How I Film Events in Rochester MN to Promote Businesses and Nonprofits

As someone who works with local Rochester Minnesota businesses and nonprofits to share their mission and stories, I get to see the best people of the region.

One example which was no exception was this summer's Transplant Picnic with Gift of Life Transplant House. It was a huge turnout of amazing people at this year's Transplant Picnic in Rochester Minnesota where families and friends of patients and donors gathered to share stories and make new memories. To capture these moments I opted for mounting a combination of an S5iix on a Zhiyun Crane Gimbal, using an 18mm ultra wide angle lens and an ND filter to reduce the harsh sunlight while keeping a soft bokeh to keep focus on the subjects in the foreground. Later I switched to another camera with a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 telephoto lens to capture some close ups and candid moments.

#rochestermn #rochesterminnesota #organdonation

Another recent event which I write more about here is the M.U.U.U.C.E. 2024 promo, a high energy video that is being shared around churches, on Facebook, and through YouTube to show parents and students the excitement and adventures these students have in a far more compelling and tangible way than simply talking about it or making infographics. The marketing strategy last year involved a similar approach by producing a video/photo combination approach to hype up students and give them something tangible to share around across social media, emails, and DMs, and the results were amazing. We saw roughly 25% increase in registrations from last year to this year we're expecting similar growth once again.

#videoproduction #rochestermn #marketing #minnesota #rochesterminnesota

Another event which began for me in Rochester took me out to Washington D.C. to film a promo for the CSLC, an annual student conference in Washington D.C.

It was a great opportunity to travel out and produce the promo for next year's Christian Student Leadership Conference to help more universities and students learn about the event and sign up to learn in a hands-on way. Already there's been a great response showing this video at colleges and universities across the country, boosting sign ups for the next event.

Travel shoots can be fun, but they also pose challenges. Bringing more equipment on flights is more expensive and risks items getting lost, so it's often best to select the best tools and either rent heavy gear on location or opt for light and flexible options for lenses and camera bodies. With great stabilization on some of the latest high end full frame cameras from Panasonic I was able to capture gimbal like shots with careful planning and a steady hand.

Another video I recently produced was for the Gift of Life Transplant House’s summer Golf Tournament and Dinner, celebrating their 40th anniversary. The video for this event, (which you can read and see more of here) was held at the picturesque Somerby Golf Club in Byron, Minnesota. The final video highlighted the people who have come together to support the organization’s commitment to providing affordable, high-quality accommodations for transplant patients and their caregivers in Rochester, Minnesota and the personal story in the speech given by board member Nick Pompeian.

With upgraded gear, including a new Mavic Pro drone and premium lenses, I focused on capturing the joy and emotions of the day on the green and at the dinner. If you're thinking about event videography or event video filming in Byron, Rochester, or beyond, I’d love to hear from you!