A Message from Spencer
I’m Spencer Cooper, owner of Crewsouth, and I wanted to let you know a little more about me and how I started in the business.
I was interested in becoming a creative director, so in the summer during college, I used to work for the ad agency, Martin Advertising in Birmingham. They had a close working relationship with Leo Ticheli Productions, where I witnessed commercial production for the first time.
I was enamored right off the bat and loved the cameras, the lighting, and the imaginative storytelling. As luck would have it I was in the right place at the right time, as Leo spotted my enthusiasm and offered me a job right out of college.
Within a year, I was shooting and directing my first commercial. I soon realized that they had the best equipment in town, and paid attention to detail when crafting captivating productions, so It was a fantastic place to learn and experiment. After 4 years working for Leo Ticheli Productions, I started Chariot Productions where I worked as a freelance DP and producer for a number of years. My wife Heather joined the company after we were married in 2000. Heather has a background in art direction along with management and marketing experience. In 2007, we decided to start Crewsouth.
Over the past thirteen years, I’ve noticed that technology has changed television production significantly. In the past, broadcast video cameras were analog and cost around $50,000, but today you can pick up an excellent camera that shoots in HD and 4k resolution for $5 - 10,000. Another example is video switchers. Switchers used to cost up to $150,000 and now cost $2,000. While the cost of electronics has come down and it’s even possible to get fantastic quality from an iPhone, I still strongly believe it still takes a skillful professional to achieve the best results.
Whether it’s a national network or a social media platform, videos need to connect emotionally with audiences. So for me, it’s about helping people tell their stories in a new way, and I like to work on various topics, including news, sports, business, and television shows.
When we go on location, I believe what sets us apart is that we continually try to innovate and learn new techniques. I also attribute our success to collaborating with great partners who trust us to finish projects within the timeline.
One of the most rewarding projects that I’ve personally worked on was when I had the opportunity to interview my father for the History Channel. He was a WWII veteran and wrote a book about the war called Death Traps.
Helping my Dad share his journey on national television was truly a thrill. I had several opportunities to interview him about his experiences during the war, and he appeared on numerous episodes of a series that ran for years called Weapons at War.
My father’s philosophy was always plain living and high thinking, and I think that philosophy rubbed off on me. So when I’m not producing videos, I love to travel with my wife and spend quality time with our two boys. I also like to relax with friends and family and debate on how to solve the world’s challenges.
I have enjoyed sharing my story about the things which matter to me, and how they influence the way we do business. If you or someone you know could benefit from our expertise as a video production company in Birmingham, Alabama, or across the Southeast, I invite you to get in touch. Please visit our website at www.crewsouth.com.
Sincerely,
Spencer