Newsletter July 2021

July 7, 2021

Summer has arrived and we are hitting the ground running. JIVE Photographic Productions has a ton of incredible jobs lined up and we are energized and ready to deliver. As Halifax's top choice for quality campaign visuals and video, we are ready to work with YOU.

This past May we had the opportunity to collaborate with singer/songwriter Samantha Gracie to produce a music video for her latest single ‘Lilacs’. Directed and produced by James Ingram, and shot by Mark Archibald, ‘Lilacs’ tells the story of processing one's grief. We hope you enjoy watching and listening to ‘Lilacs’, and that it brings you comfort in whatever you are facing.

Recently we worked with HRM to help promote their ‘Get There By Bike’ program. This program seeks to help make Halifax a better bike city. Check out our most recent blog post “11 Reasons to Support Halifax’s ‘Get There By Bike’ Program” to learn more!

Jive's Picks of the Month

'The Fall of Civilizations' Podcast has been my go-to listen for the past few months. This history oriented podcast looks at the collapse of a different civilization every episode. Every time I tune in I become entranced as I bear witness to the empires and civilizations before us. The scary part is you can see the parallels to our own civilization and how fragile it is. All civilizations seem to hit a peak of growth and prosperity, only to sabotage it and fall into ruin. It’s almost the same story line every time. You would think we would learn from past mistakes...

I've been a long time fan of Alec Baldwin's Podcast, 'Here's The Thing'. The banter he has with other actors, and directors is so insightful and entertaining. It’s a great look behind the curtain. On top of that, Baldwin is incredibly captivating to listen to; he’s so passionate about the arts. I always find myself inspired after listening.

Tune into either of these picks and let us know what you think!

11 Reasons to support Halifax’s “Get There By Bike” program

June 30, 2021

More and more, bike-friendly cities are receiving praise for their commitment to creating accessible, safe and efficient bike ways for their citizens. Being a bike-friendly city seems to be the gift that keeps giving. Cities that demonstrate a commitment to their cyclists are prioritizing the environment, their citizens health, and most importantly the equity of their population. This sort of reputation can be a catalyst for increased tourism and population growth. Think of Amsterdam, Ferrara, Copenhagen; European cities and towns whose reputation as bike cities are a huge part of their identity. Canada is well on its way to prioritizing the kind of infrastructure that will create safer passage for cyclists, but we have a long way to go. For a city like Halifax, which isn’t built on a grid system, safe bikeways, interconnecting routes and accessibility are the obstacles we face. Luckily, the HRM is tackling this face on with promises of continued bikeway creation and a commitment to their city’s cycling network. However, to keep this movement’s momentum, the public must know the benefits and continue pushing for more infrastructure. Being able to collaborate with HRM and show the faces of cyclists in this city has really brought all of this into a new light for us here at JIVE. To be honest, we’ve been researching bikes for our own use as their efficiency became more and more evident.

Here are 11 reasons we believe YOU should be excited about Halifax’s “Get There By Bike” program, and perhaps give cycling a shot!

1) Reduces air pollution.

Choosing not to drive your vehicle cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions which in turn, helps with global climate change. Biking emits NO greenhouse gases. This can be how YOU help in the fight against climate change.

2) Reduces noise pollution.

The rev of the engine, the squealing breaks, the loud horns of frustrated commuters. All of these things effect the approachability of a city. It can make a beautiful downtown street a nightmare. Noise pollution also has an enormous impact on wildlife. It can interfere with wildlife reproduction, and cause stress to our furry friends. Not cool.

3) Reduces traffic.

Have you ever seen dead stop cycling traffic? Neither have we. Not only do you avoid a lot traffic on your bike, you also lessen it for those who have to drive. This means less idling, again helping the environment.

4) Make safer streets.

With the proper infrastructure, and by prioritizing wide, protected bikeways we give the public a safer option when it comes to transportation. Always wear your helmet!

5) Cycling is fantastic for your health.

