Commercial and Advertising

March 26, 2012 Posted in Electronic Press Kit (EPK) No comments

If you’ve been following my blog over the past year you would know one of my goals has been to direct better EPK (commercial) style videos. I have been disappointed with the EPKs I have shot for my clients in the past, so I have not shared them on this site. By no means have my clients faulted… just me knowing how I wanted the video to feel visually and not meeting my expectations.

Finally I have met my expectations with a project. It turns out my approach was wrong this whole time! In the past my approach to EPKs was to simply create dope visuals and everything else would fall into place. Not knowing the importance of good vocal sound, song selection, story-boarding, and of course overall simplicity so the viewer can actually learn something from the video. Also, applying b-role shots that relate to the subject, as oppose to throwing b-role aimlessly throughout the video just because it looks cool, is key. All of these factors are vital when it comes to the simplest of projects.

Check out the video below.

Shoot time: 1 hour
Editing: 2 hours

Equipment: Canon 5d, Red Scarlet.
Lenses: 35mmL, 24-70mmL

Red Scarlet

Canon 5d

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Big Trouble in Little China

March 20, 2012 Posted in Music, RAP No comments

I finally had the opportunity of working with RATheMC, who is dope hip hop act out of the DC area. We wrapped the shoot in under an hour and the ultimate goal was to capture Ra within the essence of Chinatown. Not much direction needed for this project.. just shoot for the moment. Enjoy!

Video:

Promo video for DC rap talent RATheMc.

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Beautiful Dreamer … featuring Carolyn Malachi

February 20, 2012 Posted in Alternative, R&B Soul 5 comments

It’s FINALLY HERE!!!  My most anticipated project of the summer. Grammy Nominated Artist, Carolyn Malachi’s “BEAUTIFUL DREAMER.” This video captures an inspiring account of a young girl overcoming bullying and believing that she can achieve her dreams. Video Directed & Edited by Jay Dexter Photo and Assistants Brandon Best and Quincy Ledbetter and Music Produced by Matthew Shell. Visit http://CarolynMalachi.com to download “BEAUTIFUL DREAMER.”

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S.M.I.L.E.

February 11, 2012 Posted in Business / Corporate 1 comment

One of the biggest challenges I have faced as a photographer / videographer has been the art of storytelling.  I’m pretty good at telling a wedding story, or even the story of an event, but these types of shoots are planned out so it’s easy to follow the script.  Creating a story from scratch has proven to be the hard part.

Check out one of my many attempts at story telling below. Author Kevin Reeves creates his first novel, entitled S.M.I.L.E.  A book of both the everyday and the extraordinary shown through characters that will stay with you forever. Beginning as a hip love story, it becomes a story of how love looks and feels in the face of tragedy.

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College Advocates

February 2, 2012 Posted in Promo 7 comments

College Advocate (CA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and an official after school service provider with District of Columbia Public Schools. I had the opportunity of linking up with Dele Butler, Program Director of “College Advocates”, to juggle ideas on how we could market the CA brand. Although this project is still a work in progress, I couldn’t wait to post a sample of the early-stage marketing ads and promotional video. Stay tuned for updates!

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TEST from John Ledbetter on Vimeo.

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2012 / Rippon Landing

January 17, 2012 Posted in Short Film No comments

The impact 2011 had on my small business is hard to put into words, so I will spare you the year in review. I will however talk about my vision for the future. A new year always heralds new opportunities, so my goals are not to achieve more than 2011, but to continue to provide a quality service to my clients… through this I’m certain opportunities will come.

Outside of the business side of things, I have been going through a constant struggle with the direction I want to go in as an artist. I’ve decided to focus on video production over photography for the first part of 2012. This doesn’t mean I’m hanging up the camera, but my “personal projects” and studies will be on video. I have an idea of what my work should feel like and I’m nowhere close to that “feeling”. I can’t put it into words… I just know what it feels like.

