COSE Business Expo, YSU Intern Shadow Day

A very exciting and hectic day at Accent Media today, with a lot of activity to end the week. Some of our team members are out at the COSE Small Business Conference in Cleveland today, meeting with other members of the area to network and help each other grow. They will be spending the day showcasing the services that Accent Media has to offer and also attending a few of the workshops at the event. We also have two students with us in the office from Youngstown State University, who are shadowing for the day.

We have Zaher Saleh majoring in Advertising Art. Zaher just moved from Lebanon few years ago, and he is very excited to be in Youngstown and in particular to be here today at the office. Some of his interests are photography, web and graphic design, music and much more, he is expecting to have a great day here at accent media getting know more about the area's top production company.

Another student, also an Advertising Art Major is Dave Laird. He is a senior in the program and looking forward to graduating after two more semesters in the program. He is also studying multimedia and web design as a minor. Dave is into graphic design, the local music scene or anything involving music, photography and Guitar Hero (and is looking forward to Guitar Hero III in just week). He hopes that the day at Accent Media will give him the insight that he wants to get a job in the advertising industry.

In short, today has been a productive way to end a hectic week so far. We hope that the time spent with the YSU students will give them what they need to succeed, and that the business expo in Cleveland will introduce us to new faces and new horizons. After all, that is what the industry is about, keeping up and keeping current.

New Employee-The Terror Begins!! Stacking Oreos!

After "The Move", things at Accent Media have started to settle down- enough to hire a new sales and marketing associate without scaring her off! Kristen N. Shick, a 2004 graduate of The Ohio State University's College of Arts and Science with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication, has joined the Accent Media team Tuedsay, October 15. Working with the Director of Sales and Marketing, Scott Fullerton, Shick sure has a lot in store for her-but it's nothing she can't handle. After living in Columbus and working with Mythodic Promotions, an agency that promoted and marketed large club events in downtown Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati-Shick is up for the challenge that Accent presents. "Once you get used to the craziness and all the demands of stars in the music industry (she has worked with Tommy Lee, Paul Oakenfold and Ritchie Hawton) the customer service requirement for business clients is a breeze," laughs Shick. "I'm excited to start working for a cutting-edge company in Youngstown, the city really needs a fresh vision to give customers." A fresh vision? Did someone say fresh vision?! Well thankfully, that's exactly what Accent Media delivers. With its wacky graphic designers, schooled cameramen, and the notoriously has-to-be-perfect editing team, Accent truly embodies the definition of a "fresh vision." Whether you're looking for content specifically designed for your web-page, marketing materials, commercials or even if you don't know what you want, but know you want something, stop by and see us at Accent Media. You never know how we can help you out util you give us a shot. If you'd like to schedule a meeting to see our demos or just to go over how Kristen thinks Accent Media may be able to benefit your business, give her a call at 330.744.2268.





As many of you may or may not know, Accent Media does at least one project per quarter, free of charge, for a worthy cause. Last quarter we worked with the Trumbull C ouny Red Cross, and put together a video presentation for their 90th Birthday Campaign. We shot it, edited it, and set it up to play at events and on their website. For the 4th quarter of the year, we have decided to work with the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer and Oreo, as they put on a fund raiser for a cure.


On November 10th, at the Hampton Community Center in Allison Park, PA, there will be a, "Stacking The Odds," competition/fundraiser. Forget eating, dunking, even licking the cream center out of the Oreo's, for this fundraiser, we will be stacking them, and Accent Media will be on hand to tape it all. How high can you stack before the cookie crumbles? That is the question. There will be winners for the best stacking, with cash prizes of $300, $100, and $50 dollars. The fundraising part happens by the participants getting pledges for the Oreo's that are stacked. Everybody competing, is looking for "pledges per Oreo," from their friends, families and co-workers. Of course all of the donations go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure. It's going to be an big event, with lots of other activities besides stacking. There is a live auction scheduled for 2pm. DJ Rick White of R&R Express will be spinning tunes, along with live music by the Boilermaker Jazz Band. There will even be photo's with Santa from 10am - noon.


Accent Media will be taping the entire event, and putting together a presentation to be used in future Oreo stacking and Breast Cancer Awareness events. We will also be turning the footage into the Guinness Society to see if we can set a world record for Oreo stacking. We are proud to donate our time and talents to the cause of fighting breast cancer and raising awareness. We will post this video up on our site when it is done as well. We are also entering a "Stacker" in the event, so below is a sample of the Sponsor sheet we will be using. If any of our Youngstown friends would like to sponsor our stacker, please give me, Scott, a call at the Studio, 330-744-2268, and pledge your support. You can also call and I can fax you out a sponsor sheet to hand around your home, school or office if you like. The more money we can raise for this worthy cause, the better.

