Media Production in the Denver area (Center: 2009, how much, houses)

[zenkonami]

Wondering if anyone on the board has worked in Audio / Video production in and around the Denver area (broadcast and otherwise.) Just wanted to get a feel for other people's experiences, whether as an engineer, videographer / director of photography, writer, editor, producer, musician, voice or onscreen talent...or any of the other numerous jobs included in the field.

I'm fully aware that Denver is not a "media" town in the sense of some larger U.S. cities, but every major city has its media production industry, regardless of it's scope. Would also be interested to hear from anyone who manufacturers, sells or services equipment for the industry as well as instructors and enthusiasts "in the biz."

I'd be curious to find out things like who have you worked for? What do you do? What types of clients, and how varied or consistent is the work? How steady (or unstable) is the work, and how much do you have to supplement with other work (i.e., can you make a living, or some of your living from it?) What are you experiences in the studios and shops around town (not just on a professional level, but what was fun - and what wasn't so enjoyable?) What kind of tools do you use? Where do you see things going for the business in the next few years?

I know it's a pretty broad inquiry, but I'm not really counting on there being that many people on the forum (though I'd love to be proven wrong) so I figured keeping it fairly open might increase the throughput! I'm equally as interested in amateur and semi-professional views of the "industry" (in as much as it is) in town.

Also, to head off a few at the pass (maybe literally), I know Albuquerque and Santa Fe are broader media producers overall...I'm not really questioning from a career point of view at the moment, but more as a point of interest and discussion (assuming there's anything interesting to discuss.)

[zenkonami]

<...crickets...>

[djmaxwell]

You might take a look at Video Content Distribution | Comcast Media Center You might be able to find some contacts there. I know that ESPN at least used to have some facilities there. They may still, although it has been several years since I've been through there. I used to work for AT&T Broadband and got a tour of the facility. It is very nice.

[zenkonami]

Thanks for the pointer, djmax. Livecontent has offered similar advice to look at media/communications companies (often down in the DTC) in a previous media oriented post I started.

I'd like to throw the door open on this one to include bands, DJs, clubs, thespians, etc...would be interested to know more about the business side of the entertainment scene in and around Denver. I know C-D is not the be-all, end-all of the city's population, but it is looking a little bleak on the board when it comes to people in these industries in Colorado!

In other news:

Governor Bill Ritter signed House Bill 1010, which will re-establish the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media on July 1, 2009 — exactly forty years after it was first set up.

Denver News - Colorado Film Commission, Take 2 - page 1

[South'n_Boy]

Hey Zen,

I'm a video editor and moved to Denver in January. Things have been REALLY slow in the production market. People I've met here who have been in the industry their entire careers have told me this is the slowest its ever been for them. Having said that, there is still a slow trickle of production going on, and hopefully this will pick up when the rest of the economy does.

As for the actual market, I find there are some production houses that do top quality work- the likes you would find in L.A. or New York. However they are not as numerous as those cities, and their focus is on shorter formats generally, such as commercial, corporate, the occasional short, and the rare feature length. There seem to be a fair number of freelancers like myself looking for a piece of the action. That's all I can report for now.

[zenkonami]

Thanks for the response, South'n_Boy. I'm glad to hear there's some high quality production in town. I wouldn't expect Denver to be churning major motion picture or TV work right now, but could certainly see a good market for the growing corporate, commercial and internet markets. I don't think I'd ever want to see Denver become a NY/LA/Chicago in regards to media production, nor do I think it ever would, but it would be nice to see more high quality (and decent paying) work as well as the more than occasional film, television, or even major music production move through the city.

Would be curious to know what your editing platform of choice is if you care to share? (Final Cut, Premier, Avid, or maybe something else?) On the audio side, the big cities love Pro Tools (industry standard, etc...) and from an engineering standpoint it is pretty solid, despite the evil empire nature of Digidesign - I've noticed the rest of the country seems to mix it up a bit more with Nuendo and even Sonar picking up a decent small percentage. Would also be interested to know if you use your platform of choice because it's the norm in the region, or just because you prefer its workflow?

[D-town 720]

Hey, have you guys seen this? Look at 44 seconds for the location of this movie...

YouTube - Imagine That - Film Trailer Eddie Murphy