Physically and mentally cycling can be a great way to take care of yourself. Double up on benefits by getting your workout while cycling somewhere you need to be!

6) Low impact for injury and/or disability.

Cycling can prove to be a great option for people with injuries and/or disabilities that hold them back from walking or running comfortably. Furthermore, cycling can be great therapy for some injuries. For those that may still struggle with the demands of cycling, e-bikes have been gaining recent popularity. This option is helpful for people of all ages and disabilities who may be concerned about up hill biking, or long journeys. *E-bikes are a great option, but also come with further needs, such as ensuring there are charging docking stations in enough locations to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment.

7) Support existing cycling businesses.

Supporting local and small businesses has become more and more important - and therefore we cannot ignore the potential growth these local cycling businesses will experience as cycling becomes more mainstream and accessible.

8) Sense of community

With more accessibility, communities grow. Cycling groups all over Halifax are holding events, learning opportunities, and community gatherings, etc. There are a lot of people for new cyclists to lean on, and in turn this strengthens our city as a whole.

9) Bragging rights

Being a bike-friendly city can be a selling point. Whether for tourism, rankings, immigration, etc, being recognized as a bike-friendly is a title worth fighting for!

10) Equity of the population

We believe this is by far the most important reason to support Halifax becoming a bike city. Cycling can make the city more equitable. How? By providing access to employment, education and essential services by other means than a vehicle. The truth is, having a vehicle is a luxury. Many rely on busses, taxis and walking to reach these necessities. Appropriate bikeways open a world of possibilities for many Haligonians and can create opportunities for everyone.

11) Fun!

Biking is FUN. This just adds to the incredible activities Halifax can offer its citizens and visitors a like.

Cycling, while as old as the wheel, may also be the way of the future. Let’s get ahead of the ball and make sure Halifax is listed amongst the most bike-friendly cities in Canada - and maybe one day, the world!

Our experience producing and directing fictional scene work

June 23, 2021

We may be an advertising production company by nature, but on our own time, we are huge movie buffs. We have always believed that this passion for cinema has made our commercial work better, so now we wanted to take that to the next level. This meant taking the opportunity to explore narrative filmmaking. This personal project felt creatively expressive, while also enabling us to expand our video production skill set. We are firm believers in professional development through independent projects and this felt like an opportunity for exactly that.

We reached out to our capable acting contacts, Samantha Gracie and Bayleigh Pelham, and got to work on planning for the day. Once a scene was chosen, and a time solidified we were ready to experiment and enjoy the process.

For this shoot we ended up filming this scene in my living room. Along with having the right set decor already in place, it also has a large north facing window that we were able to use as our key light. Beyond that, we set up an Aputure 30.0 light and bounced it into the ceiling behind the scene. This allowed us to lift the light levels within the room without having the scene look over lit. We also used an existing practical, a table lamp, as a bit of an edge light for one of the characters on the left.

All of this was to accomplish lighting that would read as early to mid morning during a weekday. The story called for an emotional confrontation, and so we weren’t looking for bright sunlight streaming in as that wouldn’t have matched the narrative. Instead we wanted the lighting to be subdued, creating more of a mundane, but anxious feel. This approach also complimented the colour scheme of the set which is of course a bonus visually.

Shooting multiple angles and multiple takes means we had to be hyper aware of continuity, eye lines and framing. This is really where we learned the most. Tracking the framing while being aware of the actors performance calls for a keen eye. With some experimenting and solid rehearsals we were able to work our way around some framing obstacles and had a pretty smooth day of shooting.

It was such a treat for us to have a chance to work with real actors, professionals who have committed their lives to performance work, it was a completely different vibe and energy that we fed off of. Samantha and Bayleigh have been studying acting together for 3 years and have so much experience working together in scenes like this, that it made the actual filming very easy. As cool as this was, it was even cooler that it took us out of our comfort zone and made the collaboration so fun and satisfying. We can’t wait to work more like this.

