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Atherton Pictures Goes Live With Brad Pitt>>READ ITAtherton Pictures on the "Road to Victory">>READ IT
Atherton Pictures receives Telly Award
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Atherton Pictures Shoots PBS Documentary in Normandy
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Atherton Pictures Steps into Hi-Def
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New Orleans Production Business Grows Post-Katrina
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Atherton Pictures Has New "Girlfriends"
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Hurricane Katrina Swamps Atherton Pictures
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February 26, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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Atherton Pictures Goes Live With Brad Pitt
New Orleans - Atherton Pictures recently provided two live shots for The Ellen Degeneres Show featuring actor Brad Pitt, and fitness guru Richard Simmons.
Pitt was in New Orleans to report on progress with his Make It Right Foundation. The organization's goal is redeveloping the Hurricane Katrina devastated Lower 9th Ward, by building a neighborhood of safe and healthy homes. Six families have already moved in and, according to Pitt, by the end of 2009 there will be 100 new homes built in the area. Pitt also talked with Degeneres about his movie that was shot in New Orleans, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
Mardi Gras provided the backdrop for the second "Ellen" live shot with Richard Simmons. Broadcast from the start of the Krewe of Orpheus parade, co-founded by singer Harry Connick, Jr., Simmons usual antics and fun reigned supreme. Atherton Pictures' Jerry Jacob also provided French Quarter Mardi Gras footage for commercial bumps throughout the show.
The end of 2008 brought another record year to Atherton Pictures. The quarter closed in strong fashion with additional live shots for Fox Sports ("Best Damn Sports Show" with New Orleans Saint Reggie Bush) and ESPN ("Jim Rome is Burning" with New Orleans Hornet David West); cable network shoots for HGTV (House Hunters), featurettes for TruTV, Animal Planet, Discovery Science Channel, and BET. Corporate clients included Nike, Capital One, Intel, Pfizer, Chevron, Johnson & Johnson, AutoTrader.com and a 5-day shoot for PCI Communications/Department of Homeland Security. The Austin office of Atherton Pictures recently completed production of a fundraising video for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation which was written, produced and edited by Carolyn Krawczyk.
In October, Jerry Jacob lent his extensive Steadicam expertise to 20 students as an instructor at the Steadicam Operator's Association Workshop in Philadelphia. The students attended a 5-day workshop that teaches the theoretical and practical applications to operating a Steadicam. They lean heavily on the vast experience of the instructors and come out with the tools to begin working as a Steadicam operator.
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190 in New Orleans, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046 in Austin.
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September 26, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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Atherton Pictures on the "Road to Victory"
New Orleans - The National World War II Museum in New Orleans is expanding and Atherton Pictures is playing a role in helping to raise the money to complete the expansion. Atherton Pictures has just finished post-production on two high def videos that the Museum will use in raising more than $300 million to quadruple the size of the current museum. The first video is a 5-minute 3D animated aerial fly-over and fly-through of some of the key galleries and pavilions. Austin-based animator Tad Catalano created the nearly photo-realistic animation using Softimage XSI software and Adobe After Effects for compositing. After watching the fly-through, the viewer will have a true sense of having actually been in the galleries.
The second video, "The Road to Victory," is an 11-minute journey through the new museum featuring compelling stories of the brave men and women who helped win World War II. The stories are supplemented with archival war footage, and 3D animation of the pavilions and galleries. Atherton Pictures' Jerry Jacob directed, and Carolyn Krawczyk wrote and produced.
"We shot part of the video on location in Covington, Louisiana with five World War II veterans, 18 extras, and 11 crew members. Everybody was inspired by the veterans' great attitude and patience as we did multiple takes," said Jerry Jacob.
The National World War II Museum also hired Atherton Pictures to produce all the audio-visual support for a gala held on the USS Midway in San Diego Harbor including a 14-minute video, "Beyond the Call of Duty," recounting the stories of seven surviving Medal of Honor recipients from World War II.
"Jerry and I have had the honor of interviewing 15 Medal of Honor recipients. We never grow tired of being able to share their incredible stories of valor," said Krawczyk.
Additionally, Atherton completed production of a 15-minute video, "Thanks for the Memories" which was shown at the Victory Ball gala at The National World War II Museum. The piece chronicled Hollywood's support of the war effort using archival footage from the Hollywood and Stage Door Canteens, and USO shows around the world. Jacob and Krawczyk traveled to Beverly Hills to interview Hollywood icon Carl Reiner for the piece. Reiner served as Master of Ceremonies for the event.
