Hurricane Productions Updates & Event Photos

Party Percussionist Adds Live Element to Wedding DJ Entertainment

DJStrato — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:45:52 +0000

Beginning in the mid-1980s, the wedding entertainment industry took a dramatic turn. With the introduction of DJ Entertainment, quickly taking the place of bands that had once been the standard, the wedding and banquet business would never be the same.

So here we are in 2010, some 25 years after the wedding-DJ revolution and like all great entertaining arts, this art too has undergone quite an evolution.

Today’s top-of-the-line audio and lighting equipment produce the most vivid colors and clearest, deepest sound the industry has ever experienced. Despite all the great technological improvements that the DJ industry has embraced, there is still an element of distance between the guests and the music.

The best speakers in the world can produce a near exact reproduction of Phil Collins’ voice as it enters your ear canal, but as sweet as those words may sound– Phill Collins is not at your wedding. The wonderful thing about using a band is the dynamic between band members, performers and the audience. On the other hand, the advantage of DJ entertainment is the versatility of having a nearly endless music library with the original recording artists.

So how do you combine DJ entertainment with the live band vibe? One great way of bridging the gap is by adding a Party Percussionist to the ensemble. A trained Party Percussionist matches the music that the DJ is spinning adding a “live-music” element that connects guests closely to the music.

The photos shown here feature a Hurricane Productions wedding entertainment package including 4 piece QSC sound system, professional lighting, multiple flat screens, and an experienced Party Percussionist front and center. The music takes on new life as DJ and Percussionist interact and motivate the crowd; it’s truly a unique wedding reception experience.

Please contact us for more information about adding a Party Percussionist or any other element you’ve seen in this post to your wedding or private affair.

Hurricane Productions Availability Check

Email us: info@hurricaneproductions.com

Custom beach-themed display for Sweet 16 adds personalized touch

Vincent Anthony — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:13:27 +0000

Custom theme display for Sweet 16s from Hurricane Productions

An upcoming Sweet 16 client told us that they wanted a beach theme for their daughters party. So we started by coordinating our intelligent uplighting to match the color of our guest of honor’s dress. The walls will have a blue and turquoise hue while the Sweet 16 dias will match the color of her dress.

As guests walk into the room they will treated to an extended movie of various beach scenes during the late afternoon hours progressing into dusk and sunset – corresponding with the same time they will be traveling to the event and arriving at the Grand Marquis.

By the time our guest of honor is introduced into the room, the sun will be set and guests will be ready to party the rest of the night away.

The logo, “Brianna’s Sweet 16,” is the same one that will appear in lights on the dance floor throughout the night.

This concept can be applied to any and all Sweet 16 themes. If you can dream the theme, Hurricane Productions can create the atmosphere in your banquet facility. Each element of entertainment can be customized for your party.

Hurricane Productions also created a custom baby photo montage which will be shown on the screens documenting the guest of honor’s life from birth until her special. Our staff scanned the photos, edited in professional software, and created a beautiful presentation for the evening set to music selected by the client.

All of the multimedia and entertainment was created by Strato Doumanis and Vincent Anthony – the two individuals who will be the main entertainers at the Sweet 16.

For more information on Hurricane Productions, please visit the company’s Facebook page.

Hurricane Productions launches new concept on its seventh anniversary

Vincent Anthony — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:02:17 +0000

OK….now I have your attention.

The truth is that we are constantly introducing new concepts, almost on a daily basis. Some stick, some become gimmicks and some fall to the wayside. But how do I know some of them are working? It is said that imitation is the best form a flattery and well, plenty of that has sprung up in the past 365 days since our last anniversary.

Strato and I have many inside jokes about “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” – one of my favorite books and movies. So I added a clip here to explain what goes on in our office and on our computers every single day of the year – “Time is a precious thing…never waste it.”

Last year I wrote that our goal was to compete with larger entertainment operations in our area. And we’ve done that. We’ve sat in client’s living rooms and sold against all of the biggest companies in New Jersey – from the ones who host bridal shows to ones who spend thousands of dollars annually on advertisements in their local town shopper.

