scenes: SHSMD

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

The Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development of the American Hospital Association, or SHSMD, as we found to be a useful acronym, contacted us back in October 2015. Their request was simple: “20th Anniversary Video” but we soon realized this would not be a run-of-the-mill anniversary video, and we felt inspired.

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September 09, 2016

Industry Insights: Digital Marketing with Chris Pagoria

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Welcome back to our blog series “Industry Insights”, where we interview members of the production world that we have had the opportunity to collaborate with! This week, we are featuring a digital producer with a background in marketing. Meet Chris Pagoria!

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August 26, 2016

Client Profile + Behind the Scenes: iMentor

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

When iMentor contacted us in January 2016, we were immediately drawn to the the organization’s passion and mission: “iMentor builds mentoring relationships that empower first-generation students from low-income communities to graduate high school, succeed in college, and achieve their ambitions.” 

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August 12, 2016

Industry Insights: Scriptwriting with Kate Sierzputowski

By Libby Smith • Project Manager

Welcome to our new blog series “Industry Insights” where we interview members of the production world that we have had the opportunity to collaborate with! This week, we are featuring a talented scriptwriter, who we have worked with on several recent projects. Meet Kate Sierzputowski!

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June 29, 2016

The Making of a Music Video: “Ghost” by Tiny Fireflies

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

There is something special about the genre of music videos. On their own, music and video are already strong art forms, but accompanying a song with visuals creates a wholly new experience for the audience. And creating a music video like “Ghost” was a unique experience for us.

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June 10, 2016

Meet Motion Source, featuring Brian Ernst!

By Libby Smith • Project Manager

Welcome back to our Employee Feature series, where we give you a “behind-the-scenes” look at our team. This week’s Meet Motion Source will be featuring Brian Ernst, one of our Videographer/ Editors.

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May 27, 2016

Client Profile + Behind the Scenes: Kocsis Technologies, Inc.

By Michelle Maslanka • Producer

Kocsis Technologies, Inc. first contacted us back in November 2014. At that time, they were looking to complete a rebrand initiative with a new logo, refreshed website, and updated marketing collateral, which was to include a video. After an initial meeting and creative collaboration session, KTI opted to revisit the project in a year, when they would be able to focus their efforts specifically on the video aspect. Fast forward to January 2016, where the two teams met again to begin the project, full-steam ahead.

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May 13, 2016

Meet Motion Source, featuring Jeff Bruninga!

By Libby Smith • Project Manager

Welcome back to our Employee Feature series, where we give you a “behind-the-scenes” look at our team. This week’s Meet Motion Source will be featuring Jeff Bruninga, one of our Videographer/ Editors.

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