2013!

Dear friends of Rhino.

It is with deepest regret that we inform you that 2012 will be our last.
totally kidding.
We love what we do and we want to keep on keepin' on.

2012 was a year of incredible growth and change.
We brought on Angel Arnold, a WMU graduate who felt like our sister from the very beginning.
We parted ways with Jonathan Jermyn, a dear friend who helped tremendously in the early stages of Rhino.
We moved spaces to our beautiful new location on the corner of 344 N. Rose Street in downtown Kalamazoo, MI.
We finally convinced Dan Martinez to try something other than Bud Light and he drinks Bell's Porter like a pro.

Although we've underwent some significant changes this year, our foundations remain the same.

We still love people.
We consider every day a blessing and an honor to do work that we love.
We still are trying to find new ways to make a difference in this world.
We are committed to transparency, humility and personal growth.

Looking forward to 2013...
We welcome Jeremy Angeletti and Tori Gebolys to the team.
We look to finishing our "Michigan Beer Film" documentary about the explosive growth of the Michigan craft beer industry.
We regret to say that we will no longer be officially shooting wedding photography.   (more details to come).

Bam.
2013.
Here we come.

- Rhino Team.

Sarah (Wisner) and Brian Smith.

I'm not even going to try and write about how special this wedding was. It just was. 

HOBBIT BLOGS!!!

I've been nerding on this for a while now and I thought I'd share the goodness with you fine folk on the night of the midnight premiere.

Tori's Blog

This blog is just ridiculous. It's written by the newest Rhino Media team member, Tori Gebolys.

http://toritheintern.tumblr.com/

- Kevin

Active Water Promo Video

This video was a fun collaboration, long time in the making.
Footage from our own shoot at Fort Custer State Park with Active Water athletes as well as footage from Gulu, Africa shot by our own Dan Martinez.
Also footage provided from Living Water International and Team Active Water. 

Rhino video shot with 5D Mark II, 7D and GoPro Hero. 

Activewater - Promo from Rhino Media Productions on Vimeo.

The new toys @ Rhino Media

Both of our new toys are represented in this photo. 

a

The Maternity Shoot - Elizabeth

Most of the time, photos done at Rhino Media are almost entirely on me.

Not the case with this one. 

This is Elizabeth. A long time friend of mine who is having her 4th and last child.
She asked if we could shoot her maternity photos, except she kinda wanted a girl to shoot them.

So for this session, I got to play Art Director rather than photographer while my good buddy Allie Goodrow actually came into the Rhino Studio to take the photos. 

Tori Gebolys was the camera assistant for the shoot. 

From there, my assistant, Jessica Ulman, did the pre-edit for all of the photos.

And then finally, I edited these two myself.

Team effort all around. 

TV Commercial - Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport

Shot over the course of two different nights after midnight on a 5D Mark II.
Also used Kessler K-Pod/Pocket Jib and Dolly Track.

This was a really awesome project on a lot of levels.

It was the 1st time we:
Shot on an airplane. (cramped, but awesome)
Worked with Brian Lam, who produced the spot. (rocked it)
Werked with Adam Carter, who did the hair and costumes. (rocked it)
Worked with Kat Knofs (lead actor, rocked it).

We love what we do.

Rhino Crew:
Nick Afton - Grip Day 2
Jeremy Angeletti - Grip Day 2
Angel Arnold - Audio
Tori Gebolys - Grip
Dan Martinez - Grip/Edit
Kevin Romeo - Camera



AZO - Fly Home, Be Home. from Rhino Media Productions on Vimeo.

Thanksgiving and the meaning of life.

Kevin Romeo here.

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in America.
I have much to be thankful for at Rhino Media Productions.

I am thankful that we have such an incredibly talented group of people at Rhino Media.

I am thankful for Dan Martinez and his willing heart, hard work ethic and passion for growing.
I am thankful for Angel Arnold for her sweet disposition, can-do attitude and ability to learn anything.
I am thankful for Jessica Ulman for her commitment to growth, her honesty and her integrity.
I am thankful for Jeremy Angeletti for his sense of humor, willingness to serve and his passion for excellence.
I am thankful for Tori Gebolys for her comic relief, her humble heart and her creative mind.
I am thankful for all of the interns (Collin, Marlee, Aaron, Grant) who share their time and their lives with us at Rhino Media (parking cars, editing videos, gripping on set, taking garbage out, etc :) )

I am thankful for my wife, Anna, because although she doesn't work for me (which she's thankful for), she is very gracious and patient with my insane schedule.

Mostly I'm thankful that I get to do something I love after several years of wandering and trying to understand why God put me on this earth. Ironically, I now understand that even though I am vocationally fulfilled, Rhino Media does not justify my being on this planet. I have Jesus Christ to honor for that.

This means that I know that what I get to do is a gift. I know that I am not the ultimate captain of this ship and this means that I will not be crushed if or when the day comes that Rhino Media is no longer sustainable.

I have worth because I was created. That's it.

I believe that we are not accidents and the things say and do actually have significance. And this greatly changes my view of the world and people in it.

Hopefully our company continues to grow and prosper and provide jobs and all sorts of meaningful things for those involved. But if it doesn't, it is not the end.

Enjoy your turkey (or Tofurkey for you veggies), family and friends today. Love to everyone.

- KR

Kathy + Mickey got engaged.

Just a quick one from a quick shoot that my wife, Anna, and I did in Grand Ledge, MI.
It's always a fun challenge meeting complete strangers.
And then taking their pictures.
And going to a completely new location.
We shall overcome. :)

Christ the Center Ministries - Gulu, Uganda

Dan shot this video on his most recent trip to Africa. Fantastic mission and very moving stories.

Christ The Center - Our Story from Rhino Media Productions on Vimeo.

Ben and Renee Belloli

Ben + Renee - 8.19.12 from Rhino Media Productions on Vimeo.

My top 5 friends. This week.

My top 5 friend this week. (my wife and Jesus are givens)

1- Prezi.
2- The Avett Brothers
3- Poptent
4- Doritos
5- Tim Keller

BONUS! My least favorite friend:
Seagate portable hard drives.

This is pretty sweet. Legend, Randy Travis, and Avett Bros.

- Kevin Romeo

Get More: Three Wooden Crosses (From Crossroads), The Avett Brothers, The Avett Brothers Videos

Kalamazoo YP @ Rhino