Video Arts featured in national article in Markee Magazine

PLAINS STATES PRODUCTION REPORT
By Mark R. Smith

Mainly in the Plains . . . States, that is

When people think of the Plains States, they're certain to conjure up images of the farms, flatlands and wildlife of that eternal Big Sky, plus a slower pace of life that many might just envy.

The towns that dot the prairies from Omaha to Kansas City, and Fargo to Sioux Falls, are often smaller (and thankfully so, some might add) than their coastal counterparts. Still, they form bustling communities with production and postproduction communities serving not only as informational but also as creative outlets for all manner of business and entertainment needs.

North Dakota keeps busy

Art Phillips is starting to get signals about DVD production as well. The general manager at Video Art Studios in Fargo says requests for DVD duplication are coming but "CD-ROM and compression for the Web are more popular, and we still get requests for VHS."

Phillips calls 2002 revenues "level" though expenses rose due to increased production costs and the launch of a new division which affected the bottom line at the 10,000-square-foot facility. Video Art Studios provides audio, video and film services primarily to the corporate video market. Spots, jingles and original music are also part of the mix.

The news at Video Art Studios in 2002 was its voiceover subsidiary called Hired Gums. The new division has already attracted clients from agencies in Illinois, Nebraska and Iowa, although most of the video work originates from the Dakotas.

Spot projects acquired through agency relationships include Subway, McDonald's and Cellular One; projects through corporate relationships number Microsoft Business Solutions, the Bobcat Company (makers of compact construction equipment) and Community First Bankshares. Crewing services provided to ABC News, CNN and The Weather Channel also dot the company resume.

"The last quarter of 2002 and January [2003] showed an increase in corporate and commercial production," Phillips relates, so he's "optimistic" about the future.