VALERE PRODUCES 100TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO FOR HOME CITY ICE
Valere has worked with Home City Ice since 2020 to produce a series of videos across many departments. In 2023, we were contracted to produce a video campaign celebrating the company’s 100 year anniversary as a family-owned business.
The project was a massive undertaking that encompassed multiple videos. This culminated with a seven-minute piece that touched on the company’s rich history and highlighted its goals for the future.
HYPE VIDEO
The first piece of content created for this campaign was an internal video that generated excitement among employees as this historic milestone approached.
The first half of the video showcased ice being bagged and delivered by a driver to an ice merchandiser. To capture this footage, we utilized state-of-the-art Sony FX3 cameras to film employees at work and recorded cinematic aerial video from our drones for driving scenes.
For the second half of this video, we interviewed Tom Sedler, who shared his excitement for the future of the company. Tom and his brother Pat were an integral part of Home City Ice history. Together, they helped to navigate the company through a rough period of time in the ice industry when refrigerators became mainstream. The spirit of innovation from both brothers shaped the company into what it is today.
Ted Sedler, son of Tom and current CEO of the company, was also featured in the video. Ted reinforced the theme of looking forward and acknowledging the exciting developments happening right now.
For Home City Ice, it was very important to the company to acknowledge the employees during this campaign. Everyone from truck drivers to plant managers to the Sedlers themselves are considered part of the larger Home City family. This dedication is reflected in the slogan for their anniversary: “100 Years, One Family.” Capturing this was essential, so this hype video ended with a large collage of employees from across the country.
HISTORICAL VIDEO – PRE-PRODUCTION
The centerpiece of this larger project was the historical video. We set out to create a plan in order to tell this massive story effectively. We worked on this plan closely with Jo Formal, owner of Jo Formal Marketing. Jo worked directly with Home City Ice and their many committees assembling historical content, and the narrative which ensured this vision was brought to life.
Our pre-production phase included assembling a project outline, creating storyboards, and producing visual mockups for company approval. Once pre-production was completed, we got to work immediately on assembling necessary content.
The story of the historical video was separated into three parts: past, present, and future. For the “Past” segment, we utilized historical images from Home City Ice’s collection as B-roll while Ted Sedler discussed the company’s origins. Our team meticulously searched through hundreds of photos, taking great care to use the best one for each scenario.
HISTORICAL VIDEO – INTERVIEW FOOTAGE
Interview footage for the project’s narration was gathered in numerous locations. The first batch of interviews were filmed at the 2024 Manager’s Meeting, where employees shared thoughts and stories about the company in front of a green screen.
Testimonials were also gathered at our studio, where key company figures spoke in front of both a green screen and a wall illuminated by studio lighting. To read more about this shoot, read our blog post about it here.
Our final interviews were conducted at Home City Ice’s corporate headquarters. Pivotal sound bites were gathered from members of the Sedler family. This footage was captured with almost all of our key video equipment, including everything from numerous lights to teleprompters.
HISTORICAL VIDEO – POST-PRODUCTION
As the scope of the project widened, more material was needed to piece together the final product.
We created graphics, backgrounds, and animations in order to give the video a compelling and cohesive look. Additional B-roll was created using footage previously shot by Valere for Home City Ice over the past few years.
Despite a short deadline, our team was able to assemble one of our most ambitious projects to date on time.
KICKOFF MEETINGS
Both the internal hype video and the historical video were shown at a company meeting at the Covington Metropolitan Club on March 22nd. We captured B-roll of the event and filmed testimonials from attendees who gave thanks to the company and congratulated it on reaching the 100 year milestone.
The next day, another event was held at Mount St. Joseph University’s Centennial Field House. Numerous employees gathered to play games, eat food, and celebrate the city of Cincinnati declaring March 23rd as Home City Ice Day. At Noon our work was simulcast to all locations in twenty five states.
Valere filmed on-location capturing events such as softball and cornhole tournaments on a gimbal for fluid and exciting footage.
WHY VALERE WAS PERFECT FOR THIS JOB
One of the biggest reasons why our team completed this project so effectively is because we’ve worked for Home City Ice for over four years. We became integrated with their storyline, and they trust us to deliver quality content. Since we are already familiar with the company, we are able to capture an accurate representation of the business that is worthy of its esteemed legacy.
LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS
Much of Valere’s business comes from repeat clients. We look at the big picture with every single project and ensure that the people we work with are able to convey their story. Valere provides companies with a stable relationship for the long haul, becoming the stewards of their brand and working diligently to provide their company growth.
We take pride in our ability to weave corporate narratives. Let us become an extension of your business and contact us today.
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