Busy Saturday in Ytown, Come on Down

It's a good Saturday to be in Downtown Youngstown!! You can start the day at a serice event, and finish it up with something fun. For those of you that have service in your hearts and can't sleep in on the weekends, (yes, there are actually people who don't sleep in on the weekends,) you can meet at the Chevy Centre starting at 7:15 Saturday morning. It is Youngstown's first organized, "Clean Up Day." Linda DeJoe and Jenna Nameth, who work for the city's Litter Control and Recycling Department, have organized this event. The clean up is scheduled from 8am to Noon. Youngstown State University, along with area churches and schools, have offered to help out the event. Corporate sponsors allowed the City to purchase T-Shirts to give out to the volunteers, and free coffee will be provided. Let's help clean up Youngstown everyone. Just a little at a time like this helps a lot, and encourages others not to litter. For more information or to pre-register, you can call 330-744-7526.





After the clean-up, how about a little fun at the big Octoberfest Party on the Plaza that the City of Youngstown is putting on. This is the first time the City has put on the event since the early 90's. There will be food beer and traditional German music being played. The festival opens at noon and closes at 11 p.m. On Saturday, the Youngstown Saxon Brass Band will play from 1-4 p.m.; Del Rezak Band, 5-7:30 p.m.; and Al Hreno Orchestra, 8:30-11 p.m. The Heimat Klang and Saxon Brass bands will dress in traditional German Octoberfest costume. Adding to the action Saturday will be Halloween Spooktacular at the Children’s Museum of the Valley from noon until 5 p.m. Trick-or-treating, games and activities and a live bat presentation will be included. Children ages 2 to 12 are invited to come wearing their costumes. Free parking is available in the USA Parking garage across from the museum. The Children’s Museum is located at 139 E. Boardman St. Admission is free to both Octoberfest and Halloween Spooktacular.





We had a great week here at Accent Media, we had 2 new clients we brought on board, and I hired a new Sales and Marketing Assistant. We are all looking forward to the weekend. We have tickets to go to YSU's Saturday game against Southern Utah, Chip's band has a gig, and a fun time should be had by all..................Scott

Downtown Youngstown, "It's Happening Here!!"

It's Happening Here!! If you have been paying attention, you know that is the catch-phrase for Downtown Youngstown. Below are the 2 spots that Accent Media was asked to shoot and edit by Keynote Media, who was hired by the City to put together. With Keynote Media's vision, and Accent's fantastic camera work and editing abilities. I think we made 2 really good spots. The longer :60 second spot plays often at the Chevrolet Centre downtown. The :30 second commercial has been in some limited rotation as a PSA on the local broadcast channels. I think proof that it really is happening in Youngstown, is that all the footage for the videos, was shot in just one night. There was a big dinner crowd at Charley Staples BBQ enjoying some of the best ribs in town. The MVP Restaurant was full and there was some serious bocce being played out back and the patio bar was pretty crowded as well. Cafe Cimmento was serving up their regular fantastic pasta with wines. The Bean Counter Cafe was getting ready for it's upcoming blues fest and getting ready for their new kitchen and menu. Party on the Plaza was getting the bands fired up and ready to play all night long outside BW3. Barleys cafe and nightclub had live bands playing that night as well, and our owner Chip's band was even playing there that night. There was a big Thunder Game going on at the Chevy Centre. And The Core was looking like the NYC club that it is, with martini's flowing and a cool vibe.


The videos were offered free to be used by downtown businesses to help promote themselves and the city. I have not seen many people take advantage of that yet. I am posting them here in both formats, so you can go to YouTube and embed them into your sites if you wish. The more people who promote and believe in Youngstown, the quicker it will come about. If you dont want to go the Youtube route and want a compressed version to give to your website developer, let me know and I will send you the file directly.








Are you looking to promote your city, club, event, etc.?? Accent Media can help you come up with the concept, shooting, editing and execution, to make your company, place or product look the best. What keeps Internet users staking out your website often and staying longer? Content, Content, Content!! Let us take pictures, videos, flyers, and whatever media you have of past or current events, and convert them into custom content for your website or blog. Keep checking back here to sign up for a class we will be having soon called, "Using Multimedia To Your Company and Your Website's Advantage.


