FireRock Productions received four 2013 Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy® Award nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) on August 1, 2013. One nomination was in the human interest category for excellence in a segment that covers subject matter that appeals to the human spirit. The other three nominations were for craft achievements - excellence in a specific craft discipline demonstrating the skills of an individual - for Rocky Urich as an editor and a photographer.
The human interest segment that was nominated is a story about Shane Burcaw. Despite living with spinal muscular atrophy, he is determined to spread hope, share laughter, and inspire people across the world. Shane, Founder and President of Laughing At My Nightmare, Inc. emailed us just about a year prior to the nomination looking for a production company to help him with a short documentary. Learn more about Shane and LAMN in this video that has earned a 2013 Emmy nomination by watching the video below. It has been an honor getting to know him, his family, and the LAMN team. We are looking forward to many more laughs and video collaborations with them in the future.
The final deadline for the 2013 Emmy® submissions was April 26, and, as with any deadline, it quickly approached. We found ourselves uploading our entries to the NATAS website while filming a promotional video for Harcum College. We would like to offer a special thank you to Rachel Bowen, Director of Admissions at Harcum. A hectic day of filming on top of her normal busy schedule had already increased her workload beyond what an individual may be able to accomplish in one day. Despite all that, she stopped at nothing to make sure we had the opportunity to finish our entry submissions in time.
We are lucky to have the clients and colleagues that we have. FireRock Productions and these Emmy® nominations are a result of the relationships we have been building over the years. Pictured to the right are two of our "rocks." Carol Ritter, President of Caroltalks, and her business partner, Laurel Mikovits, were our guests at the Emmy® nominations party. When our name was called for the first time that night, it brought tears to Carol's eyes. Though we already know it, that moment was reassurance that we're surrounding ourselves with the right people. Carol's and Laurel's guidance and positivity have been priceless for FireRock. They have seen us through many ups and downs and we are so grateful they were there to share a very special experience with us.
We would also like to thank Marlyn Kissner, Executive Vice President of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, for lighting the spark for FireRock. She is an excellent role model for best business practices here in the Lehigh Valley, and kindly took us under her wing in 2009. Thank you to Stephanie Sigafoos, Scott Babashak, Liz Keptner, and Amy Burkett for believing in us. We are so blessed to have all of you in our lives.
As FireRock Productions entered Mexican Post on Cherry Street in Philadelphia for the Emmy® nomination party, we were a bit timid. It was a first-time event for us, and we did not know what to expect. What happened next was a huge blessing. We received the warmest welcome by Laura McHugh and Grover Silcox of PBS39 WLVT. It settled us down and made us feel at home. Thank you Laura and Grover! Congratulations to you, Amy Burkett, and the rest of the PBS39 family on your Emmy® nominations!
The Emmy® Awards ceremony will be held on September 7th. To see how it all unfolds, check out our Facebook and Twitter pages! Thank you all for your support! It's essential to our growth and development, and it means the world to us! Another thank you to Shannon Sigafoos, Marketing Associate at Northampton Community College, for your constant encouragement and helping with locations for our silly video announcing our nominations! Watch the silliness, below.