Established in 2008, today MindSmackTV (MSTV) is one of the foremost post-production and digital media houses in NYC. After four years of steady operation, the company has decided to “refresh” its own brand. Mike Feuer, Senior Partner of MSTV puts it succinctly, “We are constantly providing branding, re-branding and launch services to our clients. 2012 feels like the perfect time to turn the spotlight onto our own brand.”

For those who are familiar with the MindSmackTV facility and roster of employees, they will not be surprised to discover the new look is an accurate projection of the attitude and personality of the physical space. Particular attention was given to the new brand mark and style guide, setting the tone for everything to come. The objective was to create a brand that would showcase the group’s friendly, modern and delightful personality.

From a visual standpoint, the brand has forgone chrome, uppercase machismo in favor of a clean typeface set in lowercase paired with a cool little “smack” icon.

On Monday, March 5^th the graphics and web team unveiled the new brand and associated website. ”The site showcases MindSmackTV’s work with grace in a more unassuming way. In my humble opinion, we have set the bar as an industry leader in our field,” says David Buivid, Director of the Design and Web Department. In an effort to put a smile on visitor’s faces, the new website (http://www.MindSmack.TV) is loaded with clever programming details and design decisions that encourage repeat visits. Buivid continues, “Our team took special care to ensure that the site would be much more than ‘another portfolio site.’” Mirroring the MindSmack team, the new website is flexible, functions beautifully in a variety of formats (thanks to HTML5) whilst maintaining the feel of effortless fun. It will also be updated with new work on regular basis.

The entire team looks forward to bringing the new brand to life with a the next batch of upcoming projects.

Fall is just getting started and the leaves are changing a beautiful shade of Dan at MindSmack TV.

Dan Fisher (formerly of Broadway Video) is reuniting with his post-production brother-from-another-mother Todd Feuer to add yet another level of awesome the ‘Smack’s editing services. The two pals bonded years ago at Todd’s previous facility over a mutual admiration and respect for each other’s innovative work. Today, while rightfully ecstatic about the addition of Dan to his team, Todd knows the true beneficiary will be the client.

“Dan is a talent like no other, you give him a few show episodes, half a game plan & a few hours and the magic he creates is mind blowing” says Todd.

As Senior Editor, Dan has delivered on some of the highest profile campaigns his previous employers had ever seen. His work has been honored with numerous awards including several Telly Awards and an Aegis Award as well as having worked on campaigns that have won Emmys. His client list includes virtually every network out there including SyFy, USA Network, Nickelodeon, The History Channel, HBO, VH1, Spike and more…

Dan thrives on finding new and creative ways to ‘tell the story’. His ability to quickly and elegantly get the message across without overwhelming his viewers is a rare gift and his modesty in the chair just adds to the experience of working with one of the best in the business. With this new move to MindSmack TV, he will be provided an amazing platform to push his talents even further with a bold and passionate team that is excited to deliver the support that an editor of his caliber has come to expect.

MindSmack TV Principal Mike Feuer could hardly contain his enthusiasm, “Dan is one of those great people that clients and staff love to be around, not only is he incredibly talented but he’s got a level of authenticity and good humor that is absolutely contagious, it is with great pride that we welcome him into our ranks”

Join Dan in his new penthouse diggs just off Times Square, where you’ll no doubt find him blowing minds, arresting eyeballs and telling ‘the story’ as only Dan Fisher can.

We invite you to have a look at Dan’s work HERE

MindSmack.TV wraps post production on a music video for the launch of HBO’s 2nd season hit show “How to Make it in America”.

The video, starring Luis Guzmán, is a spoof of the YouTube mega hit “Barbara Streisand” put out by the DJ duo ‘Duck Sauce’ in October 2010.

HBO producer/director John Wilhelmy brought the project to MindSmack under the creative direction of David Roofthooft. David and John knew the right man for the job would be long time collaborator and Senior Editor Paul DiNatale.

