Lately there’s been a lot going on here at Aumen Media; but we’re always looking to that next project.  A few weeks ago we were shooting a promotional spotlight in Philadelphia for a great wedding photography company.  We followed the photographers to the stairs of the art museum (made famous in the Rocky franchise), and while Eric filmed with our Sony FS700, I noticed something behind us.  Out of all the people bundled up doing stretches and running up the stairs, I noticed a group of guys who were doing a very different set of warm ups.  I walked over and asked if they did parkour, and when they nodded “yes”, I immediately told them about our camera’s super-slow-motion capabilities.  After talking to them more we found out that they were part of a larger group that’s starting up called Philadelphia Parkour, whose goals were much greater than getting together for this acrobatic form of exercise.  They talked about starting the group to get kids off the streets and doing some good in the city.  They want to get involved in nonprofit activities like community clean-ups and other services, which is great to see out of a group in their 20′s.  The photographers were moving quickly to get the wedding party out of the cold, but we were able to snag this quick clip before we left.

Philadelphia Parkour from Aumen Media on Vimeo.

Another sample of our work that we’ve recently wrapped is based around everyone’s favorite beverage:  beer.  While test shooting some products in the studio with Elena Jasic, we decided to do a little test shoot of our own.  We headed down to Liquid Hero Brewery in York, PA where we met Matt DePrato, one of the founders/owners.  He was kind enough to show us around where they brewed their delicious beer, as well as let us borrow a growler full of their flagship brew to shoot with.  It definitely took a few tries to get the “perfect pour” (or even an acceptable pour), but we were able to get plenty for our teaser!

Liquid Hero Beer Teaser from Aumen Media on Vimeo.

As you know, a good story is king here at Aumen Media, and both Philadelphia Parkour and Liquid Hero Brewery have great ones.  We hope to work with both again soon!

When Kim (Gogo, Founder & current President of BRR) and I first talked about the possibility of a promotional documentary for the Black Rose Rollers, I was immediately floored; the kind of floored that can only come from the prospect of working with people you care about on a project you deeply believe in.

Back up to the summer of 2010. My good friend Kim was starting a roller derby team, and I went to check out a few practices and see what it was all about. Most of the women who showed up had limited or no knowledge of the sport, how it was played, or most importantly, the amount of work that would need to go into getting a new team off the ground. They wore shorts and t-shirts, rented skates at the rink where they practiced, and had minimal to no gear with respect to helmets and pads. Sure there were a few who didn’t last, but most everyone had the same fire in their eyes. In their minds they saw the rink filling with fans. With every lap of conditioning they dreamt a name that had yet to exist in lights on a scoreboard. They envisioned their families, friends, and neighbors taking up an interest in the worlds fastest growing sport: Roller Derby.

After the first few initial visits, my involvement and knowledge of the team was reduced to the ocasional, “How’s everything with Derby?”, which as you could guess, could never bring justice to everything that was going on behind the scenes.

Fast forward to Winter 2011. My friend Luke and I decided to go see the derby girls in action at their bout. It had been such a long time since I’d seen the team, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but from hearing how hard everyone’s been working from Kim, the expectations were high. Before we even entered the property of the rink, my expectations were shattered. This had become something much bigger than I anticipated. At a rink where the parking lot seldom fills to capacity for even the most popular of events, Luke and I had to park down the street. We walked inside, and I saw everything they could have imagined at those first practices. There was a ticket booth with proceeds going to charity. The entire complex was packed with fans, family, and friends. Photographers were scrambling for every shot at every turn. They had a merch booth. They had sponsors. They had a digital scoreboard. They had an announcer. And they were very, very good.  They were taking on teams who’d been around far long, and winning.  Their t-shirts were replaced by real jerseys, with their numbers and derby names patched proudly on the back; and on the front, the team name. The Black Rose Rollers. I was so proud to see what could be accomplished in even a small town like Hanover, PA.

My brother and I enjoyed every part of this project, from form to event. We were able to learn and try new techniques and gear, and hang out with a really great group of people. It’s always nice when there’s cooperation on a set, but to be a part of such a large group of people so unwaveringly focused on a common goal for an entire production is something we haven’t experienced until we met the people behind The Black Rose Rollers.

A special thanks goes out to the 5 brave ladies who let us shine bright lights on them while we interviewed them: Gogo, Canade Grenade, Dennis the Menace, AssassinAsian, and Ram. We’d also like to thank the coach Groper for letting us film behind the scenes, Gary at Magic Elm for letting us run interviews after hours, Crossfit, every single Black Rose Roller, and everyone behind the scenes that allow them to continue to do the great things they do for the community. If you’re interested in checking out a bout (which we strongly recommend!) or want to know more about the Black Rose Rollers, head over to www.blackroserollers.com

Black Rose Rollers from Aumen Media on Vimeo.

2012 was an exciting year for us. We were able to quit our day jobs to devote all our time to growing our business and our skill set. We had the opportunity to work with some new exciting clients. In the upcoming year, we are looking forward to creating some exciting new work and continuing to grow as a production company. Everything in this reel was directed, shot, and edited by Aumen Media.

Aumen Media is proud to present our newest work for the Raspberry Golf Academy!

Here is our tasty kickoff to our campaign of Aumen Media Spotlight videos! Just Cupcakes, owned by a mother and daughter, is an amazing cup cakery located in the nice area of downtown York (right across from The Strand Theatre). Whether you are on your morning commute, or trying to take that date to the next level after dinner, Just Cupcakes has something for you. You will find a big selection of cupcakes as well as the usual coffee shop drinks, bagels, soups, and daily specials. We highly recommend trying them out!
Our goal for any of our spotlight videos has been to give our clients a voice to tell their customers a little more about themselves and their business. As consumers, we have a lot of choices when it comes to where we spend our money. In this case, customers could go to the local grocer, chain coffee shop, or even bake their own, but when the viewer hears one of the owners talk about all the thought they put into their shop and cup cakes (not to mention the delectable ingredients), its an easy choice. At Aumen Media, we still believe that consumers shop price and quality, but having a video that highlights the quality can definitely help show why our client’s products are worth the price.

We hope you enjoy listening to Just Cupcakes’ story, and visit them to taste all their treats. GOOGLE MAP.

If you know anyone or any small businesses that would be interested in an Aumen Media Spotlight video please CONTACT US.