06.07.07 - Shooters Acquires Westbrooke Building
05.15.07 - Shooters Goes Hi-Def
06.29.06 - Megatrax Chooses Shooters
02.22.06 - Shooters Finishes In Top 3 of National Awards Competition
01.03.06 - "Metropolitan Zeal" Nets Shooters 5 More National Awards
12.20.05 - Shooters To Document 11th Annual B.E. Taylor Christmas Concert
08.05.05 - Shooters Wins Dual National Awards
Shooters Acquires Westbrooke Building
Shooters Productions recently acquired the former Westbrooke School building in Bridgeport, Ohio at an auction held by the Bridgeport School District. The two story brick and concrete building located in downtown Bridgeport, Ohio, was constructed in 1955 and features more than a dozen classrooms, a gymnasium/cafeteria with full kitchen facility, a 40 car parking lot, and easy access from Interstate 70.
Shooters, who specialize in video production and post-production services, are amazed by what they have acquired. "This building was a steal," explains Joe Monahan, "We couldn't believe that such a well built and well maintained facility could fall into our laps like it has. When we heard it was up for auction, curiosity got the best of us, as both my brother and I attended grade school there. We went down just to see what would happen, and we ended up walking away with a 30,000 square foot facility."
What Shooters plans to do with such a large facility is anyone's guess, but Joe and Pat Monahan see nothing but potential. "I think we've solved our expansion requirements for some time to come," jokes Pat Monahan. "First and foremost, this will make a great office and production studio. The Gymnasium features a 30-foot ceiling and a huge production space. We can think of all kinds of things we could shoot there, from commercials to TV shows. There's enough room to construct sets if we needed to. Aside from that, all the classrooms have been wired for computer networks, closed-circuit TV, and the intercom and bell systems all work."
Shooters also plans to list the property with the Ohio Film Commission as a possible shoot location for outside films and commercials. "I've already made initial contact with the OFC, and they are eager to list it. There are all kinds of possible uses for school buildings, and movies like Kindergarten Cop come to mind. It's funny, because this building doesn't look like a traditional school building from the outside. It could be a hospital, an office building, a police station… the possibilities really are limitless," says Joe Monahan, "Give us time…we'll come up with something."
Joe and Pat Monahan of Shooters Productions can be reached at 740-609-0029.
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Shooters Goes Hi-Def
High definition has arrived in the Ohio Valley, according to Joe and Pat Monahan of Shooters Productions in Martins Ferry, Ohio. Shooters have announced that they have recently upgraded their production services to include wide-screen, high definition production and post-production, making Shooters the first, and currently the only, high definition production house in the Valley.
"The upgrade makes sense," explains Joe Monahan. "More and more people are moving toward flat panel HDTV screens, and the entire industry is moving in the high definition (HD) direction. The FCC has ruled that all broadcast stations and all new televisions sold have to be high definition capable by 2009. With the added ability to shoot and edit in HD today, we're keeping ourselves on the leading edge and raising the bar a notch."
The expanded service allows Shooters to produce their material in high definition from start to finish, offering their clients cinema-like quality and crystal clear images. They can handle most of the popular HD formats, including the two current industry standards, 1080i and 720p. In addition, Shooters can convert a high definition production into a pristine, standard definition, for traditional delivery on DVD and other popular broadcast formats.
"Being able to handle multiple formats, especially HD, makes us much more marketable to agencies and clients outside the area as well as locally," says Pat Monahan. "Bigger firms and creative agencies want the best, and they don't want to compromise. By going HD, we're showing them that with us, there won't be any compromise. We're in it for the long term, and we're ready for the high profile projects."
"Raising the bar" for valley video production has been Shooters' mission since the company started in 1999. In addition to their HD and post-production services, Shooters offers high-end visual effects and custom 2D/3D animation. Their work has garnered them numerous national awards over the last few years, and they are widely regarded among their peers as the top post-production house in the area.
"The main thing we want people to know is that you don't have to go outside the area for great production," adds Joe Monahan. "Local agencies tend to think of major cities like New York and L.A. when they think of high end production companies. To firms outside of our market, Shooters is that kind of production company. We offer the same quality product right here in the Valley, and you don't have to fly us in."
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Shooters Acquires Westbrook Building
Shooters Productions recently acquired the former Westbrooke School building in Bridgeport, Ohio at an auction held by the Bridgeport School District. The two story brick and concrete building located in downtown Bridgeport, Ohio, was constructed in 1955 and features more than a dozen classrooms, a gymnasium/cafeteria with full kitchen facility, a 40 car parking lot, and easy access from Interstate 70.
