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This spring Henninger Media Services, Inc. (“Henninger”) kicked off its first “Media Masters” production seminar and workshop.  Over 60 Washington, D.C. area television and film professionals made their way to Henninger’s Arlington, Virginia facility to attend the event that aimed to demystify and educate the production community about stereoscopic 3D production.  “As we gain experience with new technology and navigate the challenges that come with producing content for today’s multi-platform distribution channels, we feel we have a responsibility to share our expertise with other electronic-media storytellers,” says Henninger Chief Operating Officer, Eric Hansen.  “Our industry is always changing, and Henninger, traditionally an early-adopter of new technology, can help producers gain exposure to the latest and greatest—the more we share our knowledge, the more the local market will be open to using the new technology.”  

The event started off with a presentation by Henninger’s Director of Engineering, Sam Crawford.  He explained the principles behind how 3D movies and television work; from a look back at the well-known anaglyph red-and-blue glasses, to the stereoscopic and shutter 3D technology that is used in today’s movie theaters and now in consumers’ homes.  After the main presentation, the event participants walked throughout Henninger’s post-production facility to examine the many stages a 3D project must go through.  These break-out demonstrations covered the Panasonic AG-3DA1 3D camera, 3D editing, animation, and the new DaVinci Resolve’s workflow for 3D color correction. “I’ve been to a few 3D Seminars in the area, and Henninger’s 3D presentation was by far something I could really appreciate and comprehend,” says Susan Lach, Post-Production Supervisor for National Geographic Television’s Natural History Unit and Specials. “They (Henninger) took the time to share their learning and knowledge with the local production community about how to better manage the limitations and challenges of 3D Production. Their leadership into this new frontier will help guide the way for us all.”  

Henninger partnered with two other local media companies for the event:  Story House Productions, a Washington, D.C.-based company with offices in Germany and Canda; and Rebel Arts, an animation and visual arts studio located in the Henninger building.  Senior creative leads from each company helped breakdown stereoscopic 3D for the documentarian, local filmmaker and network executive.  “I think it is quite natural that families want to extend the 3D experience to their homes, creating little ‘family events’ by watching 3D movies,” comments Story House Productions’ Director of Production Services, Thomas Sassenberg.  “In my opinion, this (3D entertainment) will grow an appetite for more 3D content on TV, and this will very naturally lead to a growing demand of non-fiction 3D content as well.”  Henninger is currently wrapping up the post-production on Story House Productions’ hour-long 3D show, Rise of the Jellyfish for Discovery’s 3D channel, 3-Net.  

Producing original 3D content for television and other outlets like museums continues to grow. Cable television giants ESPN and Discovery Communications both launched their 3D networks within the last year, and movie distributors are planning to deliver more 3D home entertainment products. 

The purpose of Henninger’s “Media Masters” seminars and workshops is to bring together Washington, D.C. area production, communications, and business thought leaders for informative and educational opportunities. The Media Masters events are designed for the sharing and discussion of expert experiences around subject matters that are changing and reshaping the world of electronic media.   “At first 3D seemed even more intimidating than HD was when it first came on the scene, but after Henninger’s seminar I felt much more comfortable with the concepts and technology,” says Beth Mays, a National Geographic Television Post-Production Supervisor.  Henninger will continue to host “Media Masters” seminars and workshops throughout 2011.   

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Henninger Media Services (“Henninger”) was founded in 1983 by Robert L. Henninger. The company serves broadcast, corporate, association, non-profit and government clients, providing a full range of electronic-media services.  Henninger provides original script-to-screen production, and specializes in video editing, compositing, color correction, film transfer, quality control, and duplication; as well as surround sound audio, motion graphics, print graphic design, Blu-ray and DVD production.  Additional information can be obtained by calling Robert Anderson at 703-243-3444, or by email at hmsinfo@henninger.com

Henninger Media Services (“Henninger”) was tapped by communications agency, GMMB to execute the post-production of a high-profile television spot designed to promote an historic initiative for many of America’s flagship beverage brands.  Household names such as Pepsi, Coke, Sunny D, Snapple and Dr. Pepper are all participating in a voluntary commitment to make calories more visible and useful to consumers.

