“Your message, any screen.” That’s the tagline underscoring the impressive work of Melinda Partin and Seattle’s Worktank — a rich-media strategy and production agency that’s equally well-attuned to any one of a multitude of viewing screens. A day in the life of Partin, a former Microsoft Studios’ producer and THINK’s Interactive Services Director, might find her company putting the finishing touches on a motion picture production for the big screen, editing a video segment for a TV screen, and planning a Webcasted video or marketing campaign for the PC screen, all the while “screening” new talent for a mobile workforce of multimedia professionals that Worktank places on assignments for companies around the Puget Sound.
At the end of the day, Melinda also deserves plenty of screen credit for the time she commits to Seattle-area civic causes and charities. Melinda is a Mayoral appointee on Seattle’s Citizens’ Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board where she advises the city on different technology and media issues including the Seattle Channel. Screen credit also applies for her work directing the food delivery efforts for Chicken Soup Brigade (now Lifelong AIDS Alliance) and her service on the Seattle Human Services Coalition and Seattle Food Committee boards.
The new age philosophy of producing video content that can ultimately be aired, projected, streamed, compressed or emailed for viewing on different devices is what guides the agency’s thinking as they advise clients on how to make the most of their media assets.
“There are so many corporations doing video and using it once at events or trade shows, or other “one-off” sorts of things, that could be using the media to train their people, and keep them up to date on what’s going on in the company,” advises Partin. “By using the Web to distribute that video instead of playing it solely at that one event, companies can save substantial media dollars and get more leverage out of their media investment.”
Teaming with business partner, Leslie Rugaber, Partin started Worktank Enterprises just as the bottom of the Internet boom was slipping into the abyss. Those tough times quickly bred better work habits. “We wanted to strip away all the layers of extraneous activities that took away from the work. Our idea was to create a “Work tank” where we could bring together people on custom-tailored project teams and be able to meet the various needs that companies might have for media and communications,” she said.
Credit Microsoft for instilling that work ethic. As a freelance Multimedia Producer at Microsoft Studios, Melinda produced a variety of interactive and video projects for various groups at Microsoft, and partners including Reba McEntire, Diet Coke, and the Lincoln Square development project. What’s it like behind-the-screens at Microsoft’s world class production facility? “State-of-the-art,” is how Melinda would describe it. “Microsoft Studios is fully digital, with three sound stages, and four offline rooms with Avid and DL. They have DS and Inferno compositing systems. There are two online rooms and complete digital audio production, with two voice-over recording booths and two broadcast control rooms for switching multi-camera shoots & large events. In addition their Media Integration Laboratory speaks to the unique role Microsoft Studios plays in applying the full range of Microsoft’s media technologies to professional production processes. The new BMW Films Digital Cinema Series is an excellent example of how Microsoft Studios is helping advance the state of the art of digital production techniques with Windows Media Technology.”
Worktank is currently doing an integrated marketing campaign for Microsoft’s Home Products Group, including interactive elements that will excite consumers about the new features in the premium versions of these products.
And Worktank’s workers are also marshalling their efforts for non-profits. “We’re doing a video for the Center for Health Training to give an overview of Title X, the national family planning program, and to illustrate a vision of what working in a family planning clinic means, and how to discuss it.” Melinda relates. “We’re also doing a Flash presentation for the Salvation Army. It’s a program called HopeShare that will be used in inner cities to help set up programs for kids. It’s very important for both me and my business partner to do work that is meaningful beyond just helping somebody make money,” she explains.
To find Worktank online, be sure and add the .tv domain (instead of .com) to the agency’s URL. The company also produces some content under the brand name of sissy.tv (not to be confused with Sissy.com, a porn site). “The projects we don’t want to tell our parents about are produced under sissy.tv,” jokes Melinda. “Leslie produced a ‘B Movie’ called ‘Gory, Gory, Hallelujah’ for the Von Piglet sisters. This particular ‘B movie’ has something to offend everyone. Watch for the title to open soon on at least one, and probably many more, screens near you.” [24×7]
Melinda Partin takes us behind the scenes of many screens.