Our crew for this was very small. I was directing, Mark Archibald was the other camera operator and DOP, and we had Josh Owen doing audio. Josh is an extremely accomplished audio tech among other talents, we couldn’t have done it without him. We were also lucky enough to have had an 2nd year NSCC photography student, Rix Mascarenhas, doing assisting and some camera operating.

Overall, we had a great experience working on this. With thorough planning, a committed team and great gear we got through this shoot with little to no issues. In fact, I think we did 3-4 takes max for each framing, and most of those were for safety and because we were really enjoying watching the actors work. I don’t think this will be the last of this kind of work you see come from JIVE Productions.

Why is photography & video content so important in the day of social media?

June 9, 2021

Visual components can drive traffic, interest and sales.

Visual advertising content has always been important, but it has taken on an entirely new life since the emergence of social media. So much of marketing and advertising are now taking place on social media and aside from twitter, almost all social media platforms rely heavily on visual components to grab the attention of the user. Instagram, Pinterest, Tiktok, Newsletters, Facebook & Facebook ads absolutely call for enticing, attention catching, curated, visual or video content. If you don’t have it, you get lost in the algorithm and your message never makes it out of the gate. This truth has continued to evolve, and now even more than still imagery, video content is being rewarded with views and engagement. In fact, video content is climbing heavily in the online circulation, almost 90% of top tier content is now in video form… up from 80% in the past few years.

All of this to say the obvious - the game is constantly changing, and if you want to stick out, you have to keep up. How do you do both of those things? You make sure you are equipped with tons of quality visual content, both still shots and video, to ensure you can post consistently, while always pushing the truths about your product, brand and services. This can be a lot of responsibility for the individual, and that is where we come into play. Trusting professionals who have made it their career to create polished, thought out and well executed visual content will mean you are ready to face the tough asks social media platforms call for.

The reward? If done correctly and consistently, embracing visual content will lead to more traffic coming to your platforms, and from there your website. It will up your engagement, lead to more followers, likes, shares and revenue while also solidifying your place in the algorithm that is social media.

We don’t say this without having lived it. We know first hand how quality visual content can lead to business when executed consistently. Recently we have experienced our own growth since our 2021 social media makeover campaign began. Let us take you down the same road and help you succeed with quality visual content - the new must have for marketing yourself appropriately.

Restrictions are lifting, let's help you be top of mind for travel destinations

June 1, 2021

Alright, who is ready to start travelling again? We know we are - and we assume all travellers have been daydreaming of the day they can move freely throughout our country and world again. It’s been a hard year, and many have felt cooped up while trying to remain safe - and they will be more than ready to book when given the green light. For accommodations, resorts, and destinations, now is the time to start thinking about how you can be top of mind when the public sets out to book their summer vacations.

With vaccinations being rolled out faster than ever, and provinces coming together to maintain numbers, it looks hopeful that we will be returning to some version of normal within the next 6 months to a year, with slow improvements paving the way. That makes right now an incredibly important time to begin planning your marketing and social content to ensure your domestic and international clients know you will ready to accommodate them when the time comes.

It’s also important to note that with the ever changing restrictions, travel patterns are going to shift and change. Travel will inevitably thrive locally and inter provincially, while international travel remains on hold. This creates a unique opportunity to really market yourselves to your local travellers, creating powerful campaigns to demonstrate what you have to offer as they begin to plan their summer trips.

That’s where we can help. JIVE photographic has 25+ years experience working primarily with advertising and editorial clients to achieve the client’s message in both still photography and video, communicating it through a unique aesthetic style. We, just like you, have had time to take a step back and really hone in on our expertise, and we are ready to step back in the ring and help you prepare for the surge re-openings and normalcy are bound to bring.

Today’s audience depends so much on visual content with a story telling approach. Using still photography, video and drone footage we can help you demonstrate why your audience can trust you to give them an incredible experience.

With extensive experience shooting for tourism we have become veterans at deducing what you want to show that represents the experience you can give. Check out some of these examples of the work we have & let’s chat about what we can do for you.