video production blog

Video Production Blog

The creative team at Richter Studios is proud to share our experience, knowledge, and opinions on all things related to digital cinema and animation. Our video production blog represents over 23 years of hard-earned lessons and successes we have amassed along the way. We hope you enjoy it!

Richter Joins Forbes Agency Council
Richter Joins Forbes Agency Council

Jeremy Richter, CEO - Richter Studios, was recently invited to join the prestigious Forbes Agency Council. As a member, he will be writing articles that will be published on the Forbes website, which is ranked as a top 100 online destination in the United States.  Mr....

Be Water, My Friend
Be Water, My Friend

A famous bookend to one of Bruce Lee's philosophical observations was "Be water, my friend." It is in the spirit of this quote that this article is being written. For years now, the team at Richter Studios has adapted many of its production techniques to develop a...

Your Client, The Superstar!
Your Client, The Superstar!

As the market for promotional video content becomes increasingly saturated, everyone is looking for unique ways to have their messaging to stand out. However, the answer to your next great video marketing campaign may not be as elusive as you might imagine. In fact,...

New Wilson Staff Golf Promo Spots
New Wilson Staff Golf Promo Spots

As part of an effort to launch several new products, including the C200 Wilson Staff irons featuring FLX FACE Technology, the crew at Richter Studios spent a few fun days filming at the TPC Dye Valley Course at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The end result...

An Afternoon With Santa Claus
An Afternoon With Santa Claus

In the spirit of the holidays, the creative team at Richter Studios was asked to film Santa Claus as part of a fun Christmas-themed piece for Scot Forge, a manufacturer of high-quality metal forging solutions. Starting as a small hammer shop in Chicago, Scot Forge has...

Kmart Spots For The Giving Hat™
Kmart Spots For The Giving Hat™

This holiday season, the creative team at Richter Studios is proud to have developed several new spots for Kmart. They are part of the retailer's #TheGivingHat campaign and are a new way to draw attention, heighten awareness and raise funds in the fight against...

Five Spectacular Video Myths
Five Spectacular Video Myths

First, let me start this article by admitting that we’ve all been there. You know….that place where someone asks a question that we don’t really have a reliable answer for. Wanting to help in some way, we respond with information that may actually date back to 1967 or...

“Aerial Revolution” Commercial
“Aerial Revolution” Commercial

As demand grows for photo and video perspectives that involve Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) - commonly known as drones - Richter Studios is proud to release the first of two commercials celebrating its entry into this innovative new field. The first commercial,...

Sears Father’s Day Spot Shines
Sears Father’s Day Spot Shines

As Father's Day approaches, the creative team at Richter Studios has put the finishing touches on a fun new spot for Sears promoting the annual celebration. It's part of the retailer's #DestinationDad campaign and is being shared through a variety of social channels,...

Brunswick Billiards History Films
Brunswick Billiards History Films

After 170 years, the proud team at Brunswick Billiards decided to have its story told through a collection of short films. Legendary host Bill Kurtis served as the host and was joined by world-renowned billiards champion Ewa Mataya Laurance, aka “The Striking Viking”....

A “Furious” Rise To The Top
A “Furious” Rise To The Top

Sometimes success can happen swiftly and with awesome force. However, oftentimes it takes years to achieve. For the crew at Richter Studios, it's been a steady, persistent climb...with several unique experiences along the way. Working with megastar Ludacris has...

Heartfelt Kmart Spots Hit Home
Heartfelt Kmart Spots Hit Home

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the creative team at Richter Studios has put the finishing touches on several new spots for Kmart. They are part of the retailer's #MoreLove campaign and are being shared on a variety of social channels. Working closely with the...

The Emergence of Multi-Camera Shoots
The Emergence of Multi-Camera Shoots

It was only a matter of time. What was once a unique advantage for those who understood its potential, has now transformed into a very competitive playing field. With video ads making up 35% of online advertising budgets (source), marketers have duly noted the memo...

A Demo Reel For Everyone
A Demo Reel For Everyone

With over 2,000 video productions under our belt, the new demo reel we released yesterday celebrates the proud journey the Richter Studios team has enjoyed as part of the Chicago video production community. Richter Studios began as an animation and interactive agency...

6-MONTHS WITH THE NEW MAC PRO
6-MONTHS WITH THE NEW MAC PRO

Early adoption of new technologies can be considered chic for consumers but, for professionals, early adoption can be a risky proposition.  Take Final Cut Pro X for example –many of those who blindly made the switch upon its debut later regretted their decision.  They...

Marketing Video Secrets
Marketing Video Secrets

Here are five timeless tips to make your next marketing video standout from the competition. Online video content has expanded so quickly over the past few years that I think it’s fair to say we’ve reached a palpable saturation point.  So how can you make your...

Richter Studios LOVES Chicago’s Summer Festivals
Richter Studios LOVES Chicago’s Summer Festivals

How much does the team at Richter Studios love Chicago’s Summer Festival scene? With the 2014 version just around the corner, it’s hard to easily quantify into words. Being cooped up for one of the harshest winters on record has us revved up for a great summer. Having...

Managing “SQUIRREL!” Attention Spans
Managing “SQUIRREL!” Attention Spans

It seems as though most people are familiar with the term “Squirrel!” when it comes to describing someone who is easily distracted, has a short attention span or is affected by “Shiny Object Syndrome”. Unfortunately when it comes to marketing your business, this is...

The Awesome Power Of A Pitch Video
The Awesome Power Of A Pitch Video

In the span of my career, I’ve seen client pitches go from mounted boards, to PowerPoint presentations, to videos. Between the three, it's video that has made the most difference in winning new opportunities. How important has video been for my new client pitches? ...

Crowdfunding Your Dream
Crowdfunding Your Dream

Imagine funding your dream idea through a bunch of people you’ve never met.  Sound crazy?  Actually, it really shouldn’t.  We now live in a culture of crowdfunding mania and we may just be getting started. The facts are startling: On Kickstarter alone, over $1 billion...

Filmmaking Tips From The Top
Filmmaking Tips From The Top

Vision, passion and focus are just a few of the characteristics that the greatest filmmakers share.  They also share some poignant ideas on what film making means to them. Whether you set out to produce a feature film, commercial, brand film or a corporate video,...

What’s Your Story?
What’s Your Story?

Storytelling has quickly become one of the new marketing buzzwords. As discussed repeatedly in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal and other leading business publications, the use of storytelling in businesses and other organizations is...

Richter Studios & The Irish
Richter Studios & The Irish

With a mother and grandmother both born in Belfast, you can bet your boots I grew up surrounded by a lot of green. The amazing story of Giant’s Causeway? Three-Leaved Shamrocks? Rainbows and Leprechauns? Those are all old hat to me (and good fun too!). I often wonder...

Richter Studios, Cinema & Chicago
Richter Studios, Cinema & Chicago

Chicago Fire, Betrayal, Transformers 4, Chicago PD just to name a few. Chicago is a hot bed for film production. Most recently MovieMaker ranked Chicago as The #1 Best Place to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2014. In 2013 overall production was up 20% over 2012 and...