In support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! anti-obesity campaign, the American Beverage Association (“ABA”), in conjunction with many of America’s beverage companies, is changing the way calorie content is displayed.  New packaging now shows the total number of calories inside of a product on the front of the can or pack, no longer by smaller, serving size amounts on the back. 

The ad was shot using the new ARRI Alexa camera, a file-based camera that captures footage on Apple pro-res files.  Virginia-based Henninger processed the footage, edited the media on an Avid Media Composer, and used an Avid DS to conform and add effects to the spot.  File preparation and color correction took place in Henninger’s DaVinci Resolve Suite with Senior Colorist, Dave Markun.  

Senior Henninger Editor, Jef Huey remarked, “There were some technical challenges that we needed to overcome while working with files from the ARRI Alexa camera that are not typical of all spots.  This camera gives you a lot of choices as to what visual elements you want the audience to focus on.  We were able to pick and choose multiple elements and enhance them for the most dynamic framing and color possible.”

This workflow gave GMMB, and its client, the ABA, an organic film look, but Henninger’s post work opened up a world of options and choices for what was anticipated to become a highly-scrutinized and time-sensitive project. 

“We chose Henninger because we wanted experience and a quality editor,” said GMMB’s Vice President, Senior Producer, Terrance Green. 

Overall, the ARRI Alexa camera, in combination with Henninger’s technical expertise for post-production, helped produce a contemporary spot that delivered a clean, clear, high-end production value look for the beverage industry’s first Clear-on-Calories! message.

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Henninger Media Services (“Henninger”) was founded in 1983 by Robert L. Henninger. The company serves broadcast, corporate, association, non-profit and government clients, providing a full range of electronic media services.  Henninger provides original script-to-screen production, and specializes in video editing, compositing, color correction, film transfer, quality control, and duplication; as well as surround sound audio, motion graphics, print graphic design, Blu-ray and DVD production.  Additional information can be obtained by calling Robert Anderson at 703-243-3444, or by email at hmsinfo@henninger.com

www.Henninger.com

Henninger Media Services (“Henninger”), a leader in production and post-production in the Washington, D.C. area, was selected by Stanton Communications, Inc. (“SCI”), an award-winning PR and advertising firm, to produce spots for two different ad campaigns SCI developed for Pepco and Delmarva Power.  A total of six spots were created over a six-week span.  The television, radio, and in-theater ads were designed and created by SCI and produced at Henninger.  SCI selected Henninger for its ability to produce media for multiple platforms, and turn around high-quality work on short deadlines.

The first spot is an entirely animated piece targeting audiences in movie theaters.  The animated spot promotes energy efficiency.  Henninger’s graphic artists worked closely with SCI’s creative team to build style frames and animatics in order to execute the project’s initial concepts.  Using a little human imagination, After Effects and Maya 4-D design tools, Henninger’s graphic artists Laurie Carbery and Steve Scheiber were able to bring SCI’s illustrated frames to life.  By personifying an illustrated house with a face with quirky expressions, the artists gave a personable and fun edge to Pepco’s campaign—illustrating ways to save energy in a fun and engaging manner.

 A second campaign involved the scheduling, production and delivery of multiple live-action television spots.  These company executive and employee spots address Pepco’s reliability enhancement plan. 

Tom Welle, Manager, Brand Advertising & Public Information for Pepco Holdings, Inc. said, “It was a good experience working with Henninger. They were very professional, the quality of the spots was good and the price was right.  They came through for us.”  All of the post-production for the spots was completed at Henninger Media Services in Arlington, VA.   
 

