A local business has revved up its efforts and expanded its services to provide a place where area individuals and businesses can create content and expand their visual presence. Pixel Punch Studios in Benton Harbor is a full-service video and photography company that delivers high quality content while also providing services for live streaming and ideation.
“We are a production company that is affordable for all needs, if you want to create a You Tube or TikTok channel, be an influencer, or simply have an idea that you want to see come to life, we can make that happen,” says founder Connelly Johnson. “We can create feature films, broadcast quality commercials, social media videos, write scripts and basically produce anything that someone would like to have represent their brand.”
Johnson started the company in 2015 and took on his partner Jim Stringer in 2018.
“Our wives are friends and kept trying to get us together. One day Jim and I met and started talking. He started showing me his projects, and I showed him mine. When we decided to start working together my wife laughed and told me that was the husband of her friend that they had been telling me about all this time,” recalls Johnson.
Johnson originally had started the company after finishing his BA in Digital Cinematography at Full Sail University. Full Sail is a private university based in Winter Park, Florida designed for students interested in entertainment, media, arts and technology.
“I was doing music and video production out of high school and doing comedy skits on You Tube back in 2015. After I would create them, I would watch them and I hated the quality, so I decided to go to school to be better at creating video content. Since then, I have been doing everything from videos and commercials to short form social media videos and streaming live events,” he says.
When COVID hit Pixel Punch found their live streaming services suddenly in demand with area businesses and churches. They used that as their platform to relaunch and build a facility in Benton Harbor. They expanded their building to include a studio for people who want to create content for their channels, they added a state-of-the-art editing room, a projection room and have a space where one of their tenants’ films small concerts, in the style of NPR’s Tiny Desk series, and mixes the audio on site.
However, they don’t just want to be a ‘for-hire’ business. Johnson is from Benton Harbor and went to Countryside Academy. He says he has seen how creative the people are in this area and he wants to help enable them to bring their ideas to life and get their content seen.
“Everybody has interesting stories, abilities, and ideas. I have worked on some very cool projects with the creatives in this area. We’ve written scripts, sketches, done music videos and found unique ways to highlight non-profits and churches,” says Johnson, “We hope to collaborate with the creative community and build an online space where all these ideas can have a home while developing ways for them to create revenue for everyone involved.”
Johnson and Stringer are also currently working with the non-profit film and entertainment entity, Cineland Media Group, to help kids learn how to create content, audio engineer, use photo shop, do graphic design, film editing and other electronic media skills. This will give them the tools they need to land the in-demand jobs of the future.
Pixel Punch Studios can film or photograph events on location or come to the site their clients choose. They can also provide a space with a green screen for those doing podcasts and talk show style content where they can add the graphics and media after the filming.
“We are excited about using our skills and experience to help bring ideas to life. Whether that is for a personal channel, something for a brand or business, or part of a bigger idea. We can help creators and business owners find out how they want to be represented visually, help them write and create it, and get it out there for everyone to see.”
Pixel Punch Studios is located on Colfax Avenue in Benton Harbor. Their website is under re-construction but for now you can reach them by email at cj@pixelunchstudios.com or visit their Facebook page and send a message.
By Julee Laurent
MOTM Contributor
