When Miranda Lambert announced the Band Together Texas benefit concert, she called on her good friends to lend a helping hand to people struggling in the wake of the powerful floods that devastated the Texas Hill Country earlier this year. And those friends came running to help. The concert, which was held August 17 at Moody Center in Austin, featured Parker McCollum, Cody Johnson, surprise guest Jason Aldean, Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, Lyle Lovett, and a host of other performers and athletes.
In addition to entertainment, the event took an up-close and personal look at just a few of the stories to come out of this tragic event. Craig Parks of Parks Communication led the project as Director and Producer, and Amos David McKay was brought on board to co-direct the five documentary-style shorts that were interspersed throughout the concert. McKay knew he had a very important, quite complicated project that needed to be turned around quickly, so he contacted TBD Post partners Ted Griffis and Brandon Thomas. From there, the wheels started to turn immediately.
“When Craig approached me, it felt like the right way to contribute to a cause that mattered deeply to both of us,” says McKay. “He had already assembled an incredible production team, and for something this important, we knew we needed a post partner who could match that level of urgency and heart. TBD was the obvious choice — they jumped in without hesitation, streamlined everything in a blink, and in just over two weeks, we had shot and finished six films for the event.”
“We’ve worked with David before, and when he reached out to us, it was an immediate yes,” notes Griffis. “Our team immediately started spinning up a dedicated editorial team, and everyone who came on board had the same sentiment — these are essential stories that need to be told for an undeniably important cause, and this is how we help.”
Once production started, the TBD Post team worked closely behind the shoot while also searching for appropriate archival footage for the pieces. In addition to scouring archival resources themselves, the facility collaborated closely with Texas Monthly, among others, to secure footage that could be donated to the project.
“We essentially had 3-plus weeks to identify potential stories to film across Central Texas,” says Parks. “So we brought in four film crews to capture these stories and TBD to manage post. Turning around seven total productions required us to collaborate with almost 30 talented Austin filmmakers, who absolutely poured themselves into this production. Ultimately, we are all deeply honored to pay tribute to the many families who were impacted by this disaster.”
TBD Post provided editorial, color, sound and finishing for the five two-minute documentary pieces, as well as color and sound for the program's archival-based film that opened the event. The documentary profiles told the heartbreaking and harrowing stories of survivors, first responders and everyday heroes.
The facility employed a hybrid post production process for the project, using a remote cloud infrastructure, as well as its on-prem infrastructure, to spin up a team of 15 in under 24 hours. The editorial team included Catie Cacci, Angie Dominguez, Dan Hirons, Chris Roldan, Christian Oliveira, Mike Saenz and Erik Johnson, along with archivist Susanne Mason. Sound design was performed by Brad Engelking, Brandon Thomas served as colorist, and editor Ben Montez stepped in to provide finishing services.
Matthew Wallis came on board as post producer to oversee the project for TBD Post and was instrumental in helping steer the stories with a delicate balance of sorrow, compassion and strength. “When TBD Post brought me on board for Band Together Texas,” says Wallis, “I knew I was joining the right team for the job, having worked with them on countless high-stakes projects under tight deadlines. This was more than a project for all of us — it was a responsibility. Every frame carried the weight of real lives and real loss.”
The team also worked closely with musician and composer Graham Reynolds, who wrote an original score for the video project. “As soon as Ted reached out, I wanted to be a part of the project,” says Reynolds. “I wanted to help bring a sound that embodies Texas to these stories. In the face of profound tragedy, we find our shared humanity, and this effort united us in honoring those we've lost and helping those who are suffering begin to heal.”
TBD Post was happy to donate all of their services to the project, and their artists contributed to the event as well. “The news cycle has moved on, but so many people are still struggling here,” concludes Griffis. “This entire event was about Texans helping Texans, and we jumped at the offer to be included. It was our honor to work on this project, and I know I am speaking on behalf of myself and our entire team when I say that.”
JHL Company, and its CEO Jennifer Stevens, were instrumental in producing the event, which raised more than $8.5 million the day of the event. To donate to Band Together Texas, please click here.
To watch the event on YouTube, click here.
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