Corporate Ribbon-Cutting - Dallas, TX
Brief
This project is a corporate ribbon-cutting ceremony in Dallas, Texas, celebrating the opening of a new logistics warehouse and new US corporate headquarters. Coverage included the ribbon-cutting ceremony itself, executive headshots, and architectural photography of the new facility - interior, exterior, and aerial views of the building. I handled photography and video, with a second videographer on site to create multiple views and b-roll video of the event.
Challenge
I had worked with this client previously at several of their other logistics facilities across the US. For this project, since still photography and RAW video can't be produced simultaneously by one person, I brought on a second videographer. I flew in two days ahead of the ceremony to capture the facility itself, while the second videographer arrived the night before the ribbon-cutting. A key challenge with running still and video coverage side by side is keeping each out of the other's shot - a constant awareness during any live event. Windy conditions on the day also required careful consideration of the lavalier mic placement across four speakers to keep the audio clean. Additionally, since the ribbon-cutting was scheduled quickly after the building's handover from the builder, the warehouse hadn't yet been populated with product - a second on-site production was recommended to capture the operational imagery once inventory was in place.
Approach
I arrived on site two days before the event to photograph and film the facility itself. On the day of the ceremony, we arrived early to capture executive headshots ahead of the ribbon-cutting and building tour. Corporate executives often run on a tight, fast-moving schedule with little advance notice, so identifying the two to three key decision-makers early and staying closely attuned to their movements throughout the day was essential to capturing the coverage needed for this project.
Result
A handful of select still images were delivered on-site for the client's immediate social media use. This kind of fast turnaround isn't something I can accommodate from an on-site request alone - it requires advance planning, since my standard post-production timeline for stills is typically three to seven days. RAW video was delivered to the client's marketing team immediately following the event, with a final packaged video delivered after several rounds of consultation on the client's goals for the piece.