And just like we’ve started to compete on their level, other companies have started to compete with us. For the first time in the seven years, the bulls-eye is starting to shift. That was the goal in 2003 when we unloaded speakers out of my dad’s Chevy into a Marlboro backyard to entertain an eighth grade graduation.

I am happy to see that other DJs and emcees have added a camera to their repitore – posting pics and video on Facebook for their clients.

The only warning I have to those companies is that they shouldn’t try to compete for the sake of competing. The key is to stay consistent for your clients and deliver a quality product EVERY time – not only with performance but with post production of those photos and videos. The worst thing I hear in sales calls and meetings is when concepts we sell are all of a sudden turned into “Oh yea, we do that too,” by other DJ companies.

Taking photos and shooting video is not for everyone. Sometimes it should be left to professionals and not an emcee or a dancer. Production value and packaging multimedia is just as important as playing the correct song for a couple’s first dance. At the end of the day you are responsible for the commitments you make to your client whether or not your product far exceeds ours or not.

Heading into our seventh year of operating this company our goal will be to implement newer concepts that will change the way our clients and competitors view our company and the DJ business as a whole. We own a tremendous amount of internet real-estate and we plan on using it.

Some of those concepts will be introduced as early as the DJ Expo in Atlantic City this August. But there’s no rush. Other concepts will wait until our fall season so that they’re perfected for the people who matter most – our clients.

Time is a precious thing…never waste it.

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Hurricane Pledge’s 10% Summer Revenue to Gulf Oil Crisis

DJStrato — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:40:56 +0000

There is little question about who is to blame for the Gulf oil crisis, but pointing fingers will not help the area that needs help now. BP continues to release erroneous data and sluggishly dole out relief funds while dozens of species of fish, birds, turtles and other animals living in the Gulf of Mexico find themselves blanketed with crude and their habitats destroyed. To many species, this is a death sentence.

New figures suggest that the amount of oil BP has stated is spewing out daily is really the amount that has been gushing out each hour. This could mean more than 100 million gallons of oil have already fouled the Gulf’s fragile waters and coastlines.

Every little bit of help counts. Being animal and nature enthusiasts at heart, owners Strato Doumanis and Vincent Anthony of Hurricane Productions DJ Entertainment, located in New Jersey, pledge to donate 10% of summer-party revenue to the National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund.

The Gulf has been altered in a manner that will affect it for generations and recovery is not a certainty.

Oil, microbes and dispersants eat oxygen from the water and sludge in marshes continue to make cleanup difficult. BP’s pockets may not be deep enough to pay for a cleanup of this scale.

If you’d like to make a donation to the NWF Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund, please click here.

Click here to see map of the oil slick, updated daily.

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Music videos and uplighting add club-style feel to any high school prom

Vincent Anthony — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:44:13 +0000

Believe it or not, there’s no secret to a packed dance floor at a high school prom. As a prom advisor and prom committee you need to find a DJ company that stays current with social media trends just as much as they stay current with music. You should expect three media and music elements from your prom DJ:

1. Recent and edited music: Ask your DJ if they have the most recent songs on the radio. But more importantly, make sure that they have edited music so that your principal and other school administrators will be pleased with your choice of DJ entertainment. Prom DJs should build relationships with the prom committee and the school administration so that everyone involved has an understanding of the school’s goals for prom night and weekend.

2. Uplighting: School spirit and pride extends beyond the sports fields and hallways once students experience a prom. Ask for uplighting options which will transform your ballroom. Uplighting allows the DJ to make the room the same hue as your school colors or compliment the theme of your prom through lights. You should also be looking for a DJ that can add your school’s name “in-lights” on the dance floor to add a personalized feel to the event.
[Watch an uplighting video testimonial]

3. Music videos: Imagine 200-500 students packed on your dance floor. You’ve already added a visual experience with uplighting. Now it’s time to add plasma screens and music videos. Not only should your DJ be playing recent and edited music, but those songs should have a music videos to coincide with them. Your students will love seeing their favorite music videos on the 50-inch plasma screens by the DJ booth.

Hurricane Productions and NewJerseyPromDJ.com make all of these features and more available to all high schools. Students will also be treated to the company’s next-day Facebook photo service. Along with watching music while they dance, students can view the photos simultaneously on the plasma screens. Pictures taken at prom will be made available to the school and students the following morning on Facebook.com/YourParty. This is a great way for students, teachers, and parents to share the prom experience together.

Between the music videos, edited music, Facebook photos, uplighting, young and professional entertainers, there is no other choice than Hurricane Productions and NewJerseyPromDJ.com

Need more proof? Watch the video below which tells the story of four students at Brick Memorial high school who brought Hurricane Productions to their prom. These four girls used Hurricane for their Sweet 16s. As you can see from the video they needed just two things to make their prom just as special as their Sweet 16s – a beautiful dress and Hurricane Productions:

Personalized multimedia is the cornerstone of Hurricane Productions’ success

Vincent Anthony — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:22:15 +0000

There is an endless amount of value you can place on a any type of company that handles projects with vision, creativity, and personalized service.

One of the most personal services that you’ll ever hire is DJ entertainment. Despite countless DJ companies springing up all over the tri-state area, it’s hard to find talented and skilled individuals to trust with your memories.

Some DJ companies around New Jersey boast similar features to Hurricane Productions like photo and video packages, plasma screens, uplighting and more. But the difference between Hurricane Productions and it competition is that every single detail of your party is handled by the owners of Hurricane.

Competitors outsource your photos and videos to other paid professionals. There is nothing ethically wrong with that but why let your projects be passed through so many hands? Too many ideas and opinions interfere with your initial vision of your project.

Every single picture of your photo montage is digitally scanned and then edited into a professional quality montage by Hurricane Productions owners and lead entertainers Vincent Anthony Velasquez and Strato Doumanis.
The duo also produces each of the videos and presentations you’ve viewed on Hurricane’s YouTube and website.

The Next-Day Facebook photo albums are edited and posted by Vincent and Strato before you grab a cup a coffee the morning after your event.

Vincent, a Journalism and Media Studies graduate of Rutgers University, is also a videojournalist for the Star-Ledger in Newark, NJ. His daily routine includes going out into the field, shooting video and editing into video packages that are used on NJ.com and on Cablevision’s MSG Varsity network.

Here is an example of a video piece Vincent put together for the Star-Ledger and NJ.com’s High School Athlete of the Week:

Corey Crawford of Indian Hills is second to only Carl Lewis for state long jump record

Now he takes that same set of skills and is able to put together video highlights from your party as well as create photo montages for your family.

Strato designed the entire Hurricane website that you’ve used to view pictures of us, watch videos, and even fill out a price quote request form. He is well-versed in all video and photo editing programs. In fact, the Paparazzi montage in this blog post was created by Strato as a demo to show to potential clients.

When you come to Hurricane Productions there is no doubt that you can trust our entertainers to deliver an unforgettable performances but we also give you the opportunity to relive those memories with the photo and video packages we create for you.

You can view pictures, videos, demos and more at Hurricane Productions Facebook page located at facebook.com/yourparty

Cinderella-themed Sweet 16 includes uplighting, photos, video and even a fairytale ending

Vincent Anthony — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:46:55 +0000

Mally wanted all the trimmings to make her Sweet 16 live up to its Cinderella theme – From her blue dress, which carefully matched her Disney counterpart to the uplighting around the Dome Room at the Grand Marquis.

Hurricane Productions planned this special evening with Mally and her family via phone consultations, email and a one-on-one meeting at her home two weeks prior to the event.

Mally’s party included all the best features from Hurricane Productions’ Paparazzi package to make her Cinderella theme a reality. Hurricane Productions matched the uplighting of the room with the color of her dress. Guests read “Mally’s Sweet 16″ in lights on the marblefloors of the Grand Marquis’ Dome Room as they walked into the room. The light shined down on the black marble and reflected into the dome ceiling to add an elegant enhancement in an already impressive a ballroom.

During dinner, Mally’s friends and family watched a montage presentation carefully crafted by Hurricane Productions. At the sit down meeting prior to the event, Mally’s mom handed 100 of her daughter’s baby photos Hurricane Productions. Each original original photo was scanned, enhanced and edited. All guests watched in awe on a 42-inch plasma screen as the montage documented Mally’s life from when she was a baby all the way up to her Sweet 16.

Working so closely with Hurricane Productions allowed Mally and her family to personalize every detail of her event – from her grand introductions, her dance with her father, her Sweet 16 candles, the music request … the list goes on!

In the video embedded above Mally said that Hurricane Productions is “one of the best DJ I’ve ever..EVER seen.”

Pictures from her party were available as soon as the clock struck midnight. You can view them at facebook.com/yourparty

The Verdict perform and start a conga line at Rutgers Dance Marathon 2010

Vincent Anthony — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:19:07 +0000

The Verdict performs and starts conga line at Rutgers Dance Marathon

The Verdict brought life to the Rutgers College Ave Gymnasium with its reggae, soca and calypso style music.
In the last few hours of the 32-hour Dance Marathon, The Verdict made students jump around, dolla wine, and conga line around the gymnasium.

The Verdict, just like Hurricane Productions, are mainstays of Dance Marathon – the largest student-run philanthropic event in New Jersey.

Rutgers Dance Marathon is a 32-hour, non-stop event that raises money and awareness for children with cancer and blood disorders. All proceeds go towards the Embrace Kids Foundation which is located in New Brunswick, NJ.

Hurricane Productions is in its third year of entertaining DM. Hurricane provides entertainment but also trains students to be emcees and DJs during the event.

Magic 98.3 invites Hurricane Productions live on the air from Rutgers Dance Marathon

Vincent Anthony — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 22:34:56 +0000

Vincent Anthony Velasquez spoke to Magic 98.3 – a local NJ radio station – about Rutgers University Dance Marathon and Hurricane Productions’ involvement with the event.

Vincent joined his good friends from the station Debbie Mazella and Chris McCoy during Dance Marathon weekend on March 27-28.

This is Hurricane Productions third straight year involved with Dance Marathon – a 32-hour non-stop event that raises money for children with cancer and blood disorders. All proceeds go to the Embrace Kids Foundation located in New Brunswick, NJ.

Hurricane Productions trained 11 student DJs and emcees to work alongside its professional staff. It also launched RutgersDJ.com – a website dedicated to all of the company’s entertainment work at Rutgers University.

Dance Marathon is Hurricane’s marquee event but the company also entertains Rutgers football Homecoming, Guinness Book of World Record events and other RU Student Life affairs.

Hurricane Productions has been featured on SNY, in the Asbury Park Press, Star-Ledger and on Magic 98.3 among other NJ/NY area media networks.

Hurricane Productions is owned and operated by Rutgers College Alumni (class of 2009).

The N Result performs “I Gotta Feeling” at Rutgers Dance Marathon 2010

Vincent Anthony — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 21:29:41 +0000

The N Result performs "I Gotta Feelin" at Rutgers Dance Marathon

Good friends of Hurricane Productions and fellow Rutgers students and alumni, The N Result, performed live at this year’s Dance Marathon.

They opened the event with a cover of Black Eyed Peas hit song “I Gotta Feelin.”

This is not the first time Hurricane Productions and The N Result worked together. Just a few short weeks ago they shared the stage at Air Guitar at the Rutgers Athletic Center- an event produced by Rutgers Student Life in an attempt to break a Guinness Book World Record.

“The N Result and Hurricane Productions work so well together because we don’t only share the stage, we share the same goals,” said Rutgers College Alumnus and Hurricane Productions owner Vincent Anthony. “We’re both here at Dance Marathon ‘For the Kids’ and looking give back to a community that has given us so much.”

You can find The N Result on their new myspace page – myspace/thenresult.

Keep checking back to RutgersDJ.com and on Facebook.com/YourParty for updates from Hurricane Productions and Dance Marathon.