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George Birnbaum, our Founder & CEO at Gemstone Media, was recently named the U.S. Small Business Administration 2024 North Florida District Veteran Business Owner of The Year.  He was honored at the 32nd Annual Small Business Week Celebration at the University of North Florida.

“Thank you to the Small Business Development Center for presenting me with the 2024 North Florida District Veteran Business Owner of The Year award.  The SBDC has been a valuable resource for Gemstone Media for many years.” George commented. “It was a privilege to have served our country in the Air Force, and now to acquire this distinguished honor for our business!”

Among his many accomplishments while leading the Gemstone Media team, George was commended for how he kept the lights on and kept employees and freelancers working after Gemstone lost nearly $250,000 in canceled live sports and events within the first two days of the pandemic.  

Since few people could travel, and even more were not gathering out of home, the timing was perfect for George to revisit an idea he’d been mulling over in the past.  He contacted a major funeral services company with the proposal, “Why not live stream celebrations of life, funerals, and graveside services for families who cannot attend in person?”  

This became an immediate hit with the funeral directors and their client families throughout the region, and a profit center for Gemstone and its personnel.  (George even appeared on CNBC, talking about this success.)  Even now, several years later, people are amenable to streaming services for family and friends who are unable or unwilling to travel.  

Since 2020, many of George’s clients in the sports and events sectors have returned, along with new ones.  Today, Gemstone continues to grow in projects, people, equipment, and space–with George Birnbaum in the corner office, making connections and designing custom video solutions for clients’ challenges.  As George tells them, “We make it easier, we make it better, and we make it matter!”

David Hall comes to Gemstone Media with over 30 years in the television industry, including most recently serving as the Creative Services Director for WCWJ, and Local Programming and Production Manager for WJXT. 

He served in the US Air Force and was qualified in electronics and satellite communication. After the Air Force, Dave started his career in TV running a satellite truck, doing live shots all around the country.

Dave is a Jacksonville native, and graduate of Jacksonville University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Development and Leadership. He is married and has 3 children and 3 grandchildren. In his spare time, Dave enjoys traveling and time on his boat.

Jamil Taveras is a Tampa native, born and raised. He attended the prestigious University of South Florida where he received a BA in Mass Communications with a focus in Broadcast and Production.

While attending USF, Jamil had the opportunity to work an internship through Gemstone Media, where he learned the ropes of live sports broadcasting. On top of his busy academic schedule, Jamil held leadership titles in multiple activities including The Herd of Thunder Marching Band, Rumble Pep Band, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Since he was a kid, Jamil has been an avid Tampa Bay sports fan following the Buccaneers, Lightning, and the Bulls. On days off, Jamil enjoys spending his free time fishing, playing video games, and hanging with family and friends.

Jamil looks forward to beginning his career with Gemstone at his Alma Mater.  Go Bulls!

Standing in a closet.  Using the ⅛” connection on a laptop.  Many creatives have recorded audio this way in a pinch, or had to work with those results later.  And yet, we all know nothing can substitute for a professional audio booth.  Fortunately for you in Jacksonville, Gemstone Media has an audio solution you can use right now.

The best video can become unwatchable with bad audio, and Gemstone Media’s commitment to helping clients with their entire “eyes and ears” production experience motivated us to rebuild our audio booth from the ground up.  

We are fortunate to have Senior Editor, Chris Linke, who understands how to capture and mix high-quality audio. Gemstone Media CEO & Founder, George Birnbaum, says, “This complete rebuild was Chris’ concept and design, and really brings this space to a whole new level of professional sound design.”

Of course, the main purpose of a sound booth is to improve acoustics; to isolate the recording environment from external sounds, while eliminating echoes or reverb (save that for special effects). We have completely new acoustic treatments, from the carpet on the floor, to custom constructed sound-deadening panels.

The Gemstone Media recording facility now occupies two comfortably sized rooms.  Talent performs with less physical restraint, potential claustrophobia, or the feeling that the engineer and producer are hovering.  (And they are not sitting on top of each other, either.)  

Our remote monitoring system allows clients and other creative personnel to “sit in” on the voiceover session via Zoom anywhere in the world and give instant instruction.  No more retakes or pick-ups on another day!  This saves time, money, and frustration.  Even though the talent works in their own room, being able to see and hear everyone else on an iPad maintains the necessary human connection for feedback.

Gemstone’s Tommy Riggins entered the new audio booth for a thorough test, a day before voicing a series of automotive spots.  He communicated with Chris in the next room, with Executive Producer Ray Hays giving feedback from his office down the hall, simulating a virtual session.

How well did it turn out?  After hearing the playback, Tommy told Chris, “I sound great!  What did you do?”  

Chris replied, “Oh, I haven’t done anything to the audio yet.”

Gemstone Media can help with your next voiceover session, too, in addition to video production.  Audio is half the product.  Contact us to reserve your time.

Gemstone Media is proud to be part of CSX railroad’s effort to prepare firefighters, police, and other first responders for emergency incidents on or around rail crossings, yards, and mainlines.

CSX announced that 2023 saw their Hazardous Materials team hold more than 60 sessions, across its 26-state system, with more than 6,000 first responders, contractors, and local government officials.  The training includes videos produced by Gemstone Media to help prepare the responders for potential rail-related emergencies.

“Our ONE CSX collaborative culture is deeply rooted in safeguarding our communities” said CSX President and CEO, Joe Hinrichs. He added, “Through classroom, virtual, and hands-on trainings, we provide first responders with the confidence and skills necessary to effectively manage rail-related incidents, which helps protect our communities, employees and customers.”

CSX Hazmat and infrastructure personnel work closely with state and local authorities to deliver what has become the gold standard for emergency response to railroad incidents.  The award-winning videos produced by Gemstone are used in classrooms, on board the Responder Incident Training (RIT) train, and online.  The RIT train includes a classroom and rail cars for a hands-on training experience.

“Personal and community safety is the most important aspect of how firefighters or police approach an incident involving a train.  We’re honored to help CSX’s emergency response personnel spread their expert knowledge to towns across the eastern half of the nation,” said Gemstