Chase Jarvis RAW: Ninjas

This behind-the-scenes video details of one of my recent photo shoots involving crazy stunt men, hot and scantily-clad stunt women, smoke machines, weapons, trampolines, and a dilapidated warehouse.

Hopefully, you’re familiar with ChaseJarvis FRAMES, our concept of showing not just the hero shots, but EVERY image from a shoot sewn together into a short movie. If you found any merit in that, then you can think of this new concept as its kissing cousin. We’re planning to do this behind-the-scenes video with as many shoots as we can...and we’re calling it ChaseJarvis RAW. Sure I’m posting this as part of my continuing mission to show what goes on inside "The Black Box" of commercial photography, uncovering what’s behind images you see for everything from Apple to Zillow, Microsoft, Nike, and everything in between. No doubt that’s a lofty motive -- but to confess, this is pure fun for us too. We’ve been shooting b-roll footage for a long while now, but this is our first attempt at packaging it in some reasonable, albeit unpolished, “raw” form for your digestion.

This particular piece — ChaseJarvis RAW: Ninjas — is from a shoot borne not out of a fancy client, but concocted simply from the creative juices flowing from our studio. I’m the furthest thing from a fantasy or D & D geek, but I have yet to be hired for a project that would let us pull a crew together, dress a few jocks up like crazy Ninjas, and have ‘em jump/dive/roll/fly around an old warehouse for a day. So what you’re seeing is simply the result of a few creative brainstorms, some research, casting, and scouting with the conceptual goal of creating a couple portfolio pieces.

Please pass this along to anyone you know who might find this entertaining. Follow up, make comments, ask questions, and let me know if this is fun or interesting at all. I read every comment and question posted here. Often the best stuff on this blog comes out of the conversations you start, so please do chime in.

Music courtesy of Head Like A Kite.

RSS readers can see the video clip here.