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Henninger Media Services (“Henninger”) was founded in 1983 by Robert L. Henninger. The company serves broadcast, corporate, association, non-profit and government clients, providing a full range of electronic media services.  Henninger provides original script-to-screen production, and specializes in video editing, compositing, color correction, film transfer, quality control, and duplication; as well as surround sound audio, motion graphics, print graphic design, Blu-ray and DVD production.  Additional information can be obtained by calling Robert Anderson at 703-243-3444, or by email at hmsinfo@henninger.com. www.Henninger.com

Stanton Communications, Inc. is a national public relations firm specializing in corporate counseling, marketing communications and public affairs. With offices in Washington, D.C., New York and Baltimore, and a network of affiliates in North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, the firm serves some of the world’s most successful companies in a wide range of industries, as well as entrepreneurial start-ups, non-profit organizations, trade associations, and government agencies. For more information, visit www.stantoncomm.com.

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Henninger Media Services, Inc. (“HMS”) is the first production/post-production company in the Mid-Atlantic region to offer Hollywood-quality Blu-ray encoding services using the Cinema Craft High-Definition AVC encoder (“CC-HDe”).  After thorough research, and over six months of testing and analysis, HMS’ engineering and DVD/Blu-ray development teams drew an undisputed conclusion.  “After all of the technical scrutiny, it came down to a side-by-side picture comparison.  The encoded media generated by the CC-HDe revealed a clearly superior picture quality above the other encoders assessed,” says HMS’ Director of Engineering, Sam Crawford.  “The encoded material was virtually identical to the original, and the speed at which it worked was unmatched.”

Well-known titles such as Paramount’s Iron Man, Disney’s The Princess and the Frog and the Academy-award-winning Crazy Heart, have all been entrusted to this encoder for Blu-ray release.  The encoder has even garnered several industry-recognized awards for “excellence in video encoding.” “It is the encoder of choice for many A-List titles, and adding this encoder to our Blu-ray offerings is a perfect fit with our company’s goal of providing world-class services in the Mid-Atlantic market,” says company President and CEO, Rob Henninger.

With over five times the storage capacity of DVDs, the Blu-ray format was created to store large amounts of data, and to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video. “Incorporating this type of Blu-ray tool is a testament that we believe strongly in our clients’ investment in their projects. We are really excited to be able to offer such a superior finishing product,” says Ari Zagnit, HMS’ Senior DVD/Blu-ray Developer. HMS has upgraded its audio encoding capabilities as well.  The DVD/Blu-ray department can manage stereo and 5.1 encoding—and now, 7.1 Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD encoding.

The CC-HDe offers a quality and number of tool sets that enable experienced compressionists like Zagnit to make changes to visuals down to the pixel, options not offered in other encoding solutions currently in the Washington, D.C. marketplace.  HMS and Zagnit have already produced numerous Blu-ray titles for high profile companies in the D.C. market, and this list will continue to grow with this latest enhancement to HMS’ Blu-ray equipment.  When it comes to getting products replicated and onto retail shelves quickly, HMS is at an advantage by offering this pre-mastering service.

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Henninger Media Services was founded in 1983 by Robert L. Henninger. The company serves broadcast, corporate, association and government clients, providing a full range of electronic media, interactive and high-definition services.  It provides original script-to-screen production, and specializes in video editing, compositing, color correction, film transfer, quality control, and duplication; as well as surround sound audio, motion graphics, graphic design, Blu-ray and DVD production.  Additional information can be obtained by calling Robert Anderson at 703-243-3444, or by email at hmsinfo@henninger.com.   Visit our website at:  www.Henninger.com

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Henninger Media Services, Inc. (HMS), Washington, D.C.’s premier production and post-production company, was awarded a video web hosting contract with the U.S. Census Bureau. HMS partnered with The Super Group (TSG) of Atlanta, GA, to deliver the Census’ first and only video-hosted platform.