Shooters, who specialize in video production and post-production services, are amazed by what they have acquired. "This building was a steal," explains Joe Monahan, "We couldn't believe that such a well built and well maintained facility could fall into our laps like it has. When we heard it was up for auction, curiosity got the best of us, as both my brother and I attended grade school there. We went down just to see what would happen, and we ended up walking away with a 30,000 square foot facility."
What Shooters plans to do with such a large facility is anyone's guess, but Joe and Pat Monahan see nothing but potential. "I think we've solved our expansion requirements for some time to come," jokes Pat Monahan. "First and foremost, this will make a great office and production studio. The Gymnasium features a 30-foot ceiling and a huge production space. We can think of all kinds of things we could shoot there, from commercials to TV shows. There's enough room to construct sets if we needed to. Aside from that, all the classrooms have been wired for computer networks, closed-circuit TV, and the intercom and bell systems all work."
Shooters also plans to list the property with the Ohio Film Commission as a possible shoot location for outside films and commercials. "I've already made initial contact with the OFC, and they are eager to list it. There are all kinds of possible uses for school buildings, and movies like Kindergarten Cop come to mind. It's funny, because this building doesn't look like a traditional school building from the outside. It could be a hospital, an office building, a police station… the possibilities really are limitless," says Joe Monahan, "Give us time…we'll come up with something."
Joe and Pat Monahan of Shooters Productions can be reached at 740-609-0029.
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Megatrax Chooses Shooters
Megatrax music, a production music licensing company based in Hollywood, California chose to feature the work of Martins Ferry based firm Shooters Productions at the recent National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. The NAB is the largest television and broadcast convention in the world, and Megatrax displayed the work of Shooters Productions as part of a demo to show how their music can be used in a production.
"We've been licensing our music to Shooters for a few years now," explains Chuck Hamshaw, Megatrax's director of Corporate, Government and New Media. "I finally asked them to send me a sample project, and I was floored by the quality of their work and the creativity with which they used our music. What they sent me was the best corporate video I've seen come through our offices. It looked more like network TV programming. I took it around to several of our departments, and they all agreed. That's saying something considering the amount of corporate production we see coming through here on a daily basis."
Megatrax is the nation's leading music licensing house for television and film, and it's music tracks are widely used to score theatrical movie trailers, network, and cable television programs across the United States. If you've been to the movies or watched TV lately, then you've heard Megatrax production music.
"When Mr. Hamshaw called and asked permission to use pieces of our work in their own demo, we were quite flattered," explains Shooters' Joe Monahan. "Its not every day that a Hollywood based company takes notice of the work done by a small production company in rural Ohio."
At the NAB, Shooters' work was displayed along side promos produced by media giants ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and cable programs such as the History Channel, who comprise Megatrax's main clientele. Shooters, who attended this year's NAB show in order to stay apprised of the latest trends in production and post-production technologies, visited Megatrax's booth and were invited to attend a private cocktail party held by the California based music company.
"We stopped in and saw it for ourselves," said Pat Monahan. "Our work was right in between promos for Desperate Housewives and CSI. To think that our work is worthy of displaying along with the major networks, that's quite a compliment. The best part was that it didn't look out of place."
In recent months, Shooters Productions has been earning its share of accolades, having been honored with 9 national awards over the last 2 years. One of those awards competitions, The Aegis Awards, recently released their top 20 highest scoring productions submitted for the last quarter of 2005, and Shooters Productions finished with the second highest score overall out of a field of nearly 3,000 production companies. Shooters missed the top score by a single point, being narrowly edged by a television commercial produced for Bombardier Recreational Products. In finishing at number 2, Shooters' work scored higher than productions submitted by well-known companies such as CNET.com and Bristol-Myers Squib who tied for third.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning," says Pat Monahan. "We want to continually get better and be able to take on bigger projects."
"I told them that they should do documentaries and sell them to the Discovery Channel," adds Hamshaw. "I think Discovery would love their work."
Shooters specializes in video production, post-production, and visual effects services. Joe and Pat Monahan of Shooters Productions can be reached at 740-609-0029, or on the web at www.shootersproductions.com.
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Shooters Finishes In Top 3 of National Awards Competition
The Aegis judges recently released their top 20 highest scoring productions submitted for the last quarter of 2005, and Martins Ferry firm, Shooters Productions, finished with the second highest score overall out of a field of nearly 3,000 production companies.
