Celebrating 20 years, Crews Control, the video industry’s go-to company for outsourced camera crews, has launched a new website and new logo. According to CEO Andrea Keating, “Crews Control has grown, is moving into a new home, and I felt it was time to make a change to reflect the fresher Crews Control of 2008 versus 1988.” Keating founded the company when the industry was dominated by a big studio, big production mentality. Her concept, providing qualified camera crews to producers for corporate video shoot, was different. She didn’t know how producers would feel about hiring local crews in lieu of taking their own camera people on location. But she did know there was a need for solid camera talent. For more information, visit www.crewscontrol.com.

    Sony Creative Software, provider of professional video and audio production applications, announced the availability of Sony’s new multi-codec video encoder for Blu-Ray disc authoring developed in conjunction with Sony Electronics and Sony Pictures Imageworks. The BAE-VX1000 encoder is priced to bring high-speed, high-quality Blu-Ray disc authoring within reach of smaller studios. For more information, visit www.sonycreativesoftware.com.

    Shotoku Broadcast Systems has partnered with AZCAR Digital Products (ADP) to strengthen its presence in the U.S. and Canada, announced Mike Wolfe, managing director for Shotoku Ltd., based in Staines, England. Shotoku manufactures manual and robotically-controlled camera support products. AZCAR has served as an independent professional services organization offering digital media solutions to the industry since 1975.

    Scripps Howard Broadcasting has purchased an extensive complement of Fujinon HTs18X4.2 BERM lenses with 2X extenders. More than 100 lenses, designed for use with JVC GY-HD250 cameras, are being used to outfit Scripps’ 10 broadcast TV stations.

   FOR-A Canada is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. “FOR-A Canada excels in understanding our client’s needs and specifically meeting them. Our success is due largely in part to our detailed understanding of the Canada market and our reputation for providing reliable high-quality solutions,” reported Andrew Alexander, VP for FOR-A Canada. Based in Toronto, FOR-A supplies video switchers, frame-rate conversion technologies, multi-viewers, frame synchronizers, video servers, converters, color correctors, and various video peripherals. Visit www.for-a.com.

    Hollywood-based Eden FX is proud that members of their team have received Emmy nominations for visual effects in the History Channel special, Life After People, from Flight 33 Productions. Eden FX specializes in 3D animation, compositing, 3D matte painting, character animation, and on-set supervision, and was launched in 2000 by visual effects and postproduction experts, John Gross and Mark Miller. Eden FX recently completed FX shots for Get Smart and Nim’s Island, plus regularly contributes to the series Lost, Ghost Whisperer, 24, NCIS, Army Wives, and Pushing Daisies.

Florida

    Producer/director Dean Devlin (Independence Day), currently working on the upcoming Leverage series for TNT, has high praise for the Fantasy of Flight attraction in Polk City, Florida. That’s where he found the vintage planes he used in his feature Flyboys. “It’s more than a museum; it’s the best collection of air-worthy aircraft that span the different eras since the dawn of flight. It was a great experience.” Fantasy of Flight has the world’s largest private collection of vintage and airplane reproductions ─ thanks to Kermit Weeks, founder and award-winning pilot. Weeks also provided the Ford Tri-Motor used in Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Go to www.fantasyofflight.com.

Hawaii

    Wheel of Fortune, the number one syndicated game show, kicks off season 26 this September on Hawaii’s Big Island. Host Pat Sajak, co-host Vanna White, and the entire Los Angeles-based crew set up shop at the Hilton Waikoloa Village to tape four weeks of shows. The hotel’s Ocean Terrace was the set for the Sony Pictures Television production.

New Zealand

    The world of fantasy and magic will make up the new weekly-syndicated series, Legend of the Seeker (formerly Wizard’s First Rule), debuting this fall from Disney/ABC Domestic Television. The one-hour scripted series is shot with the exotic and rugged New Zealand landscape as its backdrop. Executive producer Sam Raimi said, “Adapting Terry Goodkind’s brilliant work for television is a thrilling opportunity. The amazing characters and heartfelt story combined with the captivating backdrop of New Zealand will have viewers on the edge of their seats.” Executive producer Rob Tapert added, “Everyone on the production team is committed to making a mini-feature film every week. The combination of a talented cast, incredible special effects, and stunning locations has given us all the tools we need to create a truly memorable television series.”

Africa

    The third edition of the Kenya International Film Festival takes place from October 22 to November 1 in Nairobi, with the theme “Celebrating our cultural diversity.” For information, go to www.kenyafilmcommission.com.

    To dramatize the lives of real Marines who marched into Iraq at the start of the war, HBO’s Generation Kill seven-part miniseries was filmed under harsh conditions throughout Southern Africa. The project was directed by Susanna White and Simon Cellan Jones, and was “a financial challenge,” according to Colin Callender, president of HBO Films and Miniseries. Real Marines were on the set to help maintain the production’s authenticity by contributing in many ways.