Best. Weekend. EVER!
This weekend we got to spend some time with the amazing team at Anthem Video, a video production company in BirdBrain’s proud hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. We’ve been working with the team at Anthem for the last few months to try and figure out the best way to showcase our unique and creative products in action. Our new website will have a video in the header, and we’ve been so excited to shoot new video showing how future engineers interact, build, and explore with our products.
So on Friday evening, we piled into Anthem’s studio to transform it into a cheerful and welcoming 21st century classroom. With lots of colorful accessories straight from the classroom – our Learning and Community Manager Sarah, a former teacher librarian, has boxes and boxes of goodies from her time in schools! – we set the scene for fun and exploration. (We did have to stop Sarah from bringing all of her beloved plants to the shoot, which was a hard sell.) We even made custom bulletin boards for the big day! Can you spot the one in this photo of the finished set? We thought it perfectly communicated our belief in working through mistakes and frustration, and embracing a growth mindset. Challenges and mistakes help us grow!
Bright and early on Saturday, we met our future engineers at the studio for a day of robotic fun. First, elementary and middle school students explored our tools, enjoying favorite activities like Jousting and Drawing Shapes with Finch; then it was time to explore Hummingbird Kit projects like Moving Masterpieces, Robot Petting Zoo, and a few Simple Builds. Our student guests, which included members of local organizations like Girls of Steel, Assemble, and Ruach Bicycle Club, stepped in front of the cameras like professionals! After a short set change, we spent the afternoon with high school students, throwing big challenges their way like building a custom Rover, troubleshooting a Robotic Hand, and using Python to program their way through a Finch Maze. We were so wowed by these students’ skills, positive attitudes, and comfort on set!
Check out some behind-the-scenes photos from the day’s shoot:
Psst… Do you spy anything new and exciting in these shots? The group also got a sneak peek at our newest set of tools, set to release later this year! I’m dying to tell you all about it, but OWL have to LET you in on the secret later… HOO else is excited?! 
Big thanks to the team at Anthem Video and to our amazing student volunteers, for such an exciting day! We can’t wait to share the final result with you.