Marriott Renaissance Hotel Austin

Ultralite Films produced this 90 second commercial for Marriott's Renaissance Hotel Austin, a premium business travel and vacation hotel in Austin, Texas.

Renaissance Austin Hotel features "a sophisticated style with Texas-size personality. Nestled in the picturesque Texas Hill Country, the Austin hotel near the Arboretum at Great Hills Mall provides a tranquil environment surrounded by nature trails, yet offers convenient proximity to downtown Austin, University of Texas, 6th Street, Austin Bergstrom International Airport and The Domain Shopping Center, which is just 2 miles away. From the dramatic nine-story atrium to oversized rooms and fine dining at Knotty Deck & Bar, the upscale amenities rival the finest hotels in Austin, Texas. With extravagant event spaces across 65,000 square feet, you can host intimate or grand wedding receptions and sophisticated corporate functions large and small. During downtime, discover the charm and elegance of the luxury accommodations and make sure to stop by the indoor and outdoor pool, or get in a workout at the modern fitness center."

 

Power Portions

Ultralite Films recently produced this 60 second commercial for Power Portions, a premium nutritional meal preparation service by athletes for athletes.

"Power Portions provides the athletic community with an innovative and scientifically based approach to premium meal preparation by combining research, culinary mastery and the expertise of licensed health professionals to create fully cooked, balanced meals to impact health, performance and quality of life."

 

Never Give Up: A Field of Hope Story

“How do we miss this? How do we ignore this? And what needs in the world am I turning a blind eye to?”

Field of Hope is a non profit organization who's mission is to reduce the destructive cycle of hunger and poverty by sharing talents and resources with farming communities in developing nations.

Our latest project, created in collaboration with Arable Media, captures Whitney's experience as a first time volunteer during a recent service trip to Uganda to create a vivid account of the work and impact Field of Hope pursues around the world.

This is Whitney’s story. What will your story be?

COWBOYS

Ultralite Films' director Bud Force has partnered with esteemed photographer John Langmore to direct and produce a feature length documentary about the big outfit working American cowboy via their feature film production company, 1922 Films. Over the course of the past six months, they and the documentary crew have been traveling across the American West to create the trailer.

We hope you enjoy this authentic glimpse into a way of life known by few.

"Told in the cinematic tradition of classic westerns, this feature-length documentary offers the opportunity to ride alongside modern working cowboys on some of America's largest and most remote cattle ranches. COWBOYS documents the lives of the men and women working on "big outfit" cattle ranches - some of which are over one million acres - and still require a crew of horseback workers to tend large herds of cattle.
Narrated through first-hand accounts from the cowboys themselves, the story is steeped in authenticity and explores the rewards and hardships of a celebrated but misunderstood way of life and the challenges that lie ahead for the cowboys and ranches critical to providing the world's supply of beef.
Filmed on locations across the American West, COWBOYS features historic ranches in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming and Nevada."

For more information, please visit www.thecowboymovie.com
Release Date: Fall of 2018

 

Your Adventure Begins Here.

"Are our experiences born from the drifting of our imagination? Some say we possess a compass within ourselves that eventually points us in the direction we needed to go all along. But the most difficult step in that journey is the first one that simply takes us outside the door."

From the fall of 2015 throughout summer the following year, the Ultralite Films crew trekked hundreds of miles, swam a myriad of rivers, and slept under countless stars in order to try and capture the essence of Texas outdoors and more specifically the experiences available through the Texas state park system.

All footage in this video was shot at various state parks and natural areas, transcending several seasons. Please use the key below to learn which parks are displayed in the video, so you can discover your own adventure.

0:01 - Monahans Sandhills State Park
0:08 - Monahans Sandhills State Park
0:12 - Monahans Sandhills State Park
0:16 - Monahans Sandhills State Park
0:19 - Monahans Sandhills State Park
0:22 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:27 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:29 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:31 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:34 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:40 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:42 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:44 - Pedernales Falls State Park
0:46 - Guadalupe River State Park
0:48 - Davis Mountains State Park
0:52 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
0:56 - Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway
1:00 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
1:02 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
1:04 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
1:06 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
1:08 - Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway
1:11 - Monahans Sandhills State Park
1:12 - Davis Mountains State Park
1:14 - Monahans Sandhills State Park
1:16 - Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway
1:17 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
1:18 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
1:19 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
1:20 - Matagorda Island State Natural Area
1:21 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
1:22 - Guadalupe River State Park
1:23 - Matagorda Island State Natural Area
1:24 - Cedar Hill State Park
1:25 - Cedar Hill State Park
1:26 - Colorado Bend State Park
1:27 - Colorado Bend State Park
1:28 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
1:32 - Colorado Bend State Park
1:36 - Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway
1:40 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
1:44 - Colorado Bend State Park
1:48 - Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway
1:52 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
1:55 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
1:56 - Balmorhea State Park
1:59 - Balmorhea State Park
2:02 - Balmorhea State Park
2:05 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
2:07 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
2:08 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
2:10 - Big Bend Ranch State Park
2:11 - Cleburne State Park
2:14 - Colorado Bend State Park
2:15 - Cedar Hill State Park
2:16 - Cedar Hill State Park
2:17 - Cleburne State Park
2:18 - Caddo Lake State Park
2:21 - Caddo Lake State Park
2:23 - Caddo Lake State Park
2:24 - Cleburne State Park
2:25 - Cleburne State Park
2:26 - Cleburne State Park
2:31 - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
2:36 - Colorado Bend State Park