As Atherton Pictures heads into the fall they're on pace for another record year. Production work in the broadcast and cable arenas included the completion of six shows for TLC's "Flip That House"; featurettes for the Speed Channel, BET, E! Entertainment, Animal Planet, TruTV, and the Montel Williams Show. Jacob served as Director of Photography on a commercial featuring the CEO of the PGA Tour, and Atherton also provided coverage of the final round for the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Additional sports work included two live shots for ESPN. Finally, Atherton Pictures shot "Mr. Las Vegas," Wayne Newton, for the TV Guide Channel, and the Disney Channel called on Jacob as camera operator and Steadicam operator for their new pre-school series, "Imagination Movers."
On the feature film side, Jacob operated camera on an 11-week shoot directed by Renny Harlin. "12 Rounds" stars WWE wrestler John Cena and is set for release in March 2009. Jacob also operated camera and was 2nd unit DP on the feature, "Bad Lieutenant" directed by Werner Herzog, and stars Nicholas Cage, Val Kilmer and Eva Mendez.
Atherton Pictures shot Electronic Press Kits for the features "Cirque du Freak" and "Final Destination 4" and did behind the scenes work for the Lifetime movie "Living Proof," "12 Rounds," "Cirque du Freak" and "I Love You Phillip Morris."
Corporate shoots included work for Chevron, and a video news release for MediaChoice. Internet production work included a live surgery for OR-Live.com, a live streaming two-camera shoot for CleanSkies.tv and nine videos for Sony.com
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190 in New Orleans, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046 in Austin.
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September 26, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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Atherton Pictures receives Telly Award
Austin - Atherton Pictures was recently honored for its production work on "Tears of Hope," a video for Any Baby Can. The video received a Bronze Telly Award, and showcases Any Baby Can's home based services and the agency's mission to ensure that all children reach their potential through education, therapy and family support services. Atherton Pictures' Carolyn Krawczyk wrote, produced and edited the video.
"This video has proven an invaluable tool for our agency and truly conveys the essential, life changing and heartfelt work of Any Baby Can," said Executive Director, Ellen Balthazar. "We are thrilled that it has been recognized with such a distinguished honor."
Founded in 1978, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world. The Telly Awards is a widely known and highly respected national and international competition and receives more than 13,000 entries annually.
"To be able to use my talent in production and make a difference in the lives of children who so desperately need help, there is no better feeling," said Krawczyk.
Krawczyk also shared in another set of awards from the 48-Hour Film Project in Denver. Krawczyk wrote and served as assistant director for "Club Dead," a horror spoof that was written, shot, edited and scored in just 48 hours. The film won awards for Best Directing and Best Acting. The 48-Hour Film Project is the oldest and largest timed film competition in the world. In 2008, more than 60 cities will participate, with over 30,000 filmmakers expected.
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190 in New Orleans, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046 in Austin.
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December 4, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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Atherton Pictures Shoots PBS Documentary in Normandy
New Orleans - The fields of Normandy echoed with the stories of D-Day 63 years after the invasion as veterans of the 82nd Airborne Division recounted their experiences for a PBS documentary shot in high definition by Atherton Pictures. Produced by the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, the documentary features four paratroopers and two infantry glidermen who returned to Normandy to tell their stories of the Battle of La Fière. The footage will be used in "No Better Place to Die" scheduled to air on PBS in the fall of 2008.
The shoot was directed by Steve Droter from the National World War II Museum. Jerry Jacob was Director of Photography and Carolyn Krawczyk provided field audio. Ms. Krawczyk will also write the documentary. Several additional staffers from the National World War II Museum made the trip including Tommy Lofton who served as production assistant, and Historian in Residence, Martin K.A. Morgan.
The documentary was shot in high definition using Atherton Pictures' Panasonic HDX-900 and chronicals the Battle of La Fière, a lesser known but particularly fierce battle that took place near Sainte Mere Eglise. Col. S.L.A. Marshall, the official U.S. Army historian during World War II, described it as "the bloodiest small unit struggle in the experience of American arms" (Night Drop 1962).
Cut off from the seaborne landing forces, badly scattered and sorely lacking in manpower and resources, American infantry soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division battled for four straight days against overwhelming German forces for control of a 600-yard causeway. This small group of men successfully repelled the heavily armed German infantry and prevented them from taking the causeway.
