the making of a corporate video

In March my company shot a new corporate video. As I heard little things around the office about the video I had no idea what it would turn out to be. Little comments here and there like "Joe's walking on the board room table." "I've ordered the accountant visors and toy abacuses," "golf carts are ready," "balloons," "rappelling off buildings" - I could not wait to see what was coming.

TJ Scheiss and Leslie and Brian Gallacher painting XANGO letters on the parking structure

The day arrived and as part of the video, they wanted a few of the rising XANGO generation. Several of us brought our kids outfitted in #YourBestDayYet t-shirts. Maddy loves coming to work because it often means that she will get to play with Yoko's daughter Leah. They spent a lot of hours in my office playing games on the computer and watching Octonauts. One of the best things about my job is that we are a family and that includes our real families. It is not abnormal to hear little voices around the office. It happens most often on school holidays when we moms and dads have to work despite the kids being out of school.

I participated in a scene that highlighted the compensation plan. We were your typical accountants led by Kent Wood a founder and XANGO's original CFO.

Joe Morton rappelled off the building - Maddy was enthralled. One of my co-workers took the above picture and commented on how alike Maddy and I are - I'm just glad there was only one of us showing a little too much.  :)

The ending shot to the video (but not the last one filmed) was everyone on the parking structure letting off balloons and a pan out to see XANGO from above. It was such a fun and unusual day but also quite long. By the end of the day Maddy was tired and a bit bored. When they filmed the final scene for the day, the kids (in the playroom behind glass) were supposed to dance as the camera went by. Maddy was there but plugged in to earphones watching Monster High. Clearly she was DONE.

It truly was a long day but was so much fun to be intimately involved in something that is a part of the company and will last a long time. It amazes me how much time and effort goes into creating a 5 minute video. I laugh and laugh at the end result. It is tongue in cheek and fun, which shows our culture to a T.