“Paul was chomping at the bit to dive into this one” says MindSmack Principal Todd Feuer, “He is a huge fan of the DJ and club scene and is the perfect editor to bring HBO’s vision to life”. Feuer also color corrected the spot and said, “Finishing a piece like this is a ton of fun for me, although I did have a rather alarming dream about Luis Guzmán last night”

The audio mix and sound design were handled by Senior Sound Engineer Brian Rund who, “killed it” says Editor DiNatale. “He is a rock star,” MindSmack Principal Mike Feuer said, “The mix and sound design were spot on and the subtle sound effects give it the polished finish that is a trademark of Brian’s mixes”

The completed spot was met with cheers and accolades from the production team at HBO – the video is now available to view on HBO’s YouTube channel and has received well over one million hits in the first days of it’s launch.

CLICK TO VIEW

A-List celebrity cameos include, Mark Walberg, Justin Bieber, Pharrell, Q-Tip, Melonie Diaz, Terry Richardson and Razel:The Godfather of Noyze.

The spot will air on HBO at a date yet to be determined.

MindSmack’s Audio Guru Brian Rund began work on Nick Jr’s “Bubble Guppies” launch spot in December of 2010 – the spot went to air soon after to rave reviews.

All music editing, augmentation, sound design and mix were tackled in this project which Brian calls, “Tons of fun for everyone”.

The overall direction was to ‘make the spot sound more like a movie trailer then a promo but to keep it playful.’ Rund experimented with several treatments and arrived at the final sound through collaboration with campaign producer Elana Baumgarten and Creative Director Farrel Allen.

For subsequent Bubble Guppies promos, the team at Nickelodeon has reached out to Brian as consultant on behalf of other sound engineers so that they could achieve a similar sound. Says Rund, “They have asked me about the techniques I used for the voiceover, I ran down the specs and settings employed and we came up with a formula that would allow them to maintain the sonic style we developed for the launch. They’ve kept to the specs developed and thereby have maintained great consistency for the entire campaign.”

“I really enjoyed working on this project because of the playful, theatrical nature of the sound design” adds Rund. “It was great to once again be a part of another amazing team assembled by Farrel, Elana and the staff at Nickelodeon.

Brian has a long history of working on Nick campaigns including:
• Team Umizoomi – Launch Campaign and Promos
• Dora the Explorer specials:
- Dora and the Crystal Kingdom – Movie Special and Launch Campaign
- Dora and the Blue mermaid – Movie Special and Launch Campaign
and many other Nick Jr. campaigns including, Go Diego! Go!, BackYardigans, Kai-lan, Yo Gabba Gabba! & The Wonder Pets.

Brian’s continuing work at MindSmackTV includes the season launch Promo for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Spots and Docs for 24 Hours of Reality Hosted by Al Gore, as well as short and long form sound for USA Network, History Channel, SyFy and Food Network.

Beyond Sound Design and Mixing, Brian has been composing custom music for several projects including his hip hop kids band ‘KBC Kids’. Some of their tracks have been recently used in Disney’s “Lemonade Mouth” and Oxygen’s “Running Russell Simmons”. www.kbckids.com

Allstar Products Group hase launched a new lifestyle brand called Forever Lazy®. The “Lazy” is a full body, one-piece fleece pajama that is as warm as a blanket and as convenient as a bathrobe; a true “onesie for adults”.

Recently, MindSmack was called upon to help build the brand’s perception online. The web department has been busy setting up social media sites, including facebook, twitter, and a microsite for fans to learn more about the product. Having previously worked with Allstar’s marketing group for their leading direct response television brands, MindSmack helped enhance the brand identity. Forever Lazy® will be available in all major retail stores in Fall 2011. Furthermore, you are sure to see one of their television advertisements as we get closer to the 2011 holiday season.

Forever Lazy® was initially founded by a pair of college graduates working out of their parents’ basement. The “insanely comfortable” product appeals to everyone – from the casual office worker to the couch potato. Project lead, David Buivid, excitedly explains that, “Everyone at the MindSmack office loves it. In fact, we’ve surprised a few clients by working in our Lazies!”

To learn more, or to visit P.J. the Koala, click any of the following links: facebook.com/foreverlazy , twitter.com/foreverlazy & foreverlazyfans.com

MindSmack was retained to create a spot that incorporates the truTV logo into the obstacle course in the hit game show Wipeout.