82nd Airborne paratroopers John Marr, Bob Murphy, Chet Graham, and Dave Bullington; and 325th Glider Infantry Regiment glidermen Wayne Pierce and Bud Olson all fought in the Battle of La Fière and gave detailed, first-hand accounts of their actions. German soldier Rudy Skripek, now a resident of England, traveled to Normandy to add his perspective to the documentary. These six American soldiers fought sometimes within 10 yards of one another, but never met during their time in Normandy in 1944. The documentary shoot marked the first time for them to reunite and compare experiences while walking in the fields they defended 63 years ago.
"I am honored to have had the opportunity to actually be in Normandy with these six veterans. I was reminded again of how important it is to tell their stories so that we as a nation don't forget, and viewers can try to understand what these men did for us, our country and the world. I'll always remember it as a truly special experience," said Director of Photography Jerry Jacob.
"My challenge will be to figure out what to cut. We have 23 hours of tape shot in Normandy and only an hour to tell this story. What should come out of it is a riviting retelling of the Battle of La Fière," said writer Carolyn Krawczyk.
The summer of 2007 was a busy one for Atherton Pictures as they moved past the halfway point of another record year. The New Orleans office production work in the broadcast and cable arenas included on-going feature shooting of the New Orleans Recovery School District for "Learning Matters", a segment on "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer"; live shots for Bloomberg Television on the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina; news featurettes for Associated Press TV; on-going shoots for six shows of TLC's "Flip That House"; three segments for the Food Network including two Iron Chef profiles; three Court TV segments; and a hi-def shoot for the Essence Fest after-party with Mario for HBO.
Atherton Pictures shot an Electronic Press Kit for HBO's "The Better Man" with Martin Lawrence; and Jerry Jacob provided "A" camera and Steadicam work for Lifetime's movie "Racing for Time".
Corporate shoots included work for Target, McDonald's, and Coors.
In the Austin office of Atherton Pictures, Carolyn Krawczyk completed production and post-production on two segments being used by Powered, Inc., an Austin-based company providing on-line consumer education. She also completed shoots with three World War II veterans in Austin, Phoenix and Wilmington, NC as they recounted their war experiences with the most highly decorated Native American to serve in the war. She is also in pre-production on a new video for non-profit agency Any Baby Can.
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190 in New Orleans, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046 in Austin.
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May 3, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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Atherton Pictures Steps into Hi-Def
New Orleans - Keeping in step with the momentum of more and more television programming being produced in high definition, Atherton Pictures added to its extensive equipment list and took delivery at the end of April of a hi-def video camera. As one of the newest hi-def cameras on the market, the Panasonic HDX-900 produces pristine images in 11 different hi-def formats in 1080 and 720. On the front end is the Fujinon Superwide 13x4.5mm lens providing crystal clear images. The camera shoots on DVCPRO HD tape, an industry standard.
As a testament to its acceptance in the television industry, the first week of ownership brought two shoots in hi-def. The first was for retailer Target. In New Orleans to document Target employees help with Hurricane Katrina recovery and rebuilding, the internal-use piece was shot on hi-def.
For the seventh consecutive year, Atherton Pictures was hired by PGA Tour Productions to shoot hi-def final round play and the post-match press conference for the Zurich Classic Golf Tournament, played at TPC Louisiana.
The month of April saw Director of Photography Jerry Jacob on the road around the South as he shot segments for Johnson & Johnson's "2007 Community Health Care Program." Traveling extensively through Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, Jerry shot for two weeks with producer Bob Griffiths, and Mark Page on audio. The profiles featured community health organizations that are grant recipients from Johnson & Johnson. Eight profiles included Sight Savers in Birmingham, AL; the Mississippi Children's Justice Center in Jackson, MS; and the Louisiana Breast & Cervical Health Program in New Orleans.
Atherton Pictures has been contracted to shoot six shows for the TLC series, "Flip That House." This half-hour reality series brings the viewer into the latest trend in "buy-sell" house renovation known as "house flipping." Atherton Pictures will shoot all phases of construction on six homes being renovated in New Orleans. The shows are scheduled to air in the fall.
Atherton Pictures in Austin has also been busy with production. Producer Carolyn Krawczyk recently completed production on "Tears of Hope," a marketing and fundraising video for Any Baby Can, a non-profit providing outreach services to disadvantaged and ill children. The video was the centerpiece for the annual gala and helped raise more than $100,000.
