As we continually dive deeper into the realm of video and moving pictures I am often asked which I prefer shooting more these days, stills or video? While the mediums are unique with their own challenges, what I am continually drawn to and learn from is how each approach inspires and influences the other. By working in both realms we ultimately come away with a richer body of work; exploring people and places through slightly varied styles of storytelling. In the end, I have no strong preference and welcome the combination of both mediums intertwined.

In the case of the “It’s Your Life. Hear it Happen” campaign for Starkey Hearing, we had about as close to an ideal JCP project as we have had to date. The visual wish list focused on a library of still and motion based assets, shining light on everyday life, everyday “moments of hearing.”

Enjoy the final spot as well as supporting still images from the campaign.

Production Crew:

Photographer / Director – Jonathan Chapman
Producer – Lisa Wagenbach – Point Productions
Studio Manager – John Fontana
DP – Nicolas de Miranda
Field Audio – Patrick Schaefer – Lake 3 Sound
Digital Tech – Chris Worlow
First Assistant – Joseph McMahon
Second Assistant – Sean Lambert
Production Assistant – Brett Wagenbach
Wardrobe and Prop Stylist – Abby Bielagus
Hair and Make-up – Stef Syat
Location Scout – Raymond Forbes
Drone Operations – Oversite Productions

Post Production:

Editor – Joseph McMahon
Music – Joey Verskotzi
Audio Mastering and Sound Effects – Lake 3 Sound & Tom Forliti

"I just like how it feels when you are playing the game. It's a beautiful sport" Owen Santiago - 12AAA

This is a personal / passion project dedicated to my son Wesley for his love of baseball and The Minneapolis Millers league that he has played for the past three seasons.

The short film highlights the Millers Youth Baseball Association (MYBA) and their approach to teaching the game.

“Our goal is to place kids at a level of competition that best supports their long-term development, while giving them the best travel baseball experience possible.”

The Minneapolis Millers name has roots as an American professional minor league baseball team dating back as early as 1884. A number of legendary, eventual major league players including Willie Mays, Ted Williams, and Carl Yastrzemski got their start playing with the Millers at Nicollet Park, a stones throw from where we live in South Minneapolis. The Millers team closed their doors after the 1960 season with the arrival of the Minnesota Twins coming less than a year later.

More about Minneapolis Youth Baseball and the Millers organization at MYBA.

A shout and thanks to those that came out to support the project:

Producer & Director - Jonathan Chapman/JCP
Editor - Joseph McMahon
Director of Photography - Jonathan Chapman
Camera Operators - Bill Hickey & Patrick Meehan
Field Audio - John Fontana
Assistant Camera - Justin Silvis
Music - Kevin Matley
Executive Producer - Scott Zosel

Following up on our previous post, the continuation of our collaborative journey with United Health Group's recruitment campaign took us to a new level when we traveled to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

We spent the better part of a week in Rio capturing and telling the stories of our subjects, both at work as well as as documenting their passions and hobbies throughout the city.

What an opportunity and experience to raise the bar once again, with an incredible backdrop to frame up a group of accomplished individual employee narratives.

Thanks to the following people who came on board and added their talents to the production:

Photographer / Director - Jonathan Chapman/JCP
Production - Tanya Silver
Assistant Producer - Raquel Conde
Edit - Joseph McMahon
Camera Assistant - John Fontana
Second Camera - Joseph McMahon
Set Manager - Henrique Castelobranco
Props / Wardrobe - Ilma Ceiailma
Hair / Make-up - Inez Qcivel
Location Scout - Cristina Perez
Music - Joey Verskotzi
Sound Mixing - Nick Mihalevich

We've worked with United Health Group on their recruitment campaigns for several years now and each year is a journey of discovery into the 8 to 10 star employees being profiled. It's an opportunity for JCP to translate a subject's work role and passion outside of work into stills and video. We always enjoy collaborating with the employees and learning more about what they do in their personal life and how that crosses over to their work life and vice versa. The connections at times are uncanny and reveal how intertwined two seemingly unrelated roles can be.  

We hope you enjoy viewing the final edits as much as we did making them come to life. 

Our next post will feature a few subjects we profiled in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for an international flavor of UHG - Your Life's Best Work. 

Thanks to the following people who came on board and added their talents to the production:

Photographer / Director - Jonathan Chapman/JCP
Production - Tanya Silver
Assistant Producer - John Fontana
Edit - Joseph McMahon
Second Camera - Eric Schleicher
Aerial Photography / Third Camera / Assistant - Patrick Meehan
Camera Assistant - Joseph McMahon
Digital Tech - Karl Herber
Props / Wardrobe - Julie Caruso & Kathy Muellner
Hair / Make-up - Ashlee Ellert
Location Scout - Charlotte Ariss
Music - Joey Verskotzi
Sound Mixing - Nick Mihalevich

Our latest for Matrix Fitness and their “Total Solutions Partner” campaign. Produced in Amsterdam, NL the still and motion visuals highlight Matrix Fitness’ premiere line of exercise equipment as well as their Total Solutions approach emphasizing facility design, equipment integration, with oversight and support around maintenance and service.

“For your grand opening and everyday after, when you choose Matrix, you’re getting more than the world’s finest fitness equipment — you’re getting an ongoing relationship geared for success. Together, there’s no detail of your business that we can’t refine, reimagine or reinvent. And that includes your bottom line.”

A shout out to Coelement for their post-production talents including edit, graphics, and animation.

Cameras, canoes, and drones... A JCP collaboration with Cue Labs to capture a series of pastoral, nature and landscape, based visuals for Optum Health's "Innovation Center." The content is being projected on a large scale as part of an immersive, interactive installation.

As with many of our motion based productions, we've assembled some of our favorite clips into a director's cut. We took it a step further making a poetic short film, pairing a voice over read of the poem "Afterwards" by Thomas Hardy

Crew:
Photographer / Director – Jonathan Chapman | JCP
Producer – Bobbi Peacock
Production Assistant - Kate Dixon
Director of Photography – Nicolas De Miranda
DP / Drone - Adam Geiss
Camera Operator - Bruce Christianson
First AD – Chris Savage
Second AD – Joseph McMahon
DIT / Digital Tech – Chris Worlow
Location Scout - Tobias Shapiro / Healy Locations
Motorhome - Tin Gypsies
Edit – Joseph McMahon
Story Development - John Fontana
Poem – "Afterwards" by Thomas Hardy
Voiceover – Yervant Chalkagian c/o Stewart Talent
Music – "Become" by Phillip Cuccias c/o The Music Bed

After recent travel to New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, and much of Europe it seemed appropriate to feature a production for FedEx, a brand that certainly spans the globe.

To see a Frank Gehry building is nothing short of extraordinary; it's an eye catching moment of curving stainless steel splendor. The Weisman Art Museum played just the role, offering a perfect backdrop to our shoot for FedEx. Shots from above, below and all around provided the elements to tell the story of the "Custom Critical" service branch of FedEx. When a crucial piece of art or any other invaluable object needs transit to another location, FedEx has the means to get it there on time, every time without fail. The shoot encompassed so many aspects of the delivery process and we were able to take advantage of beautiful morning light with the unique shapes of the Gehry architecture standing tall in the background.