TRIBUTE VIDEO

It's all about people...recognition...honor. On that special occasion when we are inspired to celebrate the life of someone that's very special, we are met with the challenge of how to give significant tribute and thanks to that person for having had so positive an effect on our lives. What do we do to show our appreciation? Our traditional response is to have a dinner, a banquet, a party, any gathering of friends and relatives. And that's an appropriate and wonderful start.

During the course of the evening a few people speak and share an anecdote, story, or their feelings about the honoree. Now imagine the room darkening and all attention is directed to a large screen. A video tribute runs for several minutes that essentially is "This Is Your Life." It is compact, yet inclusive; professional, yet personal. It is the present streaming from the past; it's serious and it's funny. It's powerful.

You've probably seen several biographies on television over the years. For example, A&E has produced many in their Biography series, several of which feature celebrities. Imagine if the same production values were to be applied in the creation of a tribute video for one of the stars in your life. A tribute video is more powerful than a biography because of its subjective, positive, and oftentimes emotional approach. Imagine the impact of a thoroughly professional, beautifully crafted video presentation that is created specifically to celebrate a special birthday, anniversary, retirement, or any of a number of achievements or milestones.

Some may think they're familiar with tribute video. They've seen a presentation of photographs put onto tape or disc, with music added. It's really not much of a tribute. More often than not, these photographs contain no pan, tilt or zoom movements. The images remain on the screen the same number of pre-set seconds; they contain no color correction, composition adjustment, or dust removal, and are not truly edited to the music. There is, in most cases, simply no heart put into the project. And there's a lot more than photographs needed to create a video tribute. Appropriate archival film and video, if available, would normally be included, as would slides, audiotape, scrapbook materials, newspaper clippings, special music, etc. Fairway Productions also conducts casual interviews from several key people to include, in part, within the video tribute. A voiceover by someone close to the honoree weaves it all together. After all the gathering of materials, the lengthy organizational and editing process commences, ultimately culminating in a well-paced, uplifting life story.

Tribute Video by Fairway Productions is a major production which must begin months before its completion date. Fairway's strong commitment to do an outstanding job must be matched by whoever would become our contact person. That individual would be responsible for the collection of all materials, setting up interviews, and communicating all the information that is pertinent to the honoree's life story. Consider Fairway the director/editor; the contact person is the producer.

We sincerely can not imagine a gift that could possibly be more meaningful than a video tribute. It's a gift that can be enjoyed over and over not only by the recipient, but by future generations. It is a touch of immortality previously available to only the rich and famous.

PRICING

Because each tribute video is unique, there is no set charge for the creation of a tribute video. An estimate is offered shortly after an introductory meeting. It should be noted that at such major celebrations there are generally a number of people involved who could share in the cost of this special gift.

Fairway Productions has extensive and outstanding professional equipment, twenty-two years of experience, and the expertise to confidently offer a guarantee of satisfaction.

Communication with the contact person is an important element in the success of tribute video. Therefore, under most circumstances, Fairway Productions' tribute video clients should reside within one hundred miles of Northern New Jersey.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: How Tribute Video Began

On a personal level, I've had experience in a wide variety of production challenges. I've never been able to get excited about a product-centered video without first finding belief in people, be it an inventor's brilliance or a seller's passionate dedication. Whatever the subject appears to be, my inspiration has always come from focusing on people. The opportunity to zero in and paint a video portrait that is worthy of the honoree is one I always welcome wholeheartedly. It's the ideal fit for me; tribute video pinpoints exactly what I love to do most in my profession.

One particular event that I attended solidified my commitment to tribute video. The event was many years ago, near the start of my film-video career. My wife and I attended a banquet that celebrated the marvelous career of a high school coach. It was a gala event at one of the better establishments in the area, attended by enough people to fill the main ballroom. Later in the evening, after one of the speakers concluded his remarks, the toastmaster announced that something special was about to happen. A large movie screen lowered from the ceiling as the lights dimmed, and the sense of anticipation in the room was high. There was total silence before the projector began to show its first images.

That presentation made a lasting impression on me. It was the ultimate insult and I was appalled that Coach was subjected to it. What should have been a meaningful tribute was an amateurish stringing together of congratulatory remarks from three former players unable to make the event. The sound and picture quality was abysmal, the editing non-existent, the impact embarrassing. While most in the audience were left with a sense of disappointment, I was left with anger, punctuated by an acute awareness of all the possibilities that weren't realized. I saw, in my imagination, some game films of key moments, photos and film from the beginning of Coach's career, and brief interview clips from many who were in attendance at the banquet but not offered the opportunity to speak. I saw newspaper headlines and team pictures from yearbooks. I heard a narrator. And I heard music.

Sure, Coach received some gifts that evening that were presented in the names of all who attended, the cost of which was included in the ticket price. I'm sure they were appreciated by Coach, but I simply don't remember what the dinner committee purchased for him. If the gifts had been related to giving him distinctive personal honor rather than material items, I'm sure I would have remembered. And I believe it would have meant even more to Coach.

I leave so many events with the feeling that there is more attention paid to the status of the banquet hall and the selection of hors d'oeuvres than giving true honor to the guest of honor. Not many of those attending are given the opportunity to say a few words at such events. Those that do are too often unskilled and/or unprepared. The only opportunity for most to express themselves is through the enthusiasm of their applause.

The logical solution is to edit into the tribute video dozens of very brief segments from many in the audience, videotaped in comfortable interviews well before the event, so many can participate in the telling of a very important life story. There are so many creative ways of telling the life story that is appropriate to the honoree.

I've had experience with a wide array of video projects, but the most satisfying of all was a video tribute made several years ago. Two delightful young ladies in their twenties wanted to honor their grandfather on the occasion of eighty years of living life to its fullest, with much energy and love. Over the course of two months I met frequently with the two and we collectively designed an approach that was befitting the man. I'll never forget their emotional expressions of joy in watching the final version. After the birthday celebration my two clients presented me with a video that was focused on their grandfather's face as he watched the video, a gift that I value. I received thank you calls from other family members that I had never met.

Video Tributes, done right, encompass a lot of time and effort. But I can't imagine a more personally rewarding profession.