AMHERST, N.Y.—FlexScreen created the world’s first flexible window screen and when we made our first foray into marketing, we started with an iPhone and social media. Fast forward nine years, and our push into marketing has been so successful that we went from being just a flexible window screen company to acquiring Reflex Brands, a digital marketing agency.
We now support digital advertising, two podcasts, live streaming, a live production and recording studio and in-the-field filming for customers and commercials. Due to Reflex Brands’ marketing efforts, FlexScreen even caught the eye of ABC’s business reality TV show “Shark Tank” and was featured on season 11.
All our work is supported by a full-blown professional video production workflow that includes Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pros, Video Assist 12G HDR monitor/recorders, several models of ATEM switchers, HyperDeck Studio HD Mini recorders, a Smart Videohub 40x40 router, Blackmagic Web Presenter HD streaming solutions, DeckLink and UltraStudio for capture and playback and a multitude of converters.
Smartscope Duo 4K Monitors
With this type of exponential growth came the need for workflow expansion, and as we expanded our workflow, we were able to grow our offerings. Now our gear affords FlexScreen and Reflex Brands’ live production, streaming, content creation and post workflows.
As your workflow grows, so must your attention to detail, and it was important for us to incorporate tools that took the guesswork out of certain aspects, so we could create the best possible content. A big detail was signal monitoring, for which we rely on two Blackmagic SmartScope Duo 4K monitors. We purchased them because we needed a simple way to view and manage everything going on in our studio.
With two 8-inch LCD screens, the SmartScope Duo 4K includes built-in waveform, vectorscope, RGB parade, YUV parade, histogram, audio phase and level scopes. Because the screens are independent, we can display a combination of scope and picture views.
All in One
Physically, our SmartScope Duo 4Ks sit inside of our travel racks, as well as in our studio’s control room. We use them when we are checking audio levels, then switch to multiple camera shots to check color, exposure, and the angle. We especially rely on waveform monitoring and love this feature because it gives us real-time data and information about what’s going on during our live streams or recordings, adding that extra layer of confidence and attention to detail.
The SmartScope Duo 4Ks provide all sorts of different, easily accessible data in one unit, streamlining our workflow and saving costs, whereas previously we had to invest in multiple devices just to view everything we needed.
It may seem like a simple thing, but truly as you grow your workflow, you also must pay more attention to the minor details to make sure things run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Because we trust the quality of Blackmagic Design, we knew the SmartScope Duo 4K was going to perform and fulfill our needs. l
Nicolas DeSarno is director of Reflex Brands and project manager at FlexScreen. With a background in videography, he now travels around the country teaching clients how to grow their own brands through social media marketing. He can be reached at 724-576-2007 (Reflex Brands) or 888-983-3539 (FlexScreen) or nicolasdesarno@reflexbrands.com.
For more information, contact Blackmagic Design at 408-954-0500 or visit www.blackmagicdesign.com.