The prestigious Aegis award honors excellence in video and film production and receives thousands of productions each year from all over the country. Each production is judged on creative and technical excellence. Shooters, who were recently honored with 3 Aegis awards for their outstanding video work, missed the top score by a single point, being narrowly edged by a television commercial produced for Bombardier Recreational Products. In finishing at number 2, Shooters' work scored higher than productions submitted by well-known companies such as CNET.com and Bristol-Myers Squib who tied for third.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, these guys are outstanding, " says Don Feenerty, a Martins Ferry commercial photographer who often works with Shooters on their projects. "The Ohio Valley has no idea what they have with these guys. Everything I have seen from them has been top notch, and I doubt you could find two better guys to work with than Joe and Pat Monahan."
"It's nice to know that our work can compare so favorably with productions put out by much larger companies." says Shooters Productions' Joe Monahan. "We were up against fierce competition, but as the saying goes, bigger is not always better."
Adds Pat Monahan, "In this industry, you constantly have to prove yourself, and we approach each of our productions with that in mind. Once you get complacent, you stop putting in the effort, and the quality of your work declines. We try not to let that happen with us."
Shooters specializes in video production, post-production, and visual effects services. Joe and Pat Monahan of Shooters Productions can be reached at 740-609-0029, or on the web at www.shootersproductions.com.
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"Metropolitan Zeal" Nets Shooters 5 More National Awards
Shooters Productions of Martins Ferry, Ohio will be clearing a little more room in their trophy cases, as they have taken 5 more national awards for outstanding video and film production. Both the 2004 Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization's (OLETC) Mock Prison Riot™ video and the National Corrections Law Enforcement Training and Technology Center's (NCLETTC) 2004 Mock Disaster Video took the top "Aegis" and "Davey" awards, along with an informational production that Shooters produced for the Sandscrest Retreat Center in West Virginia. This brings their national award total to 9 in the past two years, with 7 occurring in just the last 4 months. Back in September, Shooters won two national "Telly" awards for their efforts on OLETC and the NCLETTC's behalf.
"This outstanding local company, Shooters Productions, represents OLETC and the NCLETTC in an exceptionally brilliant manner that we want and need to relay to our clients nationwide and the entire public safety community" says Steve Morrison, Vice President of Public Safety and Homeland Security Group (PSHSG). The PSHSG is one of the programs under the WVHTC Foundation that holds both OLETC and NCLETTC within its command. "Shooters stands out in their field and has proven this in our working relationship throughout the years, says the Vice President. Each year we look forward to seeing their next production, and it's always charged with that metropolitan zeal that we love to see here in the Ohio Valley."
The Aegis judges consider whether the content of an entry is well structured, holds the viewer's interest, uses professional techniques, and has high production values. Each production is independently screened by four of the Aegis judges and rated on ten judging criteria from directing and script writing to content and effectiveness of the entire presentation. The Davey is awarded to small production companies who achieve national quality results with their work.
"We work very hard on our productions, " says Shooters Productions' Joe Monahan. "We try to pay close attention to the details, even down to the end credits. We're just glad that it shows, and we're amazed by the response our work has received." Pat Monahan adds, "It's not just about us, though. We hire some very good people to help out for these events, and without great organizations like OLETC and the NCLETTC showing great faith in a small town production company, we wouldn't be in this position."
Two of the three winning programs, OLETC and the NCLETTC are under the wing of the National Institute of Justice and the West Virginia High Technology Consortium (WVHTC) Foundation. They host the OLETC Mock Prison Riot™ and Mock Disaster in concert with the WVHTC Foundation, the NCLETTC, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections (WVDOC). The Sandscrest Retreat Center is operated by the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, and is used as a retreat and conference center.
For more information about Shooters Productions, visit the company on the Web at www.ShootersProductions.com or call 740.609.0029.
For more information about the NCLETTC, visit online at www.nclettc.org or call 304-843-4147.
For more information about OLETC, visit online at www.oletc.org or call 1-888-306-5382.
For more information about Sandscrest, visit online at www.sandscrest.com.
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Shooters To Document 11th Annual B.E. Taylor Christmas Concert
Shooters Productions has been contacted to shoot the 11th annual B.E. Taylor Christmas concert at the historic Capitol Music Hall in downtown Wheeling, West Virginia.
Shooters, who will shoot both nights of the sold out show, are excited to be involved. "We've been wanting a crack at this for about the last 4 years, " says Joe Monahan. "B.E. Taylor's Christmas show is one of the most popular events of the Holiday season. It's a great concert in a historic venue, and we're thrilled to be a part of it." Adds Pat Monahan, "We've only had about a 48 hour heads up, so it will be a challenge, but hey, when the opportunity comes, you have to take it."