The Census Bureau needed a platform to facilitate a consistent and stable uploading environment for large video and audio files to broadcast news and events to the general public. HMS worked with TSG to establish a stand-alone desktop application and website for browsing, downloading or uploading video files.  The site supports both standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) content.  Getting communication out to the masses in a searchable environment is critical in spreading the word about census-related initiatives.

The site allows the Census Bureau’s staff to easily transfer content through a customized upload utility.  This upload utility is integrated with a content management system, allowing a web site administrator to approve uploaded clips and update media on the site quickly and easily. Clips can also be marked for internal review only, allowing Census staff and partners to share media on the site before it is available to the public at-large.

Rob Henninger, President and CEO of HMS, stated “we are excited to win this high profile contract with the Census Bureau and to work with the creative people at The Super Group; this is a perfect addition to our growing portfolio of interactive projects, which we see as a real growth area for the company.” HMS presently works closely with other government entities on various multimedia and interactive projects, including the National Park Service, the National Archives, Navy Medical Support Command, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Super Group is a creative marketing agency focused on building interactive experiences for its customers. TSG’s clientele includes The Weather Channel, Walt Disney World, Kimberly-Clark, Krystal Restaurants, Johnson & Johnson, and many others.

Headquarted in Arlington, Virginia, Henninger Media Services was founded in 1983 by Robert L. Henninger. The company serves broadcast, corporate, association and government clients, providing a full range of electronic media, interactive and high-definition services.  It provides original script-to-screen production, and specializes in video editing, compositing, color correction, film transfer, quality control, and duplication; as well as surround sound audio, motion graphics, graphic design, Blu-ray and DVD production.  Additional information can be obtained by calling Robert Anderson at

703-243-3444, or by email at hmsinfo@henninger.com.

Visit our website at:  www.Henninger.com

Henninger Media Services (“HMS”), a market leader in production and post-production for more than 26 years, announced today that it has decided not to renew the lease of its boutique post facility in Washington, D.C., which ends in 2010.  The Company will instead be expanding its operations at its flagship Arlington facility.  Five D.C. staff members will move to Arlington as part of this consolidation, which will occur gradually over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition for its clients and staff.

Robert Henninger, the President and Owner of HMS, asserted that “this was an extremely difficult decision, since 1150 Post has been a key part of our Company’s success since it opened in 1996.  However, the multiple-facility model no longer fits in with our long-term strategic vision.”  Located across the street from National Geographic, 1150 Post began as a joint venture with one of HMS’ top clients.  The Company expects most of the work previously done in D.C. to make its way to Arlington.

HMS has successfully grown a number of its service offerings in 2009 despite the economic downturn, including marked increases in National Archives film to High Definition transfers, government & corporate turnkey production services, and standard/format conversion jobs.  The Company anticipates that its other core post production services of editing, audio mixing, color correction, graphics, and DVD will increase dramatically in 2010 with the mid-term political elections.

Combining resources into a single facility increases the Company’s ability to handle large-scale and complex projects, while significantly lowering overall operating costs and capital expenditure requirements. This will also allow it to compete more effectively in what has become a challenging pricing environment this year.  The move aligns with HMS’ strategy of managing its internal staffing costs by partnering with various third-party vendors during their busy times of year, rather than add to their headcount.  Eric Hansen, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, added that “we expect to increase our personnel by 20-25% in 2010 to manage an expected spike in political spot work…and almost all of this will come in the form of freelancers and vendor partnerships.”

Henninger Media Services
HMS specializes in a full range of interactive and high-definition services, including original script-to-screen production, video editing, compositing, color correction, film transfer, quality control, and duplication; as well as surround sound audio, motion graphics, design, and DVD.  HMS has served broadcast, corporate and government clients for over 26 years in Arlington, VA. Information on HMS can be obtained by calling Eric Hansen at 703-908-4225 or by email at ehansen@henninger.com.  Further information is available online at www.henninger.com.