The task included rotoscoping elements of the existing footage (removing items from the scene) and then replacing the items with a 3D version of the logo. The goal was to create the illusion that the contestants were interacting with the logo as if it were part of the obstacle course.

“Each shot presented a unique set of challenges” says Feuer, “matching the movement of the bucking bronco to make it look like the contestant was riding the logo was a particularly difficult motion track to nail down. The motivator shot was also deceptively difficult due to the lens distortion in the source video.”

Paul DiNatale, Senior Editor, edited the spot and laid out the story down before any of the graphic development began.

Brian Rund, Senior Audio Engineer, infused his magic into the mix by creating a sound design that drew from elements typically used in the course of the show. Wacky screams, silly and Batman-esque punches and hits rounded out the sound design to complete the spot.

MindSmack and Best Buy team up to create the most robust event calendar for a music-based site in existence.

Phil Chacra, Glenn Feinberg, Roberto Irizarry and Adam Schneider from Best Buy approached MindSmack in early 2010 about the possibility of developing a new site that would provide a platform for talented, local musicians to be seen and heard.

The idea quickly blossomed into a powerful website that showcases video recorded in-store at participating Best Buy locations. This content is viewable on-demand along with the many photos that have been shot of the events.  The resulting site incorporates an elegant calendar listing of upcoming performances for both national and local acts at flagship stores in New York, Philadelphia & Boston.

The site serves as a portal for fans to watch many of the larger events LIVE as they happen, from anywhere in the world. The media section is perfect for fans looking to explore the program’s varied talent offerings as it displays tons of videos and photos from past performances as well as links back to the artists’ respective websites.

The project was spearheaded by MindSmack project manager David Buivid whose drive and determination kept the project within budget and on schedule.  Buivid’s deep connections to the music industry allowed him the vision to, as he eloquently put it, “fill a gaping hole in the on-line music calendar space.”

The site’s unique design and interface was devised by MindSmack art director Aviva Maltin and the lifeblood of the site, programming, architecture and interface was engineered by MindSmack lead developer Christina Lutters whose attention to detail and long hours have made the unique functionality and robust CMS a triumphant reality.

MindSmack principal Mike Feuer says, “Our team really came through once again… The simplicity of allowing visitors a single location where they can sonically sample bands playing the stages before going to a show is simple genius, This is what the Internet is all about – making life easier and more fun for everyone.”

In a fortunate turn of events, Lady Gaga appeared live at the Union Square store in New York City on the day of the site’s launch.  She signed copies of her new album “Born This Way” (which also launched on Monday) in conjunction with a Best Buy Mobile promotion that lead up to the in-store event. Over 230,000 viewers logged in to the site to watch the livestreamed event, for a total of 1.6Million minutes viewed.  The site can be viewed at: http://www.liveatbestbuy.com/

MindSmack TV sponsored an event to raise money for a new documentary film about one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan”.

Ger Duany fled Sudan back in 1985.  His journey began as a child soldier at age 12 and led him through refugee camps in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya.  He was among the first group of ‘lost boys’ resettled in the U.S.A. in 1994.

MindSmack TV was approached by Writer/Producer Patrick Nichols Smith (one of the event organizers) to see if they would be interested in helping raise funds for the event.  After Patrick explained more about his organizations involvement in the project the Feuer brothers became interested in helping and agreed to fund the event.  MindSmack Principal Michael Feuer says, “The hardest thing to do in this economy is to raise funds, even if it is for a worthy cause… we are fortunate to be in a position to help and Ger’s story is one that we hope will be as inspiring for others as it has been for us.”

EVENT RELEASE:

NY, New York – May 4, 2011. MindSmack TV sponsored & MTV News’ Sway Calloway hosted The Unlikely Heroes Benefit, an intimate fundraiser for ‘GER: To Be Separate’, a new documentary tracing one man’s odyssey from Sudanese child soldier to refugee, his escape and amazing journey home.

On May 2, 2011 at the 92Y Tribeca, attendees engaged in a discussion moderated by social commentator Lola Desioye and The Lost Boys of Sudan: Ger Duany and King Deng.  During the discussion the men recounted their journeys from Sudan to America and life thereafter.

All proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards Ger Duany’s upcoming film “Ger: To Be Separate,” directed by African Academy Award winner Wanuri Kahiu.