Keep promoting Downtown Youngstown and the entire Mahoning Valley, and check out the blogs to the right that go more in depth into the happenings in the area. Be informed, Be part of the solution, Be proactive and remember, "It's Happening Here!!"

Elevator: Getting the Shaft, New Graphics and Animation Guy

Do you remember Mary Chapin Carpenter's song, "Sometimes You're the Windshield, Sometimes You're the Bug?" Well let me rephrase that with, "Sometimes You Get the Elevator, Sometimes Just the Shaft!" If you are not part of the inside joke here at Accent Media, we claim to have a super-secret, private elavator, closet door to our studios here on the 7th floor of the old PharMor Building. The thing is, it actually WAS a private elevator to the 7,8, and 9th floors to the PharMor Studio and Executive Offices. This private elevator is in a non-obtrusive closet door, just to the right of the 3 main elevators for the building. The 3 main elevators only go to the 6th floor, so when unexpecting delivery men or clients we have not explained the super-secret, private elevator, closet door thing to come looking for us, they usually jump in one of the 3 elevators and wonder what the heck happened to the 7th floor. It has been both fun and frustrating all at the same time.


Well the frustration grew a little bit last week as our super-secret, private elevator crashed and burned between the second floor and Mezzanine. Not only did it quit working somewhere between those floors, it quit working with 3 Accent Media employee's inside of it. YIKES!!! The only funny thing about it, was that me being the Sales and Marketing Director, and defacto Genereal Manager for the business, most things go thru me first, so we dont bog the owner Chip down with too much. I happened to be out at a sales call with a client in Cortland when the elevator stopped, and who was the first person the trapped elevator riders called from their cell phone??? Yup! It was me. After laughing a bit, I explained to them that Chip was only 5 floors above them, and might have an easier time getting to them than I did at that point. LOL. Good News: they got out safe and sound, crawling thru the pried open doors to the 2nd floor. Bad News: the elevator is still not working a week later, and we are relugated to either going to the 6th floor and then taking a flight of stairs up to the storage area of the 7th floor, or taking the service elevator, with all the odors of the trash area following you up to the 7th floor storage area.





We have a new member of the Accent Media team. Justin Giudici will be working on animations and graphics, with Steve. Justin graduated from school with a degree in film making and animation and design, but has not been able to put his schooling to use until now. Accent Media is very happy to welcome Justin to the team, and know he will do a great job in animation, graphics, and using After Effects and his other program knowledge to really bring future projects to life. As a job test, I had Justin put together a quick commercial together for a longtime client, The Vindicator. This was just a test project, so it was not meant to be aired, and wont be, at least not for this run, there is going to be no tv time for this, but I just made up a project for Justin to do, and I was very impressed. The Vindicator is starting their next Bid N Buy at the end of the week. You can go get a lot for a little hopefully. You can check out the link, and see all the fun stuff they have. Anyway. for his job test, I told him to make a cool looking retro ad for the Bid N Buy, using only animation affects. You can see his result below. It was fun, and just what I was looking for. If we added a fun retro type voiceover announcer, this project could be ready for air. Enjoy, and check out the Vindicators Bid N Buy today!

Beauty and the Beast, Team Pavliks Parade

The week is winding down here at Accent Media, but we got to give a shout out to the DeYor's Youngstown Symphony Society, and Easy Street Productions, for coming together again this weekend for special "held-over" performances of Beauty and the Beast this weekend. We are proud to be the production house of choice for both Easy Street and the Symphony Society. They have been great clients to work with, and Todd Hancock has been a longtime collaborater with Accent. This was our first year of working with the Youngstown Symphony Society. We have been working on all of their new season's commercials and webisodes through one of our collaborative advertising agencies. If you have not had a chance to check out the webisodes of many of the events of the coming season, do yourself a favor and head over to the Symphony website, and check them out. Our own Kevin DeOliveira, along with some help by Steve Cairns put those spots together, and they came out phenomenally.


By the way, if you are lucky enough to go see Beauty and the Beast tonight, look for Accent Media who will be taping the event. This is our 4th time taping an Easy Street Production, and think that it is awesome that Todd and Maureen do this as a way of thanking the cast. These productions are solely to be given out to the cast and crew associated with the production. So if you see some guys with video cameras in the balcony and in the audience, say hi, (but quietly, lol, there will be live mic's on the cameras.)