If you’re interested in hearing more about my thoughts check out this recent interview I did with ibelieveiachieve.net .

In the meantime, check out the trailer to one of my personal projects in 2012. This will be my first attempt at short films so I’m looking forward to the challenge. The concept is to tell stories on clique personal / relationship topics, but each story will be told in a way the viewer has never seen it. I’m stressing quality on this project… both sound and visual. Each story will be no longer than 3 – 5 min with a different set of actors in each story. That’s the plan as of right now.. lets see how the first one goes…

Rippon Landing – Trailer from John Ledbetter on Vimeo.

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Top Of The World

November 1, 2011 Posted in R&B 2 comments

BACKGROUND:
While in college at Virginia State University (Petersburg, VA), I was introduced to a talented local artist named Trey Songz. What stuck out about this kid was the fact that, at the young age of 17, he had already recorded a body of work totaling over 100 songs! As an unsigned artist, that alone makes him a veteran in the game… and he hadn’t even really gotten started yet! I felt his hunger, I saw his potential and I told him then, “I’m here to help you out with anything you need.” Soon after, opportunity found him and after him getting signed to Atlantic Records, we lost touch, but that was just fine because I was able to sit back, in excitement, and watch his career take off. Trey was becoming exactly who he was supposed to be.

Fast-forward, nine years later…

Trey is now one of the top recording artists in the game. Still a fan of Trey’s, and proud to tell people the stories of when he used to record in my parents’ basement, I get a call from a member of his team. The lady on the other end says she’s with Trey Songz Productions and they came across my work and were interested in me shooting a video.

If it’s one thing that shooting every weekend in the DC area has taught me, it’s endurance! I was physically and mentally prepared for this task. I juggled with whether, or not, I should let Trey know that it was me shooting the video, but a part of me felt he would not remember, and I would come off as one of those “you remember me” type dudes. So, I decided not to… but to my surprise, his reaction was a mix of confusion and excitement when we met face-to-face. He remembered, and we both felt that this moment was special as the circle was taking shape.

I love this job, and my only motive is to help artists and entrepreneurs visually create their vision of success and share it with the world. I don’t do what I do for money; I don’t do what I do for accolades. Those just happen to be the great rewards that come with the territory.
Now… what I do, do it for is the PASSION and PURPOSE! It’s who I am… and that’s enough for me.

Video Directed by John Ledbetter & Tremaine Neverson. Edited by John Ledbetter. DP’s Brandon Avery, Jamaal Banks, Trevon Facey.

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Spring 2011 – Beta Gamma Chapter

October 15, 2011 Posted in Greek Life, Videography 3 comments

Despite attempts by filmmakers like Spike Lee (School Daze) and Sylvain White (Stomp The Yard) to capture the true spirit of Fraternity and Sorority life on film, I decided to make an attempt. On April 10, 2011, I went back home to my alma mater, Virginia State University to capture my frats probate of Beta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Check out my highlight reel of Spring 2011 initiates…

Untitled from John Ledbetter on Vimeo.

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School Days

October 14, 2011 Posted in Engagement, Weddings No comments

Check out these shots from a recent engagement shoot at the historic Howard University, Washington, D.C.

HU6
HU1HU2HU3HU4HU5

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Wedding Season

September 11, 2011 Posted in Wedding Hi-Lites, Weddings No comments

Wedding season is winding down and I must say it was an awesome experience! I’ve been busy with my passport in one hand and Cannon Mark 3 clutched in the other. If you had told me this time last year that my camera was going to take me to Mexico and Jamaica, I probably would have told you to come back to reality (lol). Capturing images in these foreign lands was cool, but what I enjoyed most was connecting with the different cultures.

I have so much more to share about my travels, but for now check out the art work!

Cancún, Mexico

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Montego Bay, Jamaica


Destination Wedding – Jamaica from John Ledbetter on Vimeo.



 

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