The film documents Ger’s days as a child soldier & refugee through to Hollywood & international top model, it culminates with his crusade back home where he will vote for the first time in a new Sudan and celebrate its historic division.

The event’s host committee included Danny Glover, Mark G. Mathis, Bethann Hardison, Loul Deng and Dr. Adebola Orafidiya.

Rahzel (formerly of The Roots), and Arama Mara were the featured music performers.

Sponsors included MindSmack TV, The Global Network for Humanity, and Africa.com.

The Unlikely Heroes Benefit was a great success with supporters from all across the globe. The release of this film will mark the beginning of Ger’s mission to help rebuild his nation and bring educational institutions and health care facilities back to his home village.

For more information and to contribute towards Ger Duany’s mission please visit http://theunlikelyheroesevent.com/

Photos (on facebook):

http://on.fb.me/lSWs33

About The Lost Boys of Sudan:

Ger Duany

At age 12, he held his first AK-47 and was forced to fight.  Fleeing the war as a child, Ger Duany traveled between different camps in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya as a refugee for over 9 years. Ger was among the first group of ‘lost boys’ resettled in the U.S.A. and in 1994 he discovered basketball as a method of therapy in high school. He went on to become a star player and won an athletic scholarship to play in college. Today, Ger is most notably known for his time on the runways of New York and Milan, his editorial magazine spreads and many film appearances.

His mission is to help restore Sudan by building medical and educational institutions in his village.

King Deng

Born in Wulu, South Sudan with no date of birth recorded, King Deng now celebrates the refugee date of birth that was given to him by the UNHCR (United High Commission for Refugees). However, January 1, 1979 does not just belong to King. In fact, everyone who made it out of the war zone alive was given that date of birth. After spending seven weeks in 1998 at a camp, the Red Cross took King to Kenya Nairobi where he was assigned to a Refugee Camp for minors.  In 2000, they started the process of moving the minor groups to the United States. Deng lived in New York until he relocated to Atlanta in June 2001. His book, “The Lost Boy of Sudan” describes his life in detail.

Mindsmack is proud to join NetMix in hosting one of their perceptive and savvy tech meetups. As a sponsor for the program, MindsmackTV believes in NetMix.org‘s goal to promote and utilize the mediums available to “musicians, producers and other people in the music industry trying to learn as much as they can.” Mindsmack’s David Buivid, web producer for the NYC office, had this to say; “We are excited to host NetMix as one of the first of many tech/media related gatherings we aim to cultivate as we plan for 2011. It is an opportunity to meet new, motivated, like-minded people. One of the reasons we landed in our beautiful penthouse space is so we can host events, parties, and meetups in a comfortable environment.” The skylit space includes a large lounge and rooftop patio that lends itself to creativity and productive brainstorming sessions. MindsmackTV has previously hosted WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association) and a variety of post-production events. MindsmackTV invites others to inquire about using their space and is enthusiastic about acting as a hub for creative, informative conversations.

The cheers, the chants, the swelling inside, the held breath, and not least of all the audible silences. Everything illustrating the grueling win and melodic exhaustion every member in the crowd suffers and respects. For two NFL Giants Halftime projects, Brian helped demonstrate and perhaps duplicate these moments. The challenge was to mix each Giants piece within the MindSmack Studio for Stadium Broadcast;

“There is no real way to gauge how a mix will sound in a stadium unless you mix it in a stadium. Luckily I’ve had experience with this before. I previously worked with Showtime on Ushers Pre Concert from Puerto Rico that was being broadcast in the Stadium as well as being broadcast over TV at the same time.”

In the first piece, The Giants Fan Film dove into the history of the NY Giants; “It was really exciting to see posts of the Halftime Presentation up on youtube with the crowd reacting to my work.” For The Ring of Honor, the video highlighted a number of very important historical Giants Players. This presentation was so important to the Giants that the coach used it as motivation for the team the night before a big game. They won and have been winning ever since; “I can only hope that I helped in some small way.”

Recently Brian won a Gold Promax award for his sound design work on WWII In HD – It’s Not A Video Game stunt promotion. The spot went on to be Emmy nominated.