What’s New 2002

TxDOT series wins TWO TELLYS!

In the past 14 years, Channel Three Productions has won 16 Telly Awards. 2002 was unique in that for the first time, two Tellys were awarded for one entry. The Texas Department of Transportation High Mast Pole Series was awarded Tellys in the categories of Safety and Animation. The High Mast Pole Series includes six (and counting) videos covering different aspects of the high mast poles you may see towering high above expressway overpasses. To capture the latest techniques and technology, we scoured the state of Texas to film “first generation” projects and we used 3D animation to demonstrate how the interior components of the poles function.

For a complete list of all of our Tellys and other awards, click here.

The news of these awards was very timely as we had just been notified of winning the renewal bid on the TxDOT contract. The new contract is for six years and encompasses an ever-growing list of topics covering new technologies and safety standards. The new contract will also include DVD versions of these videos, enabling inspectors and contractors to view these programs from their laptop computers while out at a job site. There will be menu screens displaying the actual physical components of an installation that the user can click-on to view the video on that component as well as supporting TxDOT data sheets.

In 1999, Channel Three Productions was awarded a four-year contract with the Texas Department of Transportation to produce a series of electrical training videos for State of Texas inspectors and contractors on the proper installation and inspection of electrical systems. From stepping on a metal ground box lid to pressing a pedestrian push-button at a crosswalk, we are all exposed to potentially deadly levels of electricity everyday. The first set of videos included Grounding, Electrical Safety, Conductors, Conduit, Duct Cable, Ground Boxes, Breakaway Connectors, and Bonding Metallic Ground Box Lids and Electrical Services.

TxDOT has taken real initiative by providing this training in order to prevent the loss of property and more importantly, the loss of life. Channel Three is proud to continue in its work with TxDOT in this endeavor.


A powerful tool for homeland security: ELCAN’S SPECTER IR INFRARED SIGHT

Elcan Optical Technologies, a Canadian optics company part of The Raytheon Companies, has developed the first affordable thermal weapon sight designed specifically for homeland security and law enforcement. Channel Three Productions worked with Elcan’s Dallas and Canadian offices, their advertising agency CVC, and the Plano Police Department on a video and printed brochure highlighting the product’s capabilities.

The projects included video segments and digital stills of the finished product and the manufacturing facilities and interviews with key leadership at Elcan. To demonstrate Specter IR’s role in homeland security and law enforcement, a realistic drill was staged with the Plano Police Department depicting a SWAT Team using the infrared sight and a wireless video command center.


DeBoulle Jewelry’s Swiss Watch Collection gets major airtime

Channel Three Productions recently produced a series of TV spots for DeBoulle Jewelry at their Mediterranean-style villa on Preston Road in Dallas. Shot on 16mm film, the spots highlighted the elegant yet comfortable surroundings and announced their “Best of Switzerland” showing of over $30 million of exclusive Swiss timepieces. The 7284 film stock from Kodak helped lend the spot a rich look, filled with sharp detail, whether showing the wide, sweeping dolly shots of the entire store or the extreme close-up product shots of the fine watches.


Channel Three “Quick on the Draw” for MLT Posse Live Show

Monier Lifetile of Irvine, California, recently rode into Dallas-Fort Worth for its national company conference. The roofing tile company’s director of live events, Malachy Malloy, who produces all the videos for MLT’s parent company in the UK, scoured DFW for a production company that could shoot segments in the morning and then edit them into crowd-pleasers for that same night or the following morning. Channel Three Productions was chosen by Mr. Malloy because they most resembled how Mr. Malloy’s company is positioned in the UK.

While team-building exercises such as country songwriting and wagon-building and racing contests were edited into segments and a music video, the biggest laughs were reserved for the western-spoof, “MLT Posse.” Part Benny Hill and part Mel Brooks, the MLT executive team was facetiously depicted as the “meanest, ugliest posse around.” The video was shot in the old western town front of Marrow Bones Springs and included stunt cowboy riders and actors interacting with the MLT Gang. The live events were staged and videos presented at Circle R Ranch and at the Omni Hotel. Abbey Rentals and J&S Audio-Visual provided staging and AV support for the show. The project was exhausting, though a lot of fun, and we look forward to working with Monier Lifetile again.


Channel Three ships out shipping video for Tuesday Morning

Another new client added in the past year is Tuesday Morning, one of the most popular discount retail chains in the country. With over 500 stores across the United States, the company wisely produced a new training video designed to get their products safely into stores. The first of the videos produced was for the Shipping Department; footage was also captured for videos specifically targeted for Receiving, Processing, Sortation and Quality Assurance.



