The Production Geeks

Sorrentino Media

Welcome to the rack room. The Production Geeks is a deep-dive into the obsessive engineering, high-stakes problem solving, and "nerd-level" passion that fuels Sorrentino Media. Join founder Mike Sorrentino and Dave Shaw (VP, Content and Creative Engineering) as they pull back the curtain on the complex infrastructure behind the world’s most ambitious broadcasts. From live-streaming test flights for aerospace innovators to architecting massive multi-stream control centers and building turnkey studios for global enterprise leaders, Mike and Dave explore the "how" and "why" behind the tech. This isn’t just a talk show; it’s a technical post-mortem. We dive into the spec sheets, the signal flows, and the "engineer the hell out of it" philosophy that makes the impossible look easy. If you love the gear as much as the result, and believe that the best production is built on a foundation of relentless technical curiosity, you’ve found your people. Engineered in Midtown Manhattan at 37th & Madison. SorrentinoMedia.com and MadisonAveLive.com

  1. Starlink, Electric Planes, and Studio LED Tech

    Jun 18 ·  Video

    Starlink, Electric Planes, and Studio LED Tech

    Welcome to episode three of The Production Geeks! Streaming live from our Midtown Manhattan rooftop, we are diving into the complex engineering behind two massive, upcoming live events.  In this episode, we talk about:• Upgrading our NYC studio with a cutting-edge 1.2mm pitch LED video wall for an international 4th of July celebration. We break down the realities of broadcast refresh rates, power circuits, and front-serviceable wall mounting.• Solving the extreme technical challenges of live streaming the first-ever 30-person fully electric passenger plane test flight. • How we are leveraging iPhones with the LU Smart app, bonding cellular connections with Starlink in mid-air, and programming a multi-second delay to keep ground and air cameras perfectly in sync.• Marrying live flight data (via JSON push/pull API) into Singular Live HTML graphics over a vMix switcher. Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction & Rooftop Margaritas1:40 - Project 1: 4th of July Tall Ships Live Stream5:22 - The Tech of LED Walls: Pixel Pitch & Refresh Rates7:37 - Powering & Mounting Heavy Studio LED Walls11:07 - Getting Seamless Visual Angles with LED Panels15:53 - Project 2: Streaming the First Electric Passenger Plane Flight17:27 - Networking, Starlink on Planes & Latency Delays20:18 - Integrating Real-Time Flight Data & Cloud Backups25:07 - The Nightmare of Starlink Port Forwarding Whether you're an audio listener or watching us via the new video podcast features on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, thank you for tuning in!  Make sure to rate, review, and follow the show on your favorite platform. BRAND STORYTELLING | FULL SERVICE VIDEO PRODUCTIONProfessional Branded Video Production Storytelling Experts #SorrentinoMedia | Full-Service Video Production Company including LiveStreaming services 232 Madison AvenueSuite 1002New York, NY 10016mike@sorrentinomedia.com (212) 203-8419www.SorrentinoMedia.com https://www.sorrentinomedia.com/contact-sorrentino-media #videoproduction We specialize in digital video content production.From green-screen instructional videos to unscripted digital series and live streams - we will make it interesting and make it pop. Anyone can say they are a production company - we have a broad portfolio of work that has delivered results.  #podcast Productionhttps://www.sorrentinomedia.com/podcast-productionWe offer all podcast production services including recording, editing, and publishing.We are passionate about telling your audio stories and bringing them to life in a way that will resonate with your listeners. Whether you need full-service podcast production or our professional advice on which direction to take, we are excited to work with you! #mediatraining https://www.sorrentinomedia.com/media-trainingMichael Sorrentino has a solid track record in working with on-air personalities from reporters/anchors to thought leaders. If you have never been on camera, media training can get you up to speed in no time. If you are a seasoned TV guest, we will fine-tune your skills to make you the best guest you can be! #nyc  #studios https://www.sorrentinomedia.com/our-production-studios At the heart of Manhattan, Sorrentino Media offers three production studios for rent that are ideal for anything from small shoots to full-scale productions. Located at 232 Madison Avenue, at the corner of 37th and Madison, we are just minutes from both Penn Station and Grand Central. Our studios are fully equipped with the latest in production technology and our experienced team is available to assist you with all your production needs. We offer teleprompters, green screens, cameras (HD and 4k options are available), lighting panels and audio equipment, including wireless options. We also have a separate control room for live streaming with 4k and HD multi-camera switching. Extra features include a hair and makeup room with a styling station, a Nespresso coffee maker, and a fridge stocked with water and small snacks. Whether you need a space for a photoshoot, commercial shoot, music video, or anything else, we have the space and equipment you need. Have a project in mind? Contact us today to learn more about our rates and availability for film studio rental in NYC. REMOTE VIDEO PRODUCTION KITS AVAILABLE https://www.sorrentinomedia.com/remote-video-productionREMOTE PRODUCTION TIPS: https://www.sorrentinomedia.com/remote-video-production-tips

    27 min
  2. Filming a Video Podcast Inside a Moving Car - Rigging Moving Vehicles with Blackmagic, ATEM Mini, and Tilta

    May 21 ·  Video

    Filming a Video Podcast Inside a Moving Car - Rigging Moving Vehicles with Blackmagic, ATEM Mini, and Tilta

    What happens when you have to shoot a high-stakes, multi-camera video podcast inside a moving vehicle, but your setup window is just a hard two hours? In this episode of The Production Geeks, Mike Sorrentino and Dave Shaw pull back the curtain on the chaotic engineering and logistics behind a recent project wrapped for a major automotive sponsor. When vehicle delivery was delayed on shoot day, the team had to reverse-engineer a complex production workflow on the fly to get everything rigged, power-mapped, and tested before the talent arrived. Mike and Dave break down the exact "prosumer" gear and workflows used to solve this high-pressure bottleneck, including: Windshield Multi-Cam: Using the Blackmagic Cam App on iPhones to capture clean 4K ProRes files directly to external SSDs.The Backseat Brain: Utilizing an ATEM Mini Extreme ISO in the moving backseat to manage synchronized backup streams (and how they handled phone overheating from the midday sun).Mobile Video Village: Clamping a Hollyland Cosmo wireless transmitter to a roof rack to push a real-time multi-view feed up to 1,000 feet away to a chase truck, allowing the client and agency to monitor audio and video live.Exterior Tracking Shots: A review of the Tilta Hydra Alien Mini electronic suction cup mount paired with the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 for smooth 60 MPH shots.Hidden Audio: How our audio tech battled intense road noise using DPA mini-shotgun mics on the sun visors alongside hidden lavaliers.Segments: 00:00 Whiskey Tasting and Sponsored Car Podcast Concept02:55 Production Logistics and Vehicle Delivery Challenges06:37 The Two-Vehicle Setup: Car A vs Car B Workflows08:34 Windshield Multi-Cam Rigging and Blackmagic Cam App10:34 Backseat Engineering: ATEM Mini Extreme ISO Workflow13:32 Mobile Power Demands and Vehicle Inverter Failures15:10 Hollyland Cosmo Wireless Transmission Range Testing18:03 Amazon Monitoring Setup and Audio Splitter Adjustments20:48 Hollyland Headset Comms Distance Check21:30 Tilta Hydra Alien Mini and DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Teardown27:50 Next Week: Prepping a 24-Hour Corporate Live Stream Event29:53 Electric Airplane Test Flight and Audience Brainstorm Invite Production isn't about everything going perfectly; it’s about having the right contingencies and the right tools to pivot when it counts. We want to troubleshoot your project on a future episode! Connect with us to pitch your production bottlenecks or share your thoughts. Email Us: info@sorrentinomedia.comOur Studios: sorrentinomedia.com | madisonavelive.comBe sure to rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

    33 min
  3. Engineering Certainty: Inside the Madison Ave Studio Build | The Production Geeks Ep. 1

    May 7 ·  Video

    Engineering Certainty: Inside the Madison Ave Studio Build | The Production Geeks Ep. 1

    Welcome to the debut of The Production Geeks. In this inaugural episode, Mike Sorrentino and Dave Shaw (VP, Content and Creative Engineering) pull back the curtain on the technical evolution of Sorrentino Media.  Transitioning from their long-running Media Offline series, Mike and Dave pivot toward the "work that goes into the work," focusing on high-level engineering and the "raw" reality of complex production.   Inside this episode, Mike and Dave dive deep into:The Philosophy of Certainty: Why their core product isn't live streaming, but the guaranteed reliability of a broadcast signal—from midtown studios to electric airplanes.   Studio 6: The Madison Ave Build: A technical post-mortem of their 37th & Madison facility, moving from a "gut reno" to a fully remote-controlled, versatile studio 2.0.   The "Nerd" Stack: An on-the-spot technical tour showcasing LiveU cellular bonding, Blackmagic Design routing, and the integration of vMix and Hollyland comms.   Engineering the Board: A breakdown of their Behringer X32 audio workflow and why specialized engineering beats "cookie-cutter" setups every time.   Whether you're a CTO looking for mission-critical reliability or a fellow production nerd obsessed with signal flow, Mike and Dave share the "10% of ideas" that actually make it to the air.   Recorded Live at Madison Ave Live Studios, NYC. CHAPTERS0:00 Intro – “It’s Production Geeks time” & show concept0:08 What is Production Geeks? – Nerds vs. geeks, solving technical problems for clients3:25 Keeping It Raw – Embracing mistakes, “we don’t sell video, we sell certainty,” Goose Island IPA segment6:08 Studio Origin Story – Moving to Studio Six, “bomb went off” space, rebuilding the room9:59 Live Studio Tour – LU-Smart / LiveU bonding, cameras, acoustics, control room & vMix14:54 Routing & Infrastructure – Blackmagic VideoHub 40x40, “anything to anywhere,” Apple TV/Oscars example19:49 Audio Deep Dive – Behringer X32 Compact, Midas preamps, buses, IFB, and why audio is always overlooked25:45 Cameras & Comms – Blackmagic studio cams, Video Assist, SDI vs HDMI, Hollyland comms, SpaceComms cloud IFB36:15 Building the Right Toolset – From Discord hacks to a versatile, client-ready backbone in Studio 2.037:30 Wrap-Up & Call to Action – Topics/guest invites, relationships with vendors, where to watch/listen BRAND STORYTELLING | FULL SERVICE VIDEO PRODUCTIONProfessional Branded Video Production Storytelling Experts #SorrentinoMedia | Full-Service Video Production Company including LiveStreaming services 232 Madison AvenueSuite 1002New York, NY 10016mike@sorrentinomedia.com (212) 203-8419www.SorrentinoMedia.com https://www.sorrentinomedia.com/contact-sorrentino-media

    41 min
  4. Crafting a Story with Jesse VandenBergh

    08/15/2023

    Crafting a Story with Jesse VandenBergh

    This week, we’re joined by Jesse VandenBergh, Story Producer at Sorrentino Media to talk about how a video goes from an idea to a finished product. Jesse discusses the valuable lessons he learned from working in comedy and news and how he implements them into telling compelling client stories.

    46 min
  5. Creative Discoveries from Pre-Production to Post

    06/30/2023

    Creative Discoveries from Pre-Production to Post

    This week, two Sorrentino Media employees take over the microphone – Ashley Vernola (Senior Video Editor and Post-Production Coordinator) talks with Wade Shields (Creative Director) to discuss their working relationship, the history of the company, and what makes them great collaborators and friends. You don’t want to miss this deep dive into the creative process!

    39 min
  6. Creating and Launching Brands with Donna Loughlin

    04/03/2023

    Creating and Launching Brands with Donna Loughlin

    This week, we're joined by Donna Loughlin, founder of LMG PR, a public relations agency that, since its founding in 2002, has helped launch over 500 innovative companies. Donna is also the host of Before It Happened, a podcast about the experiences that inspired innovators in different industries.

    48 min
  7. Everything You Need to Know About Podcasts with Natalie Layne

    03/21/2023

    Everything You Need to Know About Podcasts with Natalie Layne

    This week, we pull back the curtain and get metatextual, in this podcast about podcasting! Natalie Layne, Director of Audio Production at Sorrentino Media, joins us to discuss what goes into making a podcast, from conception to publication. Interested in learning more about Sorrentino Media's podcast services? Visit sorrentinomedia.com/podcast-production.

    30 min
  8. Forging Your Own Path with Kathleen Foster

    02/01/2023

    Forging Your Own Path with Kathleen Foster

    This week, guest host Liz Weaver O'Keefe speaks with Kathleen Foster about her myriad experiences within media. Following her career as a broadcast journalist corresponding from conflict zones, Kathleen works with Sorrentino Media as a producer and media trainer–all while publishing a novel based on a fascinating ancestor–and provides great insight into forging your own path in your career.

    49 min
See All (20)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Welcome to the rack room. The Production Geeks is a deep-dive into the obsessive engineering, high-stakes problem solving, and "nerd-level" passion that fuels Sorrentino Media. Join founder Mike Sorrentino and Dave Shaw (VP, Content and Creative Engineering) as they pull back the curtain on the complex infrastructure behind the world’s most ambitious broadcasts. From live-streaming test flights for aerospace innovators to architecting massive multi-stream control centers and building turnkey studios for global enterprise leaders, Mike and Dave explore the "how" and "why" behind the tech. This isn’t just a talk show; it’s a technical post-mortem. We dive into the spec sheets, the signal flows, and the "engineer the hell out of it" philosophy that makes the impossible look easy. If you love the gear as much as the result, and believe that the best production is built on a foundation of relentless technical curiosity, you’ve found your people. Engineered in Midtown Manhattan at 37th & Madison. SorrentinoMedia.com and MadisonAveLive.com

Information

  • Creator
    Sorrentino Media
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Sorrentino Media
  • Show Website
    The Production Geeks

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