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BUSINESS BRIEFS

EX'PRESSION COLLEGE GRAD DIDN'T WASTE TIME IN STARTING VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY

Bil Paul
The Emeryville Connection Staff
July 2007

Most people expect that those who rent work-live lofts are writers, artists, custom jewelry makers and the like.

But picture 24-year-old Michael Coleman in his work-live loft in Emeryville: rolling out of bed in the morning, having a little breakfast, walking a few feet to his place of work (a bank of Apple G5 computers), welcoming two employees in the door, and getting to work immediately on editing their latest video shoot. That evening, he heads out with his video cameraman to shoot a music-industry party in San Francisco, returning to the loft at 1:30 a.m.

This is Colemanfilm Media Group, which shows just how far a young man with a love for video production can go in a short time.

Coleman grew up in Martinez, with his mom as a teacher and his father a Kaiser optometrist. While attending College Park High School in Pleasant Hill, he became involved in sound recording work and even dreamed one day of starting his own company.

After graduation, he entered Emeryville’s Ex’pression College for Digital Arts, intent upon expanding his recording expertise. There, however, he quickly found his horizons expanding to include shooting and editing video. “I became known as the ‘vid’ guy,” he says.

By the time he graduated from the college’s intense two-year program in 2003, Coleman had impressed his instructors with his talents and dedication. He collaborated with an instructor, music producer Jack Douglas, by flying to Boston with him and shooting video and still photographs of the making of a new Aerosmith album and DVD (both huge successes).

Being thrust into such a professional environment at such a young age was a big confidence builder, and Coleman started Colemanfilm Media Group immediately upon returning to the Bay Area. He invested in digital shooting and editing equipment, and currently has cameras ranging from mini DVs to high-definition Panasonic models. He now has four regular employees and hires more on an as-needed basis.

As a start-up entrepreneur, Coleman has shot and edited video for clients ranging from Lexus and the Bay to Breakers organization to UC Berkeley’s annual Caltopia event. Most of his company’s work is used on Web sites, which are increasingly using video content. A good deal of his current work is for the online versions of music-oriented print magazines such as 7X7, Mix, Remix and Spin magazines.

Coleman makes no secret of his desire to specialize in the music and entertainment worlds. “I’ve been really fortunate that I’ve been able to hone in and focus on the kinds of clients I want to work with … because that’s what gets me excited. It doesn’t feel like work,” he says.

Recently he broke into the world of music videos by completing one for the popular East Bay band The Matches and their new song Salty Eyes. Posted on youtube.com, it was viewed 29,000 times in its first week online. Rather than imitating other formula-driven music videos, Coleman’s production has the band members discarding TV sets displaying the words to their song. It’s a video with a video theme.

Coleman stresses the importance of his videos telling stories. He wants do more work telling the stories of actors, directors and musicians, in a documentary sense. “I’m really excited about doing more profiles,” he says. “It’s true stuff.”

Although he employs a writer, he never uses scripts, feeling that the people he interviews explain things well enough. Returning to his editing table, he then has a good “feel” for how various segments he’s shot will fit together and make sense. Coleman explains that due to the limited attention span of online viewers, most of his video productions are limited to three or four minutes.

He prefers to work with people he implicitly trusts and has a friendly relationship with, discounting the importance of contracts and working for money alone. He’s been known do some jobs for free for long-time friends, including shooting a wedding, although that’s not his forte.

Although he can easily work 12-hour days doing what he loves, he says he “makes time for my family and friends. I make sure I have a life outside of my work.” He’s single now, but says that he’s seen successful husband-and-wife teams successfully working in the industry.

Coleman says Colemanfilm Media Group grossed over $100,000 in 2006 and has already hit that mark midway through this year.

He’s currently excited about the prospect of doing a video for “Mix” magazine about the sound people working on George Lucas films, including the Star Wars series. He also has a connection with Emeryville’s Pixar – his sister is a staff photographer there who documents the animation studio’s operations. “She’s their secret weapon,” he says.

Coleman realizes his work-live loft has become too small for his increasing staff and business, and wants to find a larger space in Emeryville. He likes the fact that the city is busy during the daytime but grows quite quiet at night.

He recently came full circle and was invited back to talk to one of Ex’pression College’s graduating classes. Being categorized as a distinguished alumni must make him feel positively old.

For examples of Coleman’s work visit www.colemanfilm.com or theowlmag.com and click on the “vid” button. The Colemanfilm Media Group can be reached at

925-408-0093.

Bil Paul is a writer for The Emeryville

Connection. If you have a question or comment, please contact him at ecocnews@gmail.com