Staying Fit with X-Treme Zone Infomercial

Since 1994, Channel Three Productions has produced numerous videos and infomercials for SPI, a leading distributor of health and fitness products. The X-treme Zone line of products recently launched by SPI includes a bun/arm/thigh buster, toning ball, a gym-in-the-bag, and many other easy-to-use, easy-to-carry tools for pilates and yoga exercises. SPI regularly airs segments on QVC and HSN, among others.


Channel Three Produces CD-ROMS for Freeman

The Freeman Companies, which includes Freeman Decorating, Freeman Exhibit, and AVW, among others, is one of the two largest exposition service contractors on the continent. While the company has vast in-house production resources, it has contracted with Channel Three Productions to produce CD-ROMs marketing the company. The first CD, entitled “The Total Show,” offered an overview of the Freeman Companies and showed why they should be chosen to handle the broad range of services required for launching a national convention. The second CD, “Freeman Installation & Dismantle,” focused on the advantages of Freeman’s exhibit design, construction, and installation. Co-produced with Gayden Day, President of The Day Group, we are gratified that Freeman has outsourced these important marketing tools to our companies.



Channel Three collaborates with SyndiStar on

“Drugosaurs” drug education video

Syndistar Inc., a company out of New Orleans, LA, offers literally hundreds of educational videos, CD’s, DVD’s and printed materials for students of all ages. Sharing SyndiStar’s commitment to education, Channel Three Productions is proud to recently become a key production partner. The first of the joint offerings is a video/DVD/manual entitled, “The Great Drugosaur Expedition,” which teaches kids about the dangers and symptoms of various legal and illegal drugs and what made the “drugosaurs” extinct. Shot on location at an excavation dig, a lab and among the real dinosaur skeletons at the Ft. Worth Museum of Science, Channel Three was faced with challenging lighting situations as well as framing up a group of six actors and large skeletons. The end result was a program that engaged kids in this archeological adventure featuring the talented cast of children and their teacher as well as fun dinosaur animations, all the while learning valuable lessons about the dangers of substance abuse.


Channel Three goes Natural & Organic for Frito-Lay

Frito-Lay has consistently come up with new product lines over the years, keeping Channel Three busy with both marketing the product to consumers, and training sales and operations personnel across the company on each product. Because of the Federal regulatory requirements involved with “natural” or “organic” products, it was very important to communicate the special procedures and ingredients that must be used in manufacturing this product. Channel Three Productions is very pleased that Frito-Lay is bringing the Natural & Organic line to market. We sampled the potato chips with natural bar-b-que seasoning and the baked white cheddar cheeto and were very impressed with just how flavorful they were.
Over the past 15 years, Channel Three Productions has had the opportunity to produce over 70 videos for the leading snack food company in the world. You may select What’s New editions from every proceeding year and you will see profiles of many videos, CD’s and DVD’s of note.


 Rowlett: “It’s Your Hometown”

Having produced videos for dozens of cities and towns throughout Texas, we are always fascinated by how each community has its own look and personality, and we always intend for our finished programs to reflect the unique character of each.

In producing a video for The City of Rowlett, we found a city that is very much in touch with its heritage while looking forward to the future. Narrated by Mayor Shane Johnson, the video traces Rowlett’s beginnings as a rural farming community, to now becoming one of the fastest growing cities in north Texas. We spent weeks filming the city infrastructure and the many community events. Located on spacious Lake Ray Hubbard, the city offers its citizens and visitors well-planned growth and services and a high quality of life.

The 15:00 minute video is being shown on the city’s cable TV station and has also been shown at various community events.


Everyday is a holiday at Holiday Villages!

Holiday Villages Resorts and Retirement Communities provides working families with cost-effective places for recreation and retirement. The resorts are located on some of Texas’ most popular water sport and fishing areas, such as Lake Fork, Lake Livingston and Lake Medina. Channel Three Productions experienced some nice Texas hospitality this year as we created a video/DVD, a TV infomercial and a series of TV spots for the Village Resorts. We also created a new website for Holiday Villages loaded with video clips and updated monthly.


Channel Three partners with Visual Frenzy to provide

online advertising for hotels in Texas

Channel Three is proud of the relationship we have developed with VisualFrenzy Media Inc., a leading provider of streaming marketing videos to the lodging industry. As VisualFrenzy’s Texas supplier, Channel Three has shot dozens of videos for hotels and resorts all over Texas, including the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, the Wyndham/St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio, and the Raddisson Astrodome, among others. Currently we are turnkey producing several projects for the Adam’s Mark Hotel, which will include TV spots. VisualFrenzy distributes streaming marketing videos for hundreds of properties throughout North America. Streaming videos have become increasing important as a marketing tool that companies can use on their own Web sites and a growing number of third party related sites, e-mail marketing campaigns and in direct sales efforts with interactive CD-ROMs.

Doral Tesoro

Houston Marriott

Wyndham/St. Anthony San Antonio


To view video clips of other Channel Three Productions click here.