Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Scalise.
Hi Michael, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Being a visual person, I have always been interested and fascinated by movies and film-making. Along with that I had two other passions….music and magic. While I never let go of the last two, I decided to pursue the visual arts when I was young…which led to making Super 8 movies in the backyard with friends. Nothing groundbreaking…just goofing around. If it’s good enough for Steven Spielberg…it’s good enough for me! After high school I went to college and majored in Communications covering Radio, TV, and Film Production.
While in college I secured an internship at KGTV, the ABC affiliate in San Diego. I also secured an internship at KFMB-TV, the CBS affiliate in San Diego. These internships allowed me to get my foot in the door and see what television production was all about in the real world. Eventually I was hired by KGTV in the mid-80’s and worked in the mailroom while I completed my Bachelors degree. For a short while I worked at both stations…which apparently was a conflict of interest…but for me they were a way to help pay for school!
Shortly after all the internships and mailroom gig I was hired full time at KFMB in 1989 as a TV News Editor. I was now editing video for the daily newscasts. Working on five shows per day meant five times the amount of deadlines…and five times the stress. TV News is a business built on adrenaline and stress…and its fast paced nature is what draws many to it. During my time at KFMB I was involved in a variety of projects, and saw a lot of things that the average job would not afford one to see and do. In my thirty four years at KFMB I was not only a TV News Editor…but I also did some Entertainment writing and producing. This gave me the opportunity to participate in junkets…and go to Los Angeles to attend movie screenings and interview the cast and crew. This was a special experience as the studios would take really good care of us…and I am talking stays at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills…great meals…”A” list treatment! While working at KFMB I won an Emmy Award in 1991 for our coverage of a parade in downtown San Diego honoring the troops upon their return from the Gulf War.
While working at KFMB I decided to start my own video business…and in 2001 created Black Tie Productions. We offer photography and video production…services include general photography, headshots, promotional videos, photo montages, biographies, and documentaries. Our clients include businesses and consumers alike. Black Tie Productions has won several awards over the years including a Telly Award, and IndieFEST Award, and two DigiFest Awards.
While juggling two careers, the one at KFMB and the other at Black Tie Productions, I decided to retire from broadcasting and TV News in 2022. After approximately forty years in the TV News business this move allowed me to focus more on my business, giving me time to take on new projects. I have also been very involved in the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce…which has led to many networking opportunities, putting my business in the spotlight. The pace is a bit more relaxed now…but I still enjoy what I do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not always been smooth…especially for me as I commuted for many years from Temecula to San Diego…five days a week! All that driving can take a toll on a person. As for the TV News business itself, yes there were several patches that involved budget cuts, layoffs, and corporate takeovers. These were not fun times seeing your fellow co-workers lose their jobs…which many times meant those that remained were spread even thinner taking on more duties.
Personally, through the years, there were many decisions to be made. For example, while in school, I had opportunities to get hired before I completed my degree. In the end I decided to complete my schooling first. Had I taken a job and it did not work out…I would only have to go back and finish school at a later time… making things more challenging.
And starting a business is filled with all sorts of challenges. One has to jump through hoops to get licensed…get permits…finding money for equipment…advertising….etc. It never ends. But I do it because I am passionate about what I do…and in the end that is what drives me to continue.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my earlier statement I laid out my background and how I got to where I am today. As for what I am currently doing and specializing in…there are many answers. With Black Tie Productions we are available for photography…including headshots, family photos, event photos…for businesses and consumers. This may seem like a long list but variety is what keeps it interesting and challenging. Not to mention all of the various people I meet along the way. Black Tie Productions is also available for video production. When the company first opened we were strictly focused on wedding videography…shooting several hundred here in Temecula and the surrounding areas. There are so many beautiful venues and wineries…it was really a treat to work at these venues. Over the years we shifted and began doing promotional videos, photo montages, memorial videos, music videos, documentaries…again variety is key. I just love working with the moving image.
I am proud of all my work…and the joy it brings to my clients. For me their reaction is the real payoff. A recent project that I am super proud of is a documentary completed in 2024. It centers around a fundraising event in Temecula called Reality Rally…it ran for 12 years and raised over one million dollars for Michelle’s Place, a Temecula cancer support center. We had the film’s premiere at Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula…and after the screening, one couple who saw the film made a forty thousand dollar donation! Amazing!! So even though the event is done…this documentary continues the efforts to help the cancer support center.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy is doing what I love. I have always always heard that if your are doing what you love…and can make a living doing it…then it will not feel like work. I am fortunate to do what I love…not everyone can say that. Also…the feedback from clients when I deliver their project…that is very important. This is where I work hard…customer service….giving people what they want…what they deserve. Sometimes it can get tricky because their vision does not match their budget…or vice versa. There is always a percentage of compromise in the equation. But in the end it all works out.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blacktie-productions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btpvideotemecula/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackTieProductionsVideo/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelscalise/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BlackTieProductions