Fighting Oppression with Storytelling

One of our greatest honors is telling the stories of people, brands, and organizations who are working to do GOOD in the world. Therefore, we could not have been any more pleased than when the great people at Sudara wanted to partner with us to tell their own incredible story. 

More than simply a clothing manufacturer, Sudara embodies the spirit of a company working to make the world a better place by basing their business and non-profit models on assisting oppressed women in India and around the world. 

"Let's get right down to it: No human being should be owned by anyone, anywhere, for any reason - ever. It really is that simple. Sudara is passionate about India - where some of the highest estimates of slavery and sex-trafficking anywhere in the world are reported. And while it may seem overwhelming, we are hopeful because we are seeing how safe, sustainable jobs are making a way for women to make their way out of the sex trade - or altogether avoid it." - Sudara.org

Produced by Ultralite Films
Director: Bud Force (budforce.com)
Associate Producer: Melissa Macalik
Executive Producer: Shannon Keith

Ultralite Films crafts brand films, documentaries, and commercials to tell meaningful stories and inspire others. We partner with the world's finest brands, advertising agencies, and organizations and believe in listening and strong collaboration to create unique projects. Ultralite Films is an Austin, Texas video production company. ultralitefilms.com

The Fourth of July: Independence Day for the United States

Ultralite Films wishes all Americans a happy Independence Day this year in the spirit of unity, hope and freedom.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." - The Declaration of Indpendence

RISE Clothing Co.

 

Our latest featured project is a 90 second broadcast commercial for the athletic sports brand, RISE Clothing Co., headquartered in Dallas, Texas. RISE is a fashionable athleisure brand that motivates people to be passionate and is creatively designed for athletic workouts or to be worn outside the gym.
 

Assignment Field Journal: Cayo Costa

Background: Ultralite Films' director Bud Force recently spent some time on the island of Cayo Costa off the West coast of Florida with Jose Azel, president of Aurora Photos, to capture still photography and video for Jackson Kayaks and Aurora. 

The island is still in a very natural state and looks much as it did when first discovered by Spanish explorers. Cayo Costa is now a Florida state park and features a plethora of wildlife ranging from wild hogs to alligators to manatees. 

Monday, March 8, 2016

...We grabbed the remaining supplies we needed for the island and then made our way to the ferry. Throwing the yaks on top and meeting up with Captain Rick, we made our journey to Cayo Costa. We bobbed along the relatively calm seas for about an hour, quietly appreciating the beauty surrounding us. Upon arrival, we made our way across the island to our camp, pitched our tents, and ate a great dinner of pasta and tomatoes. As evening progressed, we made a long trek down the shore to a cove that had recently revealed itself after being closed by the shore for several years. We fished for about an hour in and around the channel coming in from the gulf before spying a young, five-foot alligator resting on the other side. Shortly after wrapping up our fishing, we made our way back to camp by the light of our headlamps. 

 

Tuesday, March 9, 2016

I awoke in my tent just minutes before Jose and I headed out to kayak and film. We trekked the mile across the island and grabbed our yaks to begin the day. We paddled past the piers toward the south side of the island and portaged on a nearby sandbar. Only one yacht resided on the farther side of the bar, with all onboard appearing to still be asleep in the early hours. We filmed and photographed various scenes around the area in the beautiful morning light. After shooting, we continued our little journey to fish a small, quiet lagoon. The wind later became difficult to navigate and beat us up quite a bit until we were able to force ourselves out of the channel. After more fishing, we found a small opening into a mangrove swamp, opening up to a completely different world than the direct ocean outside. We followed the small channel for more than a mile as it snaked its way through the dense and quiet mangroves. Taking turns fishing and shooting, we were able to circumvent various debris and obstacles. We spent the remainder of our time fishing around Primo Island and drifting back to the piers with the wind at our backs. Aside from some nibbles, we caught nothing aside from Jose's barracuda that knifed in to steal half his bait. Upon our return, we had a quick swim in the ocean to clean up and then ate some delicious jambalaya Jose prepared by flashlight. 