Shooters also feels that this opportunity is special due to the fact that this may be the final show at the Capitol, as there are plans to close it's doors permanently after the end of the year. "It's sad because we've had the privelege of shooting in here a couple of times each year. It's run and maintained by some very nice people, and if it closes, we'll greatly miss coming in here. Hopefully, the city of Wheeling, or some other entity will come in, take it over, and keep the shows coming in," says Joe Monahan.
It has not yet been determined what will happen with the footage that Shooters gathers from the concert. It will most likely be used in an eventual DVD covering the history of B.E. Taylors Christmas show, as well as for use in promos and possibly even a live show DVD compilation. Shooters, whose national award-winning work normally consists of commercials, promos, and short form corporate and documentary style productions, welcomes this change of pace.
"We can't wait to mix some of this footage, "says Pat Monahan, "Live concerts are very challenging, but if the footage is good, we can make it into a great finished product, whatever that ends up being. It's a different kind of project for us, and it should be alot of fun.
Shooters plans to speak with B.E. Taylor Productions and to begin working with the footage early next year.
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Shooters Wins Dual National Awards
Video production firm, Shooters Productions of Martins Ferry, recently received two national awards for their outstanding work in the video and film industry. The Telly is the premier award honoring the finest achievements in television commercials and programs both for and not for broadcast. Each year over ten thousand works are considered for selection, but few make it to the top. This year Shooters received a Telly for first place and one for finalist, bringing their total to four Telly awards in the past two years.
Both recent Telly awards, for post-production editing and best corporate videos, were awarded to Shooters for their work on projects in conjunction with the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation (WVHTC). Specifically, the awards were for promotional videos of the NCLETTC Mock Disaster, hosted by the National Corrections and Law Enforcement Training and Technology Center in Moundsville, and the OLETC Mock Prison Riot TM, by the Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization in Wheeling.
"National recognition like this is great, and these guys deserve it," said Steve Morrison, Vice President of the WVHTC. "The Mock Disaster provides an opportunity for our first responders to practice their training in a realistic environment. Shooters has provided us a media to show dramatic scenarios that brings our message home in a big way," Morrison added.
Shooters Productions is owned and operated by brothers Joe and Pat Monahan. The Ohio Valley based company specializes in video production, post-production, and visual effects services. Of the awards Pat Monahan said, "You don't just win awards like these on your own. It takes a team. Knowing how to pick the right team is key to putting together a great production," Monahan added, "Events like the RIOT and Mock Disaster require a sizable crew, and our product is only as good as the crew we assemble."
One member of the Shooters Riot and Mock Disaster crew for the past several years has been Martins Ferry based commercial photographer Don Feenerty. For these projects, Shooters contracts Feenerty for his skills as a director and lighting engineer. Feenerty, a winner of multiple national awards himself said, "Shooters isn't the first company in our area to win Tellys, but I have never seen a company win so many, so quickly or back to back like Shooters has." "These guys are phenomenal," Feenerty added.
Joe Monahan credits their success to being able to do what they love to do. "This job can be very high stress," says Joe, "but this is what we wanted to do since we were kids. We love to tell stories with our cameras, and one day, hopefully, you will see our names on the big screen.
The Monahan family is not new to the Ohio Valley. Joe and Pat's father, Bill currently owns and operates Shooters Shotgun Sports on route 250, and their grandmother, the late Kay Monahan, owned and operated Ferry Hardware in Martins Ferry for more than 50 years. "Our family owes a lot to my mother," said Bill Monahan. "She was always very supportive of everything we did. I only wish she could have lived to see what her grandsons have accomplished."
Over the past 5 years, the Monahans have worked with many different organizations, both locally and on a national level, producing everything from corporate videos to political TV ads. Shooters shot and produced product demonstration videos for FN Herstal, supplier of over 70% of the world's military small arms. They have also produced media release pieces for government research and testing facilities, NIST and The National Institute of Justice in Washington, DC, which were intended for viewing by former Homeland Security Director, Tom Ridge. More recently, the Monahans have been working on location in places such as Houston, Texas, Charlotte, North Carolina and Las Vegas.
One of their previous national award-winning productions is a commercial that was produced for the annual Ft. Henry Days festival held at Oglebay Park in Wheeling. The spot is due to start running on local stations in August.
In addition to the Telly awards, Shooters' work is currently being considered for the Davey Award, honoring small production companies who produce national quality work, and the prestigious Aegis Award for outstanding video and film production.
Joe and Pat Monahan of Shooters Productions can be reached at 740-609-0029, or on the web at www.shootersproductions.com.
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