Crew in a Box™ Revolutionizes Television and Commercial Remote Production with a Professional Quality, Plug-and-Play Solution

LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wavemaker Creative today announced the launch of Crew in a Box, a revolutionary television and commercial remote production solution invented by award-winning filmmakers Ira Rosensweig, Dallas Sterling and Jeremy Fernsler. It is designed to help networks and media companies achieve easy remote production with the quality demanded in a pre-COVID world. 

"When we set out to create Crew in a Box, we thought the industry would be excited about a professional quality, plug-and-play, remotely-operated production solution, but we never anticipated the response to it would be so overwhelmingly strong," said Ira Rosensweig, a commercial director well-known for his work with celebrities. "In early previews, the Crew in a Box system has already captured the attention of many major networks and media companies for its ability to not only solve current remote production issues, but also blaze a path forward once restrictions are lifted.  Actors concerned about their well-being, issues obtaining insurance, and new safety guidelines that are driving up the cost of production all make Crew in a Box a very attractive solution for a wide range of shoots."

Designed to rival the image quality of Hollywood blockbusters, the Crew in a Box unit arrives in a fully disinfected military grade case containing a professional 6K cinema camera, an expandable LED light which is capable of dimming and a range of color temperatures, a teleprompter/Interrotron that the camera shoots through, and two professional microphones. Each component is housed within a cage inside the box and works together in a fully integrated system that is completely remotely controlled, creating an incredibly easy experience for talent.

"Crew in a Box is likely going to redefine the remote production game entirely," said Scott Edwards, EVP of Creative Advertising at Fox Entertainment, for whom Ira Rosensweig directed the Super Monday campaign for Super Bowl LIV. "The idea of having a user-friendly, self-contained, remote lighting and video solution is very attractive. With the tech, the support and the ease of use, Crew in a Box can make the experience as easy at home as it is on set for on-camera talent." 

On-camera talent simply has to open the box and plug it in, and Crew in a Box automatically connects over the Internet, without the need of a home WiFi network, to a remote team of world-class filmmakers who control every aspect of the shoot, including the camera, lighting, teleprompter and microphones. The system also allows talent, along with the crew, agency and clients, to join a video conference where they can view the direct feed from the Crew in a Box integrated camera as if they were on set.

When the shoot begins, the director appears on the unit's integrated beamsplitter glass, which the camera is shooting through, to direct the talent. Then, depending upon the type of job, that beamsplitter can be used for various purposes, including:

• As a teleprompter for direct-to-camera addresses;
• As an Interrotron, which displays the live video of the director or other on-camera talent, for interviews;
• To display the live video of all participants in a roundtable discussion, so all are looking at each other as they look into camera; and
• To display the camera view of talent for self-vanity or hair and makeup artists.

Alternatively, a second monitor, displaying the image of a director or other talent, can be removed from the side and placed on a desk to create an off-camera eyeline. As the shoot progresses, clients can give live feedback to the director on performance or any other aspect of the shoot. 

The Crew in a Box system can send the high-resolution video footage to designated recipients through a remote transfer, or the shoot can be livestreamed. Talent then simply closes the box and it is picked up for return.

Some of the use cases that networks and media companies are excited about include:

• Direct-to-camera addresses for promos and commercials;
• Interviews featuring both into and off-camera eyelines;
• Roundtable discussions with talent in different locations;
• Variety and talk shows with remote guests;
• Reality show confessionals;
• And press junkets. 

Fox's Scott Edwards also said, "We're exploring Crew in a Box as a great way to capture broadcast-worthy content for marketing and beyond. We see it being useful in other ways in the future, not just during our current lockdown and telecommuting circumstances. Having the remote connection, from the shoot site to the producing and directing locations, can alleviate excessive travel expenses for say, a 20-second pick up, a to-camera hosting segment, or a quick interview bite."

BET recently tapped Wavemaker Creative to use the Crew in a Box system to produce a Burger King sponsored digital series that debuts during the BET Awards on June 28th. 

Martin L. Davis, Director of Production & Technology at BET Networks Ad Sales, said, "The one thing this moment in time has shown us is that we all have to think out the box. Thank goodness for Crew in a Box and Wavemaker Creative, who stepped up with the perfect solution - premium light, camera and the know-how that kept us in the game - when we needed to shoot our Burger King Out The Box: Sneaker King Digital Series. We at BET Networks Ad Sales are excited to work with this innovative technology."

For more information about the Crew in a Box system, including interest in preorders, please visit: www.crewinabox.com

About CREW IN A BOX™

Crew in a Box is the world's first professional-quality, plug-and-play, remote production solution. The product and service were invented in 2020 by Ira Rosensweig, Dallas Sterling and Jeremy Fernsler, in Los Angeles, CA. The Crew in a Box system is the subject of a pending patent application. For more information, please visit www.crewinabox.com

Media contact:
Rachel Rogers
[email protected] 
310-770-4917

SOURCE Crew in a Box