Production companies have added post to their services, post companies have gone into production, so why not an audio company adding video production?
That’s what 23-year old Audio Recording Unlimited (ARU) has done. Two weeks ago it expanded its creative services to include a digital video division – “the next step in our evolution,” says partner/engineer Don Arbuckle.
The new division, called Studio 16, offers full-service video shooting, video post, 3D animation, graphic design and music.
The creative partnership was formed with three-year old Atassi Productions, owned by brothers Rami and Remsy Atassi and audio engineer and graphics designer Curt Rochon, “who grew up on digital and they bring quality, energy and enthusiasm to everything they do,” Arbuckle says.
Rami and Curt Rochon are Studio 16’s project managers. Remsy is a videographer and editor.
A fourth member of their team is 3D animator Saad Usis, formerly with Rubicon Studios in Jordan.
Atassi Productions was in May, 2009. Rami had just graduated from Loyola University, where he studied English and economics, when he teamed up with Rochon, who had moved to Chicago after studying at the Audio Conservatory for Recording Arts in Phoenix. He had graduated the year before from Kent State and was working at now-defunct Bosco Productions.
Remsy Atassi, a film student at Loyola, graduated last January.
When Bosco shuttered in early March, Rochon had an introduction to Arbuckle. After several meetings with Rochon and Atassi, Arbuckle felt their digital expertise could provide the new multi-platform services clients were consistently requiring and and a deal was struck.
One of Atassi’s recent projects was a video for World Golf Hall of Famer ChiChi Rodriquez, through digital publisher Links and Precision. “We had a week to develop the concept and edit the video from a ton of footage from a film gone wrong, for a fund-raising dinner in Florida,” says Atassi.
ARU has eight employees; four are engineers, Arbuckle and partner Mark Zeboski, Bill Kovac and Tom Haigh, who also composes music for their Tonic Music division, run by Jessie LaBelle. Lynn Rondeau is producer/scheduler, Mary Smith, accountant and Jordan Gresham, client services/reception.
Recent ARU clients include Capital One/DDB, Giant-Eagle grocery chain/Y&R, DuPont farm products/David Lewis Creative Radio and Sappi Paper, via VSA agency, which produces web videos that are take-offs of “The Office” with Second City players.
Adds Arbuckle: “Studio 16 will serve the core mission of ARU, that is, putting our clients first and offering every resource they need to bring their creative vision to life.”
Studio 16 is located on the 16th floor of ARU’s studios that spread over four floors in the south Wrigley Building Tower at 400 N. Michigan; phone, 312/327-7000.
