14th Annual Texas Film Awards moves on up!

Did we say that the 2013 Texas Film Hall of Fame was lucky 13? Well the 14th year certainly seemed lucky too! The event got a new name (Texas Film Awards) some incredibly gifted and generous co-chairs (Bobbi and Mort Topfer) and some pretty

high-profile faces (Mac Davis, Priscilla Presley, Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Amber Heard, Johnny Depp) graced the Texas version of the Academy Awards.

This was Craftbox Agency’s 7th year producing the awards show and while the event expands and grows by leaps and bounds every year - we continue to provide Austin Film Society with stellar creative direction, event planning & production services. This is a big production ya’ll that includes an awards show, dinner, fundraiser and after-party. Craftbox manages and oversees a design team, a production team over 50 vendors and 100+ volunteers. Craftbox also works with AFS executive management on overall theme development and subsequent design collaterals, facilitate sponsorship opportunities and to produce the awards show. 

Lots of love and talent went into the making of the intro reel for the awards. Take a look!

Just to give you an idea of scale…..the event is located on the grounds of Austin Studios in the old National Guard Armory Building. Craftbox was tasked with transforming the helicopter hanger into the main Gala room complete with seating for 800, a custom designed stage and a state of the art audio/visual set-up that would rival anything on the west coast! How did we do that? Well we are good but we also very blessed to work with a truly amazing group of technical vendors such as Blue House Design, Houndstooth Studio, Illios Lighting Design, Agrekko Electric and Freeman AV. These are the un-sung production warriors of many Austin events and we could not do it without them!

While the Awards show is the main event - Craftbox does know how to throw a party and the Texas Film Awards Party was no exception. Craftbox worked with Marquee’s power couple Narcy and Carlos Martinez to design a 800x800 ft square tent that featured a 50 ft. red carpet, an entertainment stage, DJ, dance floor, Raffle/Auction area, two refreshment areas, 8 local food vendors, a photobooth, and an adjacent VIP tent with separate catering/refreshment areas, audio/visual set up. Loving these photos by Photographers Rick Kern & Steve Garza!

And guess what? Craftbox Agency is already hard at work on the 2015 show that will be held on March 12th, 2015. Maybe Pati will get to serve Johnny Depp another non-alcoholic beer!

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Craftbox Love!

Well, we are honored, humbled and super HAPPY!! 

Austin Chronicle's 25th annual issue of the Best of Austin not only mentions our stylish and fearless leader Celeste Quesada but also gives props to Craftbox Agency for our work with the Austin Film Society's Texas Film Hall of Fame. We are so thankful for not only The Chronicle's support, but also for the support of our fabulous clients. This has been a great year for Craftbox Agency. Stay tuned for new exciting announcements and creative affairs... and don't forget to be our friend! 

Woot! Craftbox Agency in the 25th Annual issue of The Austin Chronicle

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Forklift DanceWorks - DecaDance!

Join the DecDance Event Page!

Get ready to get your dance on ya’ll! Craftbox is proud to be the producer and an early sponsor for this event + fundraiser.  Save the date!

Here are a few pix of last year's party - you can be sure that this year's party will not disappoint!

SIMS Foundation's Heart of the City

It was a sold out night of soul for the SIMS Foundation and you can bet Craftbox Agency was there to help make it a night to remember!

Craftbox absolutely LOVES working with the SIMS folks and we truly believe in their mission. By crafting a vision and setting a mood, we transformed The Scottish Rite Theatre into a 1930’s esque Speak Easy and let the musical energy do the rest!

“Standing ovation for #HeartoftheCity Creative Director, Celeste Quesada of Craftbox Agency. Did she pull off a beautiful event or what!”

“This was one of those nights where the setting was so perfect, and the show so incredibly good that you get goose bumps listening to the phenomenal talent on the stage before you.“

This year’s SIMS Foundation Gala came together in a short 6 months and was a collaboration of an amazing behind-the-scenes talent including the SIMS Foundation staff and board, The Heart of the City Committee, Scottish Rite’s Rich Vazquez, scrumptious midnight snack gods SINGHS Vietnamese, Royer’s Pie Haven & Nothing Bundt Cakes, gorgeous art installation created by Chella Cardona, Alicia Frausto Design, Giant Noise, The Huston-Tillotson RamNites Step Dance Team,  Kendra Scott, Blo Austin, Chelsea Grace Design, Co-chairs Noel & Will Bridges and our fabulous crew & volunteers. If you didn’t get a chance to check out the event - the talent line up was stellar and included fantastic artists such as Nakia, Bobby Patterson, Tameca Jones, Dan Dyer & Daniel James Leopold (of Leopold and his Fiction) and Music Director grammy award winning Adrian Quesada and his all-star band.