 

Wednesday, March 10, 2016

Awoke again at dawn. It was another busy day with us paddling our yaks around the north point of the island. The winds were at our favor on the journey to the point; however, we faced incredible headwinds upon our return up the other side (as is common at this point). Jose shot some nice photos and video of various scenes with the kayaks at the island's narrowest point, and I was actually able to catch a red snapper. After fighting our crafts through the wind for at least an hour, we portaged up the beach from our campsite and closed the day shooting into the sunset and evening hours. Our Voltaic Systems' solar panels did an excellent job of powering our batteries, so it looks like we'll be able to keep everything charged for the duration of our time on the island. After a late dinner and a glass of tequila with lime wedge, I made the trip on foot back across the island to shoot time lapses at the piers. I took a quick nap on the dock while the cameras did their thing and then made my way back to camp in the early morning hours before collapsing into my bag to sleep for a few hours. 

 

Thursday, March 14, 2016

I was feeling exhausted when Jose asked if I wanted to wake up and shoot sunrise fly fishing. Putting the fatigue out of my mind, we walked down the island with our rods and camera gear. The morning light was spectacular, and I captured quite a bit of nice content. After breakfast, we paddled and fished our way around the island, fighting aggressive headwinds once again. I tried unsuccessfully to take a siesta after lunch in the hot afternoon sun. As the day drew on, I met up with our neighbors to get some shots on spec for Backpacker Magazine after an editor had asked if I could grab some additional content for them on the island. The shoot ended up turning out very well and almost took on a fashion vibe. The sun set, and my last images of the night were of the young couple hand in hand on the beach. 

 

Friday, March 15, 2016

We wrapped the shoot for Aurora and Jackson this morning and managed to get everything back to the mainland via the ferry. I'm quite happy with the content and am excited to get the video into post production with a hopeful release before summer. Cayo Costa is a beautiful place, and I look forward to making it back there in the future. 

Farm Fresh

We'd like to introduce you to Johnson's Backyard Garden, a happy little organic farm in Austin, Texas, that works year round to provide locally grown vegetables and other produce to the community. JBG is a "community supported agriculture" (CSA) farm in which members purchase crops in advance and share in the success of the harvest.

Assignment Field Journal: Joshua Tree Highlining

Excerpt from Ultralite Film's director Scott Hardesty. www.scotthardestymedia.com

It was an unexpected surprise to kick off the new year with an impromptu trip to Joshua Tree National Park in California. I needed to test out some new gear from Mountainsmith and Voltaic while filming a rag-tag group of highliners/climbers who wanted to go play in the desert. Their goal was simple: climb as much as possible and rig J-tree’s longest highline.

Car problems turned the day on the road from 16 hours into 24. We arrived late and grabbed a couple hours of sleep on BLM territory. The next morning, we were up with the sun and looking at the park's mounds of granite like blank art canvases. 

It didn’t take long to spot what looked like gold in the eye’s of Dakota Collins and Davis Dailey. A huge gap, plenty of exposure, and easy access for hauling gear.

After rigging both anchors and getting the tag line across, it was time to pull the 600ft of webbing across the gap and over a field of cacti and sharp rock. 

This requires precise communication and focus from every member of the team. They are handling a one-inch-wide line of fabric in which they will trust their lives. 

Every component of highline systems are built on redundancy for extra safety. Time and time again Davis and Dakota are admired within the highline community for their all-natural yet durable rigs. Unlike many other highliners, they believe in using natural anchors rather than installing bolts which damage the rock. With combinations of trad climbing gear and large boulder slings, they rig their lines with both of these concerns in mind.

It’s about consistently rigging safe lines, hanging with friends at the anchors (which always grants you epic views), experiencing new landscapes and making new friends all the while.

The next day we pulled the rig down and packed up the vans. Our week of playing in the desert had come to an end. Satisfaction could be seen in all of our eyes as we left the park that day. 

- Scott

The Enchanted Rock

Our new project, "The Enchanted Rock," about the incredible Texas state park in the Texas Hill Country west of Austin. We produced this video as part of a 2016 tourism campaign we are creating for Texas Parks and Wildlife. 

