The recently formed Media Arts Coalition of West Michigan will be ready to be the “voice” for the region when film industry funding decisions are made by the legislators. According […]
Each year for the past five years, a local film festival has been slowly creeping up on greatness. In 2011, Thriller! Chiller! is ready to unspool tales too chilling to miss. Lifestyle Editor Tommy Allen dares you to uncover your eyes.
Each year we stand at the beginning of many new seasons in West Michigan, and each presents us with choices. G-Sync's Tommy Allen muses what future do we want to curate on the eve of ArtPrize and ArtPeer's Fall Festival?
Think of the great cities of the world. The streets and sidewalks are alive with performers, artists and a lot of creative energy. How does downtown Grand Rapids compare? Come discuss it with us.
A "Bronze Telly" is the new addition to Grand Haven-based learning consultancy Media 1's trophy case. Following a Silver Telly in 2009, Media 1 was recently informed that they won a Bronze Telly for a short, Flash-based animation featuring services offered by the Education Services division within Hewlett-Packard (HP). According to Chris Willis, CEO, The Telly Awards are a big deal. For companies in within the industry, "this is very prestigious award," he says. There are thousands of entries from around the world, so it is not just a local award. Willis adds the impact of the ad goes beyond recognizing the work of their team as it "increases our credibility and highlights the quality of our work. It is a peer stamp of approval." For Media 1, this award is another symbol of their recovery from a bumpy 2009. Willis outlines how 2010 was a growth year driven by developing new markets, adding more staff and "doing innovative work and getting a lot of buzz." Although they are not actively recruiting, they are always interested in talking with anyone with strong Microsoft SharePoint development skills and an online learning background. To learn more about Media 1, you can visit their website here. To find out more about the Telly Awards, visit their site here. Source: Chris Willis, Media 1 Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor
41 Sheldon Blvd, the long-time headquarters for UICA, will become a new headquarters for ArtPrize, Compass College of Cinematic Arts and other creative users.
The owners of two young marketing firms in Muskegon say there's no better time than now to leverage the companies' growth with a merger. And that's exactly what Qonverge and Relevant have done; after five years of collaborating on countless projects, the two companies will soon bring their web and video marketing, branding and market identity, and print media expertise under one roof and one name: Revel.Relevant's Don Kalisz, 33, and Qonverge's Andy Maciejewski, 31, and Jason Piasecki, 38, merged the two companies in early summer 2010 but have held the announcement until now. Revel and its 12 employees will operate from a new 4,000-square-foot headquarters in the former Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce offices at 900 Third St., Muskegon, a few floors above Qonverge's current office. The company will retain its Grand Rapids office space at 25 Ionia Ave. SW, as well. "It was the right time for both companies because we're both coming off record years and had been collaborating on some really complex projects," says Piasecki. "We've been talking about merging for a couple of years. We have some overlapping services, which just strengthens what we were already offering to clients. It's unique in West Michigan to bring the web, video and creative all under one roof."The new space will include an audio/video production studio, and will preserve the loft-style feel of the historic Hume Building with its 15-foot-high ceilings and brick walls. The build-out is in process. The merger creates two new job positions for a print/web designer and a programmer. Piasecki looks to fill those positions soon. "We offer a new agency experience with a unique combination of services," Piasecki says. "There's no need to go outside West Michigan; businesses can get these services all in their back yard."Source: Jason Piasecki, RevelWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News EditorRelated ArticlesGrowing Muskegon communications firm creates four more technology jobsQonverge doing advertising the new wayMuskegon marketing firm opens Grand Rapids office
Deborah Johnson WoodTwo West Michigan business competitors, Kharmai Video Productions and Fresh Look Video & Multimedia, have discovered that collaborating on projects and sharing resources is a great way to make money and have fun doing it. And now, owners Navin Kharmai and Casey Stormes have moved the video production companies from individual home offices to a shared space at the Goei Center's International Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, 818 Butterworth St. SE, Grand Rapids. The Goei Center is a renovated furniture factory that houses Eastern Floral, a banquet facility and collaborative workspaces designed to provide growth opportunities for startup businesses owned by women and minority entrepreneurs. "I am the first generation East Indian-American born here, and I was born in good old Butterworth (Hospital)," says Kharmai. "I grew up in Grand Rapids, so I like to tell people that I'm as Dutch as the next guy. Ninety-five percent of the time my skin color is not an issue with clients, and I've been really able to expand my interests in the film and video industry."Stormes operated Fresh Look for seven years in Hudsonville before moving to Grand Rapids on September 1. "Navin and I met about 10 years ago, and we've found it's beneficial to collaborate and share resources and equipment. We hire each other when we need help on projects, and offer advice on projects and a second set of eyes."Both companies provide similar services, such as HD video production for corporate clients, public relations videos, and live event production services, like video recording and playback, projection, and staging, sound and lighting. "We're a one stop shop in terms of creative new media storytelling," Kharmai says. "We looked at office spaces downtown, but they had very stark spaces with white walls, and we really liked the feel that's here – an old building that's very artsy with an urban feel."Source: Navin Kharmai, Kharmai Video Productions, LLC; Casey Stormes, Fresh Look Video & Multimedia, LLCRelated ArticlesAbandoned GR furniture factory now bustling International Entrepreneurial CenterDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.
The Collective Studios headquarters, hidden in a nondescript warehouse on the Southwest side of Grand Rapids, is a vault of wonder.
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