And finally, in case you have been living under a truck, Youngstown is honoring our newly crowned Middleweight Champion of the World, Kelly Pavlik, on the plaza downtown today. If we could reach our one sole window here on our side of the 7th floor, we would make this a "ticker tape parade", LOL, but no such luck for us. The festivities start with a parade on down from the Market Street bridge down to town square. I wish we had an extra camera to tape it, but we will be set up for Beauty and the Beast, and we have a camera up in New Hampshire with Chip this weekend. Congrats again to a symbol of revitalization for Youngstown, Kelly Pavlik. Great job you and your team, and Accent Media would like to get you under our cameras one of these days...............Have a good weekend everybody.............Scott

We Put Together a Couple New Demo Videos For You

The videos we have been putting together are finally ready to be revealed. In between all of their projects they are working on for clients, Accent Media's shooting and editing team took some time to create a new, shorter version of our demo tape. This first one shows much faster cuts of our work, is set to a current beat, and demonstrates the creativity the team has and can put together to make your message, product, or service stand out above the rest. Notice the scene changes, and the overall fun of the work..............





The next video gives you a chance to take a quick tour of the studio in a subliminal kind of way. Quick shots around the office space and the special effects studio, are set to the beat, and gives you an idea of the new space we have moved into. It's quite a difference from the 650 square feet we used to have. That tour would have taken about 3 seconds. Of course I welcome all of you to come take a real tour of the studios. I would be happy to show anyone around the facilities, just call me and set up an appointment in advance. After checking out this fun tour, the subliminal shots will stick in your head and you will be able to say, "I remember that," when you come take the tour in person. Enjoy...................





These videos will be up on our website, www.accentmediaonline.com, by next week. If you have a chance, let the guys know how they did on the videos, give us your feedback thru comments or send us an email at the link up on the right.

Kelly Pavlik, Champion and Hero of Ytown Revitalization

Youngstown has a new champion of revitalization, and his name is Kelly Pavlik. Nothing brings about reform, revitalization and growth, without people supporting it and creating the change themselves. With his 7th round knock-out over champion Jermain Taylor, Pavlik became the best Middleweight Boxer in the world. After a heart-stopping, knock-down in the 2nd round, Pavlik recovered his footing, showed true willpower and stamina, and used his incredible presence of mind and skills to last to the end of the round. That one setback, and the crowd's outpouring of emotion, (did i forget to mention that there was over 5,000 fans from Youngstown that drove the distance to Atlantic City, to see the fight in person and root on their hometown hero,) was enough to push Kelly Pavlik on to fight harder, smarter, and get the knock-out in the 7th.


The type of commitment Kelly Pavlik displayed in boxing, is the type of commitment it will take to bring about the revitalization of Youngstown. Through education, technology and innovation, community commitment and perspiration, Youngstown will have it's 7th round knock-out. Resources like the Youngstown Incubator, education like YSU, dedication that is shown from Mayor Williams and community leaders such as the Zoldan's, and the perspiration from communities that are looking to take back their neighborhoods and clean up the city, will serve Youngstown well.


Accent Media is going thru revitalization as well, and is looking for it's own 7th round knock-out. After four years of working in small quarters, being humble about the quality work that we wish to provide, and slowly evolving into a stable of strong cameramen, editors, producers and business talent, we are ready to begin again. Our new studio and business offices has revitalized our thinking, and opened up more possibilities that we only dreamed possible. Our client list is growing and our reputation is climbing, and those that have doubted are coming away with the faith that we can deliver upon all that we promise and more so. There are a lot of production companies, and even advertising agencies that claim they are ready for the big leagues when they actually only there thru luck and lack of competition. With the revitalization of Youngstown, comes the demand of quality over par for the course. One of our favorite sayings is that, "You will always get what you have always got, if you always do what you have always done." We ask that you try something new, and follow your instincts. Let Accent Media prove that there is a a production house in Northeast Ohio that has the creativity, know-how, equipment, and vision to assist in making your dream a reality. Let us help you realize your dreams to get your product noticed thru a superior commercial or product demonstration video. Or thru quality orientation or training videos that prove to your empoyee's that you care about them, want them to understand their jobs, and want to help them be the very best that they can be. We can also make awesome recruitment videos to get your business, sons and daughters, athletes, and reality show contestants, noticed and highlight what makes them the perfect person to be recruited or picked.


Accent Media Congratulates Kelly Pavlik on a fantastic personal victory, and a victory and revitalization of positive recognition and press for the City of Youngstown.