 

Director: Bud Force (www.budforce.com)

Cinematographers: Bud Force and Erich Schlegel (www.erichschlegel.com)

Editor: Bud Force

Ultralite Films creates commercials, documentaries, and internet videos to tell meaningful stories and inspire others. Built upon the premise of being "light and fast," we partner with fine brands, advertising agencies, and organizations around the world and believe in listening and strong collaboration to create unique projects. Ultralite Films is an Austin, Texas video production company.

www.ultralitefilms.com

www.instagram.com/ultralitefilms

www.facebook.com/ultralitefilms

www.twitter.com/ultralitefilms

 

 

 

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Narratus: Ultralite Films' 2015 Showreel

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It has been a long time coming, but we are pleased to announce our brand new show reel. Our goal is to craft cinematic films that inspire others. We are working on various projects around the world over the course of the next year and will continue in our mission of improving every project we create.

How Much Do Your Videos Cost?

How much does it cost to make a video? That's the question we probably get asked the most. (That and do you have any internships available).

Well, the answer varies. 

First thing first, we call ourselves Ultralite Films because - although we are a full service video production company - we think of ourselves as being light and fast and oftentimes more inexpensive than many other comparable production companies. Gone are the days of needing massive production crews with 18 wheelers full of equipment. Advances in new tech have simply made video production much more fluid and malleable. We can create projects today at a fraction of the price of what it would have cost ten years ago. 

Our goal is to craft the best cinematic videos possible and, due to our company structure and new technological developments, we are able to create any sized project with variable footprint crews. 

We work with the full spectrum of latest gear available and combine both our internal directors and crews with the best sourced talent to customize productions for each and every video we create. We understand that not every client needs a ten camera, 6K resolution setup with massive crew. We also understand that some clients do. 

Video production is simply about problem solving, and that's where Ultralite Films excels. Working hand-in-hand with clients, our producers learn every detail of what our clients want to communicate, and then they figure out how to get that done. 

“Video production is simply about problem solving, and that’s where Ultralite Films excels. ”

When clients come through our door, one of the first things we do is have an honest discussion about their budget. While we have a set minimum to maintain the level of quality that is expected of Ultralite Films, once we know that budget, our variable footprint comes into play, and we are able to customize the production based upon that client's needs. 

Here's our overall pricing philosophy:

Say a major national brand or their ad agency comes to us with a large budget for a multi-day shoot that will broadcast as a Super Bowl commercial. We identify one of our award-winning directors, customize our crew and assets, and walk hand-in-hand with the client to produce a video that is both creative and marketable. 

On the other hand, a non-profit client with a great cause has a completely minimal budget, but they also need a creative and marketable video. The Ultralite Films' mentality tells us we can take a talented young director with a camera phone and create an Instagram video campaign that is both creative and marketable. Boom - problem solved. 

See? Both final videos are excellent in their purpose and accomplish their respective goals. We just go about them in different ways. THAT's variable footprint video production.

Here's the overall hard costs: 

The main thing to understand is there are THREE major components to creating a video:

1. Pre-production

2. Production

3. Post-production

Let's break those down: 

PRE-PRODUCTION

This includes aspects like the overall concept, script, and storyboard. Do you need us to produce a full script to screen project or is your concept already nailed down? All of those details affect pricing. Other aspects of pre-production are determining your deadline and usage of the project. Will your video be for national broadcast or YouTube? 

PRODUCTION

Lights, camera, action. This is where we're on set and actually shooting the project. How large is the project, and how many days will we be filming? Where and how many locations are we filming? Who will we be filming? Internal employees or professional talent? These are all questions we ask to make sure no detail is overlooked. 

POST-PRODUCTION

Once the director yells "Cut!" for the last time, your project moves into the final phase for completion: the post-production phase. This includes details like editing, music, animation, and distribution. Ultralite Films has a simple formula for determining how much the post-production will cost and an exceedingly streamlined system for maintaining constant communication with our clients during this process. 

So there you go! Hopefully this gives a very clear view into how we price our videos. While we will never sacrifice our quality to meet a budget, we do understand that budgets vary, and we are experts at navigating those waters. 

Feel free to give us a shout here to get a free consultation with one of our producers and see how we can work with you to create your next great video. 

Keeping Austin Weird

Austin, Texas, has been named the number one city for video production in America by Movie Maker Magazine, so we're pretty excited to have a new Ultralite Films' production office just off of Sixth Street in the heart of downtown. 

This puts our core offices and directors in both Austin and Dallas, Texas, in addition to our roster of crew available worldwide through our strategic partner company Novus Select. The new Austin location is inside the 60,000 square foot 501 Studios, an eclectic entertainment industry community located across two blocks of Austin's historical district. 

As a full-service, script to screen video production company, Ultralite Films works for the finest brands, advertising agencies, and organizations in the world. Give us a shout to stop by or for a free consultation with one of our producers.