Krawczyk also shot with baseball Hall of Fame pitcher and legend, Nolan Ryan, who was the subject of a video for worldwide PR agency, GCI Read Poland. Also making a guest appearance was Jay Miller, President and COO of the Round Rock Express baseball team, the AAA farm team for the Houston Astros.
Not all Atherton Pictures work in April involved production. For the 13th time, Jerry Jacob was an instructor at the Steadicam workshop. This year, the Tiffin Steadicam Workshop was held at the UCLA Conference Center at Lake Arrowhead, CA. The 16 students were put to the test by Jacob and three other instructors. Steadicam master, Jerry Holway, served as lead instructor for the six-day course.
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190 in New Orleans, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046 in Austin.
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December 1, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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New Orleans Production Business Grows Post-Katrina
New Orleans - Along with a host of other industries, the New Orleans television and film business took a major hit when Hurricane Katrina swamped the city just over a year ago. With little downtime, however, New Orleans-based Atherton Pictures was back up and running. The ensuing year has brought record business for the company and an optimism for the city's future.
The one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina brought media from around the world to New Orleans. Bloomberg Television hired Atherton Pictures to bring their images to air. Two Atherton Pictures crews shot shot for eight days producing news features and live shots. Crew members included DP's Bill Starling and Ralph Madison. Audio technicians were Chris Tiffany and Mark Page. Jason Villemarette provided mobile editing services.
Sports and syndicated programs also marked the anniversary. ESPN's Monday Night Football celebrated the New Orleans Saints' return to the city with an extravaganza rarely seen except for the Superbowl. Atherton Pictures' Jerry Jacob provided Steadicam for the show open, a gospel choir reminding the world that "We're still here."
Atherton also shot several episodes in High Definition for HGTV's popular "House Hunters" show. Working with Los Angeles based Pie Town Productions, Atherton's Jerry Jacob, Ralph Madison, John Pope, Bill Starling and Mark Page shot for nine days in the Lakeview section of New Orleans.
Jacob and Page also worked with world-renowned hair guru Vidal Sassoon, covering his contribution to the New Orleans Area's recovery with Habitat for Humanity. And, The Ellen Degeneres Show and the Montel Williams Show also hired Atherton Pictures to shoot featurettes for their shows.
In another sign of the recovery of New Orleans, The National World War II Museum successfully staged the first International Conference on World War II on November 16th through 19th. Originally scheduled for October of 2005, the Museum was forced to re-schedule this important event due to Hurricane Katrina. It was an unprecedented public history event bringing together veterans of the battle fronts and the home front along with the world's leading historians, journalists and authors.
Atherton Pictures was contracted to provide all of the audio and video support for the event, utilizing seven cameras, and a crew of sixteen camera operators, audio and video technicians. The Museum will produce a DVD collection from this coverage, as well as having the materiel in its archives. Atherton Pictures' Jerry Jacob coordinated the coverage with the Museum staff and, along with Mark Page, directed the sessions during the four day event.
Not all Atherton Pictures production work, however, is limited to Katrina-related shoots. Jerry Jacob served as DP in Miami for several editions of MTV's "Cribs" special car edition. Shoots included the high-end car collections of rappers Dre and Cool, Bow Wow, Baby and hip-hop record producer Scott Storch.
On the corporate side, recent productions have included Carolyn Krawczyk writing and producing several promotional pieces for the Eanes Independent School District in Austin, Texas. She is also in production on four videos for a 2007 kick-off event for Lombardi Software.
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190 in New Orleans, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046 in Austin.
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September 20, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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ATHERTON PICTURES HAS NEW "GIRLFRIENDS"
New Orleans - Atherton Pictures recently completed production on second unit work for the CW television network's season premiere of "Girlfriends." Atherton Pictures' Jerry Jacob and Carolyn Krawczyk worked with Los Angeles-based Director Salim Akil, 1st Assistant Director Brenda Kalosh, and Unit Production Manager Jessie Dugan. One of the "Girlfriends" stars, Tracee Ross, made the trip to New Orleans for the shoot.
Jacob was Director of Photography and Steadicam operator, and Krawczyk provided location work and served as 2nd Assistant Director.