Adrian, Dan Dyer and Tameca Jones recorded “I Need You” as part of the SIMS fundraising effort and the song was also incorporated into the event invitation. You can also see highlight photos of the event below!

Enjoy - Celeste & Pati

Craftbox Agency is Expanding Our Tool Kit!

Craftbox Agency is expanding our tool kit - Pati Shampton joins our team

July 22, 2014

Craftbox is pleased to announce that Pati Shampton joined our posse of creative conspirators in June. She has over 13 years of combined experience as a Project Manager and Event Planner. Pati currently serves as Executive Director of Chula League, Project Director of Cherrywood Art Fair 2014 and is an active leader in the Lamar Middle School Orchestra Booster Club. Pati will assist Craftbox with day-to-day operations and serve as Event Planner.

"Pati approached me two years ago about getting back into the Event Planning business and I’m thrilled she did. She has been one of my ‘special agents’ on some fun yet challenging events. She is my kind of engaged and dedicated ‘get things done’ girl. We work fabulously together and I’m thrilled she is officially joining Craftbox Agency” says Celeste Quesada, founder.

Pati has a strong background in customer service, team building, vendor management & strategic and production planning. She is a stickler for details and is looking forward to working with Craftbox clients to execute stunning and memorable events, galas, fundraisers, weddings, corporate meetings and conferences.

Pati and Celeste worked together on such events as The Texas Film Awards (2013, 2014), SIMS Foundation ‘Heart of the City’ (2014) and ‘Femmes for SIMS’ Gala (2013) and The Cherrywood Art Fair (2012, 2013, 2014).

"Celeste and Pati are the creative, hardworking power-house behind the Craftbox Agency. I’ve had the pleasure of working with them on two very different projects and both times felt so taken care of. Craftbox events have a certain sparkle, that’s unmistakable. Every moment of a Craftbox event is special, unexpected and personal. I love the Craftbox vibe and aesthetic- but what I respect most is their work ethic. It’s rare to meet such a hard working, happy team. It’s amazing to be around them and inspiring to watch them work. I hope to work with them again as soon as I can." -- Lila Tewnenbown, Marketing Manager, Events & Promotions at Outbrain

The two have have been friends for over twenty years and have a penchant for Pinterest, wine, tequila, live music and their awesome families.

The ladies - just chillin'.

2014 Texas Film Awards

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Presenting the Vibe Diva, DJ Mahealani!

Craftbox Agency had the pleasure of meeting DJ Mahealani many moons ago, when we were mere babes in the moonlit woods.

We've always been a big fan of her talent, her work ethic and most of all, her most lovely and nurturing spirit.

Please enjoy our interview of one the most awesome FEMALE deejays in Austin!!

photo by John Leach

How long have you been a Deejay?

The first time I deejayed live in front of people with 2 turntables was in 1999. I was selling home made mixtapes before that when I lived in Maui. And the first time I ever played with a dj set up, I was 16 - goofing around with 3rd Bass & Art of Noise records. I have been collecting records since I was a kid growin’ up all over Texas. My family moved a lot & records were friends I didn’t have to leave behind. 

You are one of a few female DJs in Austin. What’s that like?

I love playing records & I am always grateful to be able to work doing what I love. That feels amazing! - But I know if I was a guy I’m pretty sure I’d feel the same way! ...Although, I will say that things have been man-splained to me more times than I can count, and it is hilarious when my husband is with me at a gig - folks will look at him & talk to him like he’s the deejay even though he is not behind the turntables. Usually when I play, though, all that goes away pretty fast!

I am definitely not the only female dj in town, & I have had the pleasure of meeting & working with several of them. I like to stay away from being a token female in the dj scene & it makes me happy to see women reppin’ their dj styles here in town. Shout outs to Shani, Katrina, Blend*E, FaithGay, YoungBreezy, LoveCat, WannaBe, Kate, Chantal, & the other ATX lady deejays out there!

You’ve done a lot of women and child advocacy work before. Tell us about that experience and what it means to you.

