When Focus 4 Design assessed the challenge of covering the 2011 Global Dance Festival, the company decide to create an extended promotional video -- which grew into a full-length documentary, an extensive eight-month project.
"It's not an easy task putting together a documentary on a music festival," says Gabriel Rovick, owner and founder of Focus 4 Design."As far as pre-production goes, you almost want to have some sort script for it, but that's not always possible with an event like this."
"The hardest part was working with so many people," comments Phill Wortham, chief editor of the documentary. "And still, you can't please everyone." Wortham is no stranger to Telly Awards; his work with Denver Health and other organizations has put many trophies on his shelf. "Over the course of the editing life," Wortham adds, "we probably tore that thing apart fifteen times. That was hard."
The Focus 4 Design team was recognized by the Telly Awards committee with a Silver medal for Editing and a Bronze in the Overall Documentary category. Silver and Bronze are the only possible awards, there is no gold designation. The Telly Awards recognize local, regional and national productions for their work in all forms of telecommunications and media.
"I think it was maybe after the first rough cuts that we were looking at some of the interviews, the dance scenes, and we realized we had a full-length on our hands," says Taj Nahar, producer of the film and owner of Noir Concepts, a partner on the project, "We weren't planning on telling a story in a 45-minute documentary, but when we realized that we had all this footage, it really came together."
"The whole thing is showing what goes on behind the scenes," Rovick stresses. "Somebody who is a fan doesn't see what is going on backstage. They don't see what it's like being the guy who changes out all the DJ equipment. The fact is, everyone wants that feeling of being backstage, and we are here to show it."
Focus 4 Design is housed in a 2,000 square-foot studio space in RiNo; in addition to producing music videos for acts ranging from local hip hop group The Foodchain to Brazilian pop star Ali Pierre, it continues to cover events at Casselman's, City Hall Events and other venues in the metro area.
