Gale Force Media helps Canes fans be a Champion

By Andrew Lippe

Gale Force Media, the creative services operator for the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, is aiming all in house entertainment toward the “Be a Champion” campaign in which fans all season will be treated to videos and graphics that recapture the glory of the Hurricanes 2006 Stanley Cup Victory.

Gale Force Media provides the Hurricanes and North Carolina State University Wolfpack with videos, animations, and graphic designs, for direct-to-consumer videos and websites. The RBC Center, home of the Hurricanes and Wolfpack, is equipped with a Sony Scoreboard above center ice.

The Hurricanes video content includes current players, coaches and Stormy the team mascot. All Jumbotron material is organized by the Hurricanes award-winning multimedia team Canes Vision. The video production team last year won three bronze Telly awards for their videos “Stormy’s Been Everywhere,” “The Legend of Chase McCoy,” and Bring the Pain. That excellence will be showcased again in the Hurricanes project, “Be a Champion.”

“Be a Champion, devotes all our in house entertainment not just to our fans but to fans everywhere to reach for their dreams,” said Pete Soto, director of Gale Force Media. “Many of the videos that were created were meant to inspire youth.”

Gale Force uses Softimage Xsi software for their graphics applications. 3D graphics are used in creating movie trailer like elements. Gale Force also uses an Avid editing system. “Headshots and live video combined with 3D effects makes content more exciting,” said Soto.