NEW BLOG

We have a new blog at Go To Team. Please go to blog.gototeam.com to see all the latest news about our video crews including all the old posts found here.

GTT Frontline on the Big Story

Is there anything more exciting than getting THE CALL to do an exclusive interview with a national figure? Last week Go To Team got that call. Our Raleigh and Charleston crews (Tom Wells, Jimmy Hall, and Ian McCullen) shot the exclusive interview for ABC News' Nightline with ex-presidential candidate John Edwards.

The interview went off without a hitch, well, maybe just one… As any audio operator knows, on some occasions his worst enemy isn't planes, car horns or even overzealous passersby vying for a little screen time. Many times it’s the subjects themselves. This was the case on Friday when John Edwards disobeyed rule number one of the audio operator's Ten Commandments…Don’t Touch Your Mic!



And leave it to Jon Stewart and The Daily Show to point it out. Stewart gave his best impression of audio technician Ian McCullen when John Edwards tapped his chest and mic when referring to his heart. Well, Jon, you just about nailed it.

Meanwhile, on the set...after Ian picked himself up off the floor...he just shrugged his shoulders, "There's not a thing I can do about THAT."

A nod from an ABC News producer acknowledged the reality.

Outside The Lines In NASCAR

Go To Team's Charlotte crew, Skip Clark and Rene Cusson, wrapped up their work on the "Discrimination in NASCAR" story two weeks ago and it aired this past Sunday on ESPN's Outside The Lines. Skip Clark and Rene Cusson worked with talent Kelly Naqi and producer Greg Amante to gather interviews and shoot the stand-ups. There are a lot of interviews throughout the in-depth piece that took Amante and Naqi around two months to complete, but the Clark crew interviewed tire changer Chris Justice, tire specialist Lisa Smokstad, and shocks specialist Katie Muir.

They also got to interview DEI's Max Siegel (pictured); "As the only African-American team president in the sport, he's part of NASCAR's movement to increase diversity in their sport. He's also a dynamic speaker and someone who sees all the angles on this very sensitive subject."

The last shoot for the story was the stand-up shoot. The OTL piece is informative and will leave you with a better understanding of the allegations levied against NASCAR and a perspective for the other side of the story. You can check it out here or find it on the ESPN Outside the Lines website.

South Carolina Hero Honored by CNN

CNN is searching the globe for extraordinary people making a difference in their world, a search that led them to Columbia, SC where Bambi Gaddist runs the SC HIV/AIDS Council. The organization features a mobile testing center, focused on offering HIV/AIDS testing for free to anyone interested. Charleston based Director of Photography Tom Wells spent 2 days with CNN shooting a special feature for the "CNN Heroes" special. Check out the CNN Heroes home page where Bambi Gaddist is featured this week, or check out the direct link to the video here.

Raleigh Crew Witnessed Epic Game Making

Go To Team's Raleigh NC cameraman Jimmy Hall headed over to Epic Games in Cary NC for a shoot with Spike TV's Gametrailers. The episode premiered on the eve of E3(which is a videogame trade show, think NAB but for gamers) and its main focus; Gears of War 2 the sequel to the brain bashing, Hammer of Dawn (no not Dawn Nelson our fabulous Production Coordinator) obliterating, explosive arrow to the face masterpiece Gears of War. Sorry, didn't mean to geek out BUT myself along with a couple other GTTer's spent a few hours in between our busy schedules unloading clips and lopping explosives at each other...needless to say I love the original and was pretty stoked to see behind the curtain of the soon to be released sequel.

We shot this episode with the Sony HVR - V1U setting the camera up to shoot at 24p/1080p HDV.

Go here for some outtakes or checkout the episode below:

Go To Team's 5000th Shoot Party at NASCAR

In celebration of our 5000th shoot day almost everyone at Go To Team hit the road for Charlotte, NC and the Nascar offices for a day of good food and great company. We hired a catering company, Food for the Southern Soul out of Charleston to bring a little of the lowcountry to the folks at Nascar Media Group. The caterers did it right with a Lowcountry Boil and Banana Pudding! While everyone was excited about the food, I think the best part was getting the chance to visit our friends at the Nascar Studio and finally being able to put a face with the voices that I talk to on the phone, and the stories I've heard from life on the road.