I have a background answering domestic violence hotline calls & being a children’s advocate at Women Helping Women Maui, & I have been a children’s advocate at SafePlace here in Austin. I have also been working part time as the Evening Care Coordinator at the ACC Children’s Lab School for almost 10 years now, helping to support families when parents go back to school at night. This kind of work means the world to me. 

It’s honestly a grounding reason I love to dj. Music is a bridge between & within people- it makes cultural, emotional, & somatic connections that words by themselves cannot create. I have seen first-hand how music heals: the right song at the right time can sometimes be what one needs literally to survive the day. The skills I have learned building relationships with diverse families, children, & folks in stress & crisis are many of the same skills I use to feel the crowd and choose my selections. I also can feel the subtlety in vibe in terms of how friendly & safe it feels for women on the dance floor. I feel a responsibility & a joy playing records that set an uplifting, protective, & powerful tone. I also love the authenticity of kids- and that is what I tune into & see in people every time I play records. I want folks to have that innocent & healing playfulness when they dance & listen to the records I play - even when they are feeling grown & sexy on the dance floor!

Tell us about being a teacher at Girls Rock Camp.

It's the coolest things ever! I am so inspired being a part of this diverse group of musicians & future musicians! As a teacher, I get to help set a tone of safety & risk for these girls & young women. I give the girls space to dig in my crates & choose records they like- some have never even played a record before. We talk about music styles- I learn what they like & introduce them to older sounds that relate to the newer stuff they like. They get to learn how to hook up a deejay set up & feel confident about it! We talk about feelings- how they feel when they dance & feel good- & using that to feel the audience when choosing selections. Girls can have so much empathy & we talk about tuning in with that when selecting too. We also talk about math! I teach them about beats per minute & how to beat match. I let the girls experiment with scratching & using the mixer faders. I get to share with them that I didn’t get better deejaying until I wasn’t afraid to mess up & sound bad. Some of the smartest women I know have made mistakes & then learned from those mistakes- that’s what made them so smart. That’s probably the most important thing to me that I get to share with them.

What are your five top favorite songs to get people dancing? 

Hmmm... let’s see what pops in my head right now:

• Get up Get Down Get Funky Get Loose    Teddy Pendergrass

• Rock Steady     Aretha Franklin

• I feel for you    Chaka Khan

• Paid in Full 7 Minutes of Madness     Eric B & Rakim

• Once in a Lifetime     the Talking Heads 

It’s extremely difficult to name only five, & it really depends on the listeners & dancers.  It can be surreal seeing how the same song can work differently depending on the crowd.

Is it true you only spin vinyl? Why?

I mainly spin only wax. I say mainly because there are some occasions that I may be hired to play a specially created track for a special event- that is not on vinyl. Ninety nine point nine percent of the time, though, it’s all wax! The reason(S)? I love records. I have collected them before I ever thought I would become a dj. I am also a kinesthetic & visual person so my brain works well physically flippin’ thru big square pictures to find the songs I want to play. Records & record players remind me of a time when music didn’t seem so disposable, & I love that! Many of my records are older than me- and their feel & meaning is just as relevant & important today. There are spirits & stories in those records that i feel drawn to play- the better I dj the more i trust that, and the more i trust that, the better I dj. Also, I loved surfing in Maui, & the feel of dropping the needle in the record groove at just the right time in the rhythm of the mix is the same as catching a good wave to me.

This isn't your first time DJ'ing Studio 54klift -- why have you chosen to return this year?

I love any chance I can be a part of something supporting the vision Allison Orr! She showcases what many might find as “ordinary” to show us the truly extraordinary. That is very special to me. For example, her work in Trash Dance aligned with MLK’s work at the end of his life. I think we the viewers all felt more dignified after clearly seeing the humanity, art, & dignity of our own sanitation workers in that piece of her work. Our city is so lucky to have that gift. I admire her ability to tune into & share the beautiful rhythm of people being human.

What’s your favorite thing about Studio 54klift?

Getting to play all those classic jams for some of the best & most fun dancers in town! Are you kidding?! - It is one of the best crowds to get to play records for! A deejay’s dream!

Oooo-la-la!
Check out this foto: Can't you just feel the mood??

photo by John Leach

Make sure to check out DJ Mahealani on Saturday, May 18th 

for Forklift Danceworks' STUDIO 54klift!! 

PS: Craftbox Agency couldn't be more honored to produce Studio 54klift... stay tuned for the deets!

Texas Film Hall of Fame, Lucky 2013

The 13th Annual Texas Film Hall of Fame was a smashing success this year!!