The "Girlfriends" season premiere features Tracee Ross as Joan. Her character makes a trip to New Orleans to help Habitat for Humanity with the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort. New Orleans locations included The Moonwalk along the Mississippi River, iconic Café du Monde and Jackson Square, the Garden District along St. Charles Avenue, and the devastated Lower 9th Ward.
"We're pleased that CBS Paramount Television [who produces "Girlfriends"] chose Atherton Pictures for its second unit work. By hiring a local production company, they are helping the rebuilding effort in New Orleans," said Jacob.
Additional New Orleans crew included First Assistant Camera Ralph Madison, Crane Operator Brian Irwin, Grips Clint Buras and Daniel Rector, and Production Assistant Jonathan Thompson.
"New Orleans has such a wealth of qualified production personnel; it makes sense to hire locally. Productions shooting in New Orleans can maximize their budgets and get quality work at the same time," said Krawczyk.
The "Girlfriends" season premiere aired October 1st on the CW.
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, please contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046.
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November 9, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:
Jerry Jacob
(504) 818-2190
Carolyn Krawczyk
(512) 402-0046
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HURRICANE KATRINA SWAMPS ATHERTON PICTURES BUSINESS
...and the cameras keep rolling.
New Orleans - In the 75 days following Hurricane Katrina, Jerry Jacob has had nine days off. He hasn't been cleaning up any of the massive amounts of debris left behind by the storm. He hasn't been handing out food to relief workers. He's been all across the Gulf South with his Betacam on his shoulder documenting for various clients Katrina's path of destruction.
As owner of New Orleans-based Atherton Pictures, Jacob has had camera crews working steadily since Katrina hit. After returning to New Orleans ten days after the storm in late August, Jacob and several crews have worked on 37 separate projects covering 51 shooting days. Working for such clients as The Dr. Phil Show, ABC Sports, The Discovery Science Channel, Animal Planet and PGA Tour Productions, Jacob has been witness to more devastation than most will ever see.
"It's been amazing to be a part of this major historical event. There aren't many people who have seen what I've seen, and it's been pretty overwhelming at times," Jacob said. He and his family evacuated New Orleans before the storm hit and eventually ended up in Birmingham, Alabama. Leaving his family in Birmingham and returning to New Orleans, he wasn't sure what to expect. His home had minor damage and some flooding that kept him from staying there for about ten days. The Atherton Pictures office suffered no water or wind damage.
"I slept on the floor of a production company in Baton Rouge for a few days and then came back to New Orleans and slept at my office. Meals were hard to come by but some National Guardsmen gave me some MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) and that kept me going for a few days," he said.
"The strangest part was how deserted the city was. No traffic, very few people except National Guard, essential workers and media. When I first came back, much of the city was still flooded so there wasn't anything to come back to," Jacob said. That has slowly improved as water and electricity service have been restored and residents are returning.
Jacob's work hasn't been limited to shooting in New Orleans. He's worked across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and into Florida. The U.S. Federal Court System documented how the courts are handling cases, papers and judges' relocations in Mississippi. Oil company BP showed how the storm affected several Travel Center facilities, managers and employees in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Jacob was hired to shoot part of a documentary, "Why Wal-Mart Works, and Why That Drives Some People Crazy."
Not all the work since August 29th has been hurricane related. Jacob was in Denver, Colorado with Atherton Pictures partner Carolyn Krawczyk (from the company's Austin, Texas office) producing a music and comedy DVD starring well-known stand-up comic, Pete Barbutti. The team also recently completed post-production on piece about a nationally known high school basketball program in Alpharetta, Georgia.
Even with the difficult post-Katrina working conditions, Atherton Pictures clients remain happy. Marian Lowes, producing for the BP/Amoco Marketers' Association Conference and Trade Show, offered praise in an unsolicited email. "You did a fantastic job Jerry…I truly can't thank you enough. You did a super job with the interviews! I know you had a lot of ground to cover in a very little time. The Slidell shots were the best! The piece you shot was the highlight of the conference! I'd hire you again in a heartbeat!"
With the overwhelming reconstruction the Gulf Coast is facing, Jacob remains optimistic. "New Orleans will be back. There's so much history in this city and such a unique culture here. We're going to rebuild and bring the life back to it." Jacob said. And Jerry Jacob will be there, camera in hand, to videotape the return of his city.
Atherton Pictures is a film and television production company with offices in New Orleans and Austin. For more information, please contact Jerry Jacob at (504) 818-2190, or Carolyn Krawczyk at (512) 402-0046.
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