And of course, meeting all of the rest of the wonderful people who work there that I wouldn't have gotten the chance to interact with otherwise. While we missed the few Go To Team Staff (Skip, Rene & Dave were shooting for ESPN) who were actually working that day (somone had to pay the bill), it was a great occasion and I can't wait for the 10,000th Shoot!

5000 Shoot Days… That’s a lot of ‘Cool TV’

It seemed like an average day at the track working for one of our best clients, NASCAR… when we were notified that it was the 5000^th shoot day in Go To Team’s history. That’s right in the last ten years Go To Team has shot over 5000 shoots. That’s a lot of interviews, b-roll, live shots and hard work!

I was in Mannsfield Ohio, continuing our HD coverage of the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series for Speed Channel, when Patrick called me to let me know I was on the 5000th shoot that Go To Team had ever shot.

It was a novel thing to hear, but I was busy trying to give Mike and Keith the best footage I could, so the real signifigance of that number didn't really sink in until after I returned to Charlotte. That is a LOT of cool TV from one company.

In an average month we shoot 60 or 70 shoot days between our crews in Charleston, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Richmond. And, I always do my best to keep up with my Go To Team brethren… it was just an honor that the 5000^th landed on my day.

Well, off to the next adventure...I think 10,000 has a nice ring to it, see you in the Field!

Dave Baker Shooting show "Ricky Carmichael: Next"

Go To Team's Charlotte, North Carolina Cameraman, Dave Baker recently got a new angle on Ricky Carmichael's career plans. Check out some of Dave's shots in these selects from the Speed Channel's "Ricky Charmichael: Next".

Editing Skip Clark's High-Definition DP Reel

When GoTo Team's Skip Clark asked that I revise his high-definition demo reel my first thought was “looks”. Whether it’s the saturated colors of the logo plastered stock cars or the sepia toned rustic pool hall interview, Skip always accentuates his subjects with a look. That said I wanted his reel to reflect this strength in his shooting and lighting.

The second thought I had was “moves”. As I scrolled through Skip’s footage I couldn’t help but notice range of shots he captures. From wide establishing shots to tracking dollies and close ups, Skip’s camera moves give his subjects focus and energy. An interview that could be shot with one camera on a tripod is transformed into a dynamic high-definition multi-camera shoot using 7-head ARRI lighting kits, a Microdolly and HD lenses. His shooting and lighting lends insight into his subject’s thoughts through close-ups and gives the viewer an on-set feel through dolly shots that capture the entire set. Skip is deliberate in every move he makes and in doing so he tells his story in a personal and engaging manner that makes the camera his voice.

Editing Skip’s reel was truly a pleasure given his range of high-definition footage and his remarkable lighting ability. As an editor, having so many strong shots to choose from is a blessing in disguise. Enough chat... watch the reel and feel free to comment. To learn more about Skip, check out his resume page on the GoTo Team's website.

Ooohhh.... Aaaaahhhhhh.....

Go To Team camera crew Skip Clark and Rene Cusson made their way to Daytona Beach, Florida this holiday weekend. Amidst the July 4th fireworks above the crowded beach were even more bangs and booms lighting up the Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR held it's Coke Zero 400, covered live by TNT, and made to look good in part by the creative duo from Go To. The weekend included features such as Walley Dallenbach performing some water skiing stunts with boat driver Kyle Petty, and an interview with crew chief Roy McCauley about his wife's battle with cancer just before his Daytona 500 victory last February. From the intense to the somber, the crew was ready. The Coke Zero 400 was won by Kyle Busch, and during the point leader's 6th Victory Lane celebration this year, a familiar voice could be heard in the sea of media chatter: Skip Clark, with a smirk on his face, said above the bangs of the fireworks and clicks of the shutters "Not a drop of champagne got on me this time!"

New High Definition Reel for Go To Team Charleston DP

In addition to being an outstanding Director of Photography, Go To Team's Tom Wells has an eye for editing. Tom had already created a timeline with a rough cut and just wanted to add a couple of shots and some titles. As an editor for Go To Team I was thrilled to work with him on his latest demo reel. Tom knew the type of shots he wanted to showcase. He wanted to focus strictly on his high-definition work and he wanted to use shots that emphasized his artistic eye and production capability.

We used a combination of Varicam and F-900 HD footage. As Tom selected the shots for his reel, he emphasized production. When on location he packs a 7 head ARRI kit, a Microdolly and an array of high-definition lenses and even an HD Pencil Cam to name just a few of his toys. We wanted to take this opportunity to show off some of Tom's high-definition capability.

Tom's lighting is just one of his strengths that we incorporated into his reel. His production capability separates him from a typical ENG shooter. "I can set up the Microdolly and Jib in less than five minutes and break it down in under three." he told me. Just to demonstrate that, we edited a time lapse of Tom setting up his jib and incorporated it into his reel.

To see more of Go To Team's Charleston Director of Photography, Tom Wells' work, see his resume page.

Raleigh Crew Ride with a Hall of Famer

Go To Team's Raleigh crew headed down US1 to Southern Pines NC to meet up with recent olympic hall of fame nominee equestrian J. Michael Plumb. Plumb’s first Olympic Games experience took place in 1960, when he was 20 years old. He was named to every Olympic three-day team from that Games through 1984, earning six medals: team silver in 1964 at the Tokyo Games; team silver in both 1968 and 1972; team gold and individual silver in 1976; and a team gold in 1984.

Cameraman Jimmy Hall used the Sony HVR - V1U which was then mounted on the micro dolly for smooth but subtle movement. "The micro dolly is such a great tool that definitely adds a higher quality to the project, plus its quick and easy to setup...when given the opportunity I'll bust it out in a heartbeat."

The piece will air during the induction ceremony in Chicago, IL.

Put A Cork In It!

Ahhh... California's wine country. The serene views of rolling hills covered in vines as far as the eye an see. The feel of calm as the breeze lightly plays on the skin. The smell of exhaust and burning rubber..... Must be Sonoma weekend as NASCAR brings the show to the mountainous Infineon Racetrack. TNT along with Go To Team's Skip Clark and Rene Cusson were on hand to show the nation the view from the track to the neighboring hills of San Francisco.

Through the lens of their Panasonic Varicam they shot crowds at Fisherman's Wharf and overstuffed Cable Cars, grapes ripening on the vine in the sunshine and wine being enjoyed by racegoers overlooking the track, and racecars ripping through S curves. A wonderful time creating some great TV. The only gripe was heard from Audio Guy Rene during an interview at the track. As a car roared through during a nice soundbite he wished racecars were more like wine bottles... Put a cork in it!

Two Teams Merge for Tornado Victims

Go To Team's Raleigh crew spent a week with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team in Macon, Georgia, after tornadoes pummeled the area. The Rapid Response Team is a group of chaplains who are deployed to share God's love, comfort, and hope to those affected by a man-made or natural disaster. Cameraman Jimmy Hall, Audio Op Ian McCullen, and producer Janet Stone shadowed the chaplains as they visited and brought spiritual comfort to the victims of the tornadoes. The chaplains not only comforted the victims but also provided comfort for Samaritans Purse volunteers who had traveled from all over the Southeast to help with the clean-up.

"It's comforting to know that people are willing to put their life on hold and travel hundreds sometimes thousands of miles to help strangers. I was overwhelmed by their generosity and dedication."

To document the five days in Macon the crew shot with the Cine Alta Sony F900.

You can go here to find out some more about the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team.

Check out the piece here:

Talk About Frequent Flier Miles!

Go To Team’s Skip Clark and Rene Cusson had a busy weekend. Traveling with the Panasonic Varicam, they left their home city of Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday and traveled to three states in three days! They covered more than 4130 miles by jet, helicopter, and car to follow NASCAR’s Kyle Busch as he went to Dallas-Fort Worth, Nashville, and Pocono, PA, to race in all three of NASCAR’s racing series. Working with producer Pam Surbaugh and TNT talent Ralph Sheheen, the crew produced a feature that aired in TNT’s pre-race show on Sunday. No one had attempted to race in all three series in three different cities until this weekend. “It was a well planned out strategy. The jets were on time, there was a helicopter waiting at every stop, and there was always food,” is how Skip summed it all up. Nothing was left out from the plan. And that was just Busch’s entourage. TNT’s Production Coordinator Kristin Mosher worked with Pam to keep the crew moving, even arranging at the last minute (they were literally on the plane as plans changed) to have a chopper waiting for them in Texas! Without them there would have been no way Skip and Rene could have kept up with Busch. Keep watching TNT’s pre-race shows the rest of the season as Go To Team crews are there; the Clark crew continues to travel on the NASCAR circuit while Charlotte’s David Baker and Raleigh’s Jimmy Hall are picking up shoots in North Carolina.

Rouge Picture's "The Strangers" in theatres now

Rouge Pictures has released its newest thriller, "The Strangers", starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. Last year GTT's DP Tom Wells was contracted by New Wave Entertainment to shoot the EPK for the movie, keeping him on location for 17 days with the CineAlta Sony F900. The footage was shot for promotional use before the film's release as well as bonus features that will ultimately be included on the DVD. While on set the crew focused on special effects, makeup, and interviews with all the cast and lead crew members. The movie is getting great reviews from critics, and several of GTT's members who have seen the film agree - it's freaking scary!

Go To Team Management Runs Laps with Clark Crew at Coca Cola 600

In the field for a day with Director of Photography, Skip Clark at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

I get to travel a little with Go To Team, but don’t log nearly the miles that our video crews (Skip Clark, Tom Wells, Dave Baker and Jimmy Hall ) do. My job as Operations Manager is first and foremost to provide support to our guys, while they’re busy “Making Cool TV”. It’s always great to get out from behind the desk and remember how much hard work Go To Team Crews do and how much fun they have doing it!

I recently had the opportunity to visit Partner and Director of Photography, Skip Clark in Charlotte, NC and spend a day at track visiting our NASCAR clients, including FOX Sports. The FOX Sports crew is a remarkable organization that’s taken our crews across the country for Races, Football, and even Monster Trucks.

I’ve always thought of Skip as a Rock Star, but it’s always good to be reminded why. Skip has the coolest toys and newest gear. I see the invoices and have a TV production background, but the gear he has is amazing not to mention what Skip can do with it. Skip’s "Do Whatever it Takes" attitude hasn’t changed in his 8 years with Go To Team and has been passed on to every single employee here.

I had a great time meeting with our clients and crew members… putting faces with voices or emails. I don’t think there’s a corner of the track we didn’t go to. I had the opportunity to see Fox’s “Hollywood Hotel” set, stand on top of the trailer in the infield, talk to Fox Anchor Jeff Hammond (and, a shout out to Danny Shull).

While traveling up to the top of Lowe’s VIP area we bumped into “Humpy” Wheeler who just retired as manager of the Speedway. What an honor on his last day. He was gracious, accommodating, and funny. A treat for someone who can appreciate his tremendous marketing efforts. Watching the pit crews work in the garage area made me think about the team aspect to NASCAR that we at Go To Team can appreciate.

Baker May Tour '08 Comes to Close

May Has been an extremely busy and exciting month for Go To Team's Charlotte based Baker Crew.  Starting with a trip to Sea Island, GA for CNBC Coverage of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Financial  Markets Conference with Steve Liesman.  

  

After making the 6 hour drive back to Charlotte, the Baker crew went to work with American Express at the 

Black 

Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, creating Web content on the Panasonic DVX100A, and enjoying the rare

 night's sleep in their hometown.

           

Two days in Charlotte was 2 days to many for the Baker crew.  Fortified with a good night's rest, the Crew packed up the Panasonic Varicam, and headed off to Des Moines Iowa in pursuit of Motocross/Supercross Legend turned Stock Car Driver Ricky Carmichael.  The weather was tailor made for working at the track, and an early mishap on the track kept the crew busy through a slew of frantic pit stops.  Iowa however, soon faded from the rear view mirror, as the Crew followed Ricky to his training facility/Motocross track outside 

of Tallahassee Florida to give TV viewers a previously unheard of glimpse of his personal life.  While there, the Baker crew witnessed Ricky setting a 36 foot Step up jump record....from the top of the ramp!!

                   Having had their fill of the Sunshine State, the Baker Crew shot back through Charlotte and on to Mannsfield Ohio to cover the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series for Speed channel.  With the prison used in "Shawshank Redemption", Trains, and even a friendly Steer, Mannsfield certainly offered up a lot to shoot, and the access to trackside during the race, truly helped the Baker Crew bring viewers up close and personal with the race.  It's a dirty job, but someone has got to do it!

              

The Tour concluded with a quick run into Cleveland for an Indians/Rangers game.  A perfect ending for a varied and exciting month of shoots spanning five states.  Dave Baker and his crew are presently home in Charlotte, rested, repacked, recharged, and ready for the next tour......

Blazing Saddles

Go To Team's Raleigh, NC crew Jimmy Hall and Ian McCullen hit the road for FOX News to cover a story about Mini Guide Horses.
The heart of the story centered around Dan Shaw, the first recipient of Cuddles, a Mini Guide Horse, in Kittrell, North Carolina.
The crew spent the day on the farm where Cuddles was trained. They also followed them to their favorite BBQ joint to capture Cuddles' unique way to assist Dan in public.
The crew learned some interesting facts about Mini Guide Horses while on the shoot; for instance, Mini Horses live nearly 30 years longer than K-9's, who are typically trained for this type of assistance, they're less expensive to take care of, and Mini Guide Horses also live in homes.. and wear sneakers!
Check out this site to learn more about Dan, Cuddles, and Mini Guide Horses.

www.guidehorse.org

Person Jimmy Hall

Right click for SmartMenu shortcuts

Go To Team Plays With Red Demolition #18

Fox Sports tested the Red Camera in Talladega this past NASCAR weekend and Go To Team DPs Skip Clark & Tom Wells were on hand to demo the prototype Demolition #18. The Red Camera is a huge leap in High Definition and offers a lot of creativity to both the DP and the editor. While at the track Skip and Tom tried out a number of configurations; they used an 8mm prime lens for footage on the grid, a Canon 4.7 wide angle and a 21X long lens for ENG, and an Angenieux 25 to 250 cine-zoom long lens for some high speed trackside footage. While the camera is designed with a PL mount, Tom rented a PL-B4 adapter from Abel-Cinetech so they could mount their ENG lenses to the camera. And as with all things prototype, there are still some bugs to work out. With no viewfinder available, Tom & Skip had to use the Red monitor for shooting; this made an already large rig that much more cumbersome. But the weekend was still a success, great footage from trackside and a great Victory Lane celebration from Kyle Busch. Gatorade always looks good in slo-mo...

Breaking Cameras

Go To Team's Skip Clark and Rene Cusson were in Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas, for the NASCAR race. And while they were they there, they broke some cameras. But it was all planned out. Fox Sports talent Jeff Hammond and NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer were at the Fort Worth stockyards to drive Chevrolet's monster truck, the Bounty Hunter. If there's a monster truck, stuff has to get broken. Skip, Rene, and Jimmy Lucas set up several cameras for the shoot; two Toshiba IK-TU51 Ice-Cube cameras for in the cab and under the nose, and a whole bunch of Panasonic PC823 board cameras to run over. The Toshibas have always been a great camera for in-car shots, but when building them into a monster truck, extra care had to be taken to secure them. The board cameras were easy; the crew used a little gaffer's tape and then ran a long cable out to the deck. The rest was up to the truck and the drivers! Check out a short video on You Tube...

Raleigh Crews hangs with an All Star

Go To Team's Raleigh North Carolina cameraman Jimmy Hall traveled down to Summerville SC last week for a shoot with America's Most Wanted All-Star finalist Randy Botten. Click on this link to AMW's site to see the story:

http://www.amw.com/allstar/2008/nominee_detail.cfm?id=5048

GTT throws down with HDNet Mixed Martial Arts

Charleston based DP Tom Wells and Nick Modisett traveled up to Fayetteville, NC this Saturday to cover a Mixed Martial Arts competition for HDNet's 'Inside MMA'. The event was produced by Spartan Entertainment Group and the crew followed the competition from beginning to end both inside and outside the cage and covered each battle as it unfolded in front of the crowd at The Crown Arena. Again the crew used their Sony CineAlta F900 which conforms to HDNet's technical specs of 1080i @ 60fps. You can see the fight action on HDNet's 'Inside MMA' throughout the week.

Forensic Files Adopts F900, Wells Crew Follows

Forensic Files recently upgraded its productions from Standard Definition to High Definition. It's camera of choice? The Sony CineAlta F900. This shift is yet another sign of the changing times, as more networks begin gearing up for full HD broadcast in the coming months. Charleston based Director of Photography Tom Wells was happy to hear of the show's decision. What DP in their right mind wouldn't be excited to put down their BetaSP camera and instead pick up their CineAlta HDCAM 1080P package for one of their clients? Go To Team's Crew spent several days shooting interviews, reenactments, and of course Forensic Detectives at work in the lab while utilizing their F900 along with Jib, Dolly and a TON of gel packs (the show is known for it's heavy use of color and dramatic lighting). You can catch Forensic Files daily on TruTV, formerly CourtTV.

Go To Team Annual Shareholders Meeting

The big wigs at Go To Team got together for the Annual Shareholders Meeting and headed off to a plush five star spa and resort... well, not exactly. We headed to Pisgah National Forest, near Asheville, NC, and hiked in 2 miles to a pretty cool waterfall. Of course, the Shareholders consist of Skip Clark and Patrick Bryant, but we're growing so next year the "retreat" might get even bigger.

We used the trip and the time to discuss the future of Go To Team. We especially discussed our terrific clients, and the Go To Team staff members that we have to do everything to keep! These guys (and girl) are the life blood of the Go To Team attitude... "Do Whatever is Takes". They work hard on every shoot to provide the best quality footage. If you know or work with one of our DPs you know what I'm talking about. They are truly committed to Making Cool TV.

We also, had some real fun. Pictured here is the beverages from cocktail hour (Two frosted 7 and Gingers straight from the stream). We hiked from the head of Club Gap Trail along Avery Creek to the Waterfall and set-up the campsite within view of the waterfall. Skip invited along his red headed girl friend (sorry ladies he's spoken for), Maggie.

Baker Crew "Gets Axed" by Modern Marvels

Recently, GTT's Charlotte Based Baker crew once again "made the cut" with Modern Marvels. Starting at the Council Tool's Forge in Lake Waccamaw, NC, the Baker Crew tracked the
creation of Fireman's axes from their humble beginnings as unformed steel, to the drop-forged, razor sharp, iconic realization, embodied in their finished state. It was hot, it was dirty, and it was loud, but the Varicam once again proved its.....mettle?.....

Having seen the Modern segment of this particular marvel, the Baker crew headed to the Schiele Museum in Gastonia, NC to meet up with Prehistorian Steve Watts, to learn how the first generation of lumberjacks crafted their tools from scratch. After seeing him work his craft and share his knowledge of prehistoric tool building, the crew decided that Steve Watts needs to be cloned and put out on the market as the ultimate survival tool. Producer Steve Gurgen really knows how to find an expert! The Baker crew would like to thank the both of them for one of the most interesting and informative shoots ever.

We would also like to thank Steve Watts for making the

best coffee ever shared over the creation of a stone axe.