As a company of only 3 employees, sometimes it’s hard to handle the workload ourselves. Attempting to do so would be a disservice to our clients and that’s not something we want to take the chance on. During this time of pandemic I’ll introduce you, in no particular order, to some of the freelancing crew we bring on board with us for projects if the project budget allows. These are all amazingly talented people who we are thrilled to have on our side to help a client’s vision come to life.

I’m going to start with Jeremy Bates. He’s a fellow ODU alum and a multi-faceted filmmaker. He’s a director, a cinematographer, and just an all-around roll-up-his-sleeves-and-do-whatever-he-can-to-help kind of guy. He owns his company, Jeremy Bates Film, and quite technically could be considered a major competitor to Lightship. Fortunately, we have a great relationship with Jeremy and whenever we can bring him on to one of our gigs, we’re extremely pleased to do so. Jeremy has the ability to create an incredible rapport with just about anyone, making him a huge asset to any production.

Next is Nick Crawford. Nick is also an ODU alum and one of the most genuinely through-and-through nice people you could ever meet. He’s also an amazing editor who has worked on a myriad of projects from short films to feature-length documentaries. The lay-person doesn’t quite appreciate the work of an editor when consuming TV or film but that doesn’t stop Nick from putting in hours upon hours upon hours… you get the point. Editing may seem easy, especially in the age where just about anyone can use iMovie on their phone, but the real-deal editing is exceptionally laborious and Nick absolutely loves it. Nick’s enthusiasm for filmmaking makes him the first person I think about when a project needs to be edited. He also co-hosts a podcast about movies called "Take Three: A Movie Podcast.”

Sound is 50% of the TV and film experience and Mike Fitzgerald is what I like to call a legend. Mike and I met at ODU as well. I was so impressed by his sound design project in class that for our big class film the next semester, Carmelita, as producer I hired Mike as the sound recordist because I could tell he had an aptitude for sound. He had never done anything like it before but he nailed it and has taken it and run with it to become my go-to sound recordist. That is not only anything Lightship does for which we need a designated recordist but he’s the guy I recommend to other producers who are looking for a “sound guy.” Mike’s quick learning on Carmelita proves that as a person he can quickly adapt to any situation thrown his way to deliver the best product. Mike has gone on to work on short films, episodics, commercials and more. He also has experience in foley work and is quickly becoming one of Hampton Roads’ best sound designers.

Another one of our favorite people to work with is Nate Villaire. Nate has proven himself time and time again as an amazing camera assistant on projects we’ve hired him for. Life is a blur but I think I first met Nate working on “American Dreamer.” He was the designated camera department intern where he immediately, in my own opinion, became one of the production’s favorite interns. His work there led him to work on more feature films. Nate is another one of those really versatile humans as he shoots and directs music videos for Starcoast in addition to being very talented at photography and design. He also works for a TV news station in Norfolk, VA where he is expanding his production knowledge.

Caitlin Whitaker is someone we’ve only recently begun working with but is already one of my favorites. She’s not afraid to help in any way she can. Caitlin has so many irons in the fire (successfully) that I’m not even sure when she sleeps, or if she does. We first worked with Caitlin on Continental Pools’ orientation video where she was a major asset in helping production run smoothly. She’s the president of the ODU Film Club and has also spent her time on sets of all sizes from short films to network TV productions. One of my favorite things about Caitlin is her empathy she can find with anyone on set should a problem arise.

Last, but certainly not least by a mile, is Aaron Yarborough. The first thing you might notice about Aaron is that his laugh is infectious but he’s also an amazing producer. Aaron owns Media Magic, LLC, which could also be considered a competitor to Lightship. Aaron’s knowledge spans many, many areas including feature-film production but his company focuses on government contracts and industrial videos. His kindness and ability to relate to anyone he speaks with makes him a phenomenal person to work with. As a company, Lightship and Aaron/Media Magic haven’t worked together just yet, but we have a few things in pre-production together and we couldn't be more excited.

I know I missed a lot of people but these are just a few for right now. I can’t wait for life to return to whatever the new normal will be with productions up and running. Maybe I’ll do another one of these later and shine light on some more people. In the meantime, stay safe and wear your mask!

-Steven

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