We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce our new company van. From Aphelion Media’s inception, we’ve searched far and wide for the most efficient means of transporting our gear, and we're happy to say that we’ve finally found our answer.
Our grip truck comes with all the storage technology a film crew could possibly ask for. The process began when our founder, Zack, had a vision, a vision to manifest a company vehicle that would show everyone what we were about. After that he went to the drawing board, coming up with many forms in which a box on four wheels could possibly carry a ridiculous amount of camera and lighting equipment. We decided to start with the 2022 Ford Transit Connect due to its maneuverability and versatility of the cabin, the height, and ability to parallel park! But we weren’t done there.
We installed a tool drawer behind the driver and passenger seats to stash our camera support systems for safe transportation. A transparent partition was placed behind the seats to protect passengers should a light stand begin to fly around the cabin or if the van is boarded by gear pirates 🏴☠️, an issue that has plagued film crews for millennia. Shelving systems were also installed for carrying our grip bags and lights, the shelves have the ability to fold away should a specific equipment situation call for it. On the roof of the truck, we’ve installed a cargo rack and transporting tubes to house our c-stands.
Across the entirety of the truck, the exterior was designed in house and features our branding and astronaut mascot. This allows the truck not only to function as transportation but advertising for our company when on location as well. During the projects the van has recently been a part of, it has proven to be an incredibly efficient and useful tool to the production process. The less time our crew has to spend worried about the logistics of a specific project, the more time they can spend on creativity.
Once the van was finished, we wanted to announce it in an interesting and exciting way. We decided to create a long-exposure photo using RGB lighting. The night we decided to do this was particularly cold, but we decided to push through as we felt the need to give the truck the attention it deserved. We attached the RGB lights to stands and stuck them out of a car window to drive them around the van which created fluid streaks of light across the photo. We couldn’t have been happier at the end result of this shoot, and those who follow our work seem to think it’s pretty cool too.
"We shape our tools and afterwards our tools shape us"
All in all, we are super happy to now have such an eye-grabbing means of transportation. The van represents another way in which we’ve streamlined our production workflow, and we hope it inspires other creatives to make an effort to streamline the way they work as well. If you live in the Windsor-Essex area and spot our truck, take a photo and send it our way, we’d love to see where we’re noticed. Thanks for taking the time to check out this backstory, and stay tuned for more to come.