It was Craftbox Agency's SIXTH time to produce the event and we couldn't be more pleased.

Fabulous Film Director and Austin Film Society Founder, Richard Linklater said, "Yes, seems like the consensus is best show ever, we DON'T say that every time like they do at the end of the Olympics or something.  Everyone seems to be loving the wonderful vibe and the pace of the show (and our wonderful emcee!), etc. but I also want to give a big shout out to what seemed like technical perfection, which sure doesn't happen by itself.  To Celeste and everyone else  - very smoothly produced show!...".

 Holy Moly - them are (positive) fightin' words right there.

 For me, the real magic is behind the scenes. The Texas Film Hall of Fame is a year-round production, with all kinds of fabulous people contributing their ideas, time, energy and just a wee bit of patience.

In order to set the tone of this event, 

you must first watch this killer video created by your favorite and mine (see below):

TFHOF 2013 Intro from Houndstooth on Vimeo.

Just for grins, I'd like to show you some "before and after images" to capture the essence of the hard-working TFhoF team.

See this Cocktail Party Gorgeous-ness?  

Photo by Jerry Hayes

 Before came the making of the box sculptures.

Chelsea Grace Design did a fantastic job carrying out the vision. Dang! She not only knows how to work a power tool, she looks fabulous working one. Love this talented Ladyfriend sooo much. And, look at my fabulous assistant, Sara Grauerholz. With her background in Theater and Set Design, she was a force to be reckoned with.

 Michael Austin, of Build Austin, even came out on a Sunday to lend a helping hand.

This year, the Texas Film Hall of Fame dinner and awards show was hosted in a huge 82 by 164 ft. Lossberger Tent provided by Marquee Tents and Rentals. Unbelievable!

Photo by Jerry Hayes

 It takes a TON of planning to make sure the design and placement

 of this structure is absolutely perfect.

 Check out the dude on top of the tent. You are my un-sung hero.


And the Stage Design provided by the most fabulous Technical Designer ever,
Bill Haddad of Blue House Design.
That killer logo and all the print design collateral was created by the incredible team at FBA.

I love this team. (Wish the picture had the WHOLE team!!)
(Those children, even though we bend the child labor laws just a little, really know their stuff.)
Big Shout-Out to Patrick Kondelis of Round Mountain Productions, Chris Overbeek and Jeff Kuryak of Freeman, Carlos Martinez of Marquee Tents and Rentals, with Amelie and Marcelle Quesada.

Hey! And that's me in the middle. 

Not even a LARGE tree can stand in our team's way.

Photo by Jerry Hayes

That table in the foreground is just about where that tree was.
(Don't worry, it found a fabulous new home.)

Enough already with the before and after pics....
Let's get to the good stuff!!

Photo by Jerry Hayes

The VIP room, ready to be filled with directors, actors and all kinds of very important folks.

The media's anticipation of the stars' arrival!! 

Our Step and Repeat was a mere 50ft long.

Photo by Jerry Hayes

The Dining Room and Stage in the tent. The amazing show projection content was provided by Houndstooth Studio. Que Pretty!

 Pretty crazy how accurate Bill Haddad's illustration was, right??

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

Dana Wheeler-Nicholson knocked it out of the ballpark as our Emcee.

Photo by Todd Wolfson

Grupo Fantasma as the Texas Film Hall of Fame House Orchestra.

Photo by Miguel Angel

Lady Luck, (aka Elexia Lowe, an Austin-based actress) was our Diva of the Night.
Sponsored by Kendra Scott, she raised lots of money selling lottery tickets.
Dress was designed by Chia Guillory
and headdress was created by Allyson Garro of Coco Coquette.

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

The gorgeous and mega-talented native Texan, Robin Wright.

Seriously Swooning.

Photo by Gary Miller

The one and only film icon, Rob Reiner.

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

The after-party was a smashing success. 

The gorgeous chandelier, overall party lighting design and projection-mapping provided by Houndstooth Studio. 

Lighting Equipment provided by Ilios Lighting Design. 

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

 Tableau Vivant created by Coco Coquette.

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

 Guest Deejay performances included el John Selector, Jim Eno of Spoon, Composer Graham Reynolds, and Adrian Quesada of Grupo Fantasma and Brownout.

And finally, the Creative Director and the Music Director of Texas Film Hall of Fame.

All in a day's work, People.

We can't wait for next year!!

And a giant squeal of love for
TEXAS FILM HALL OF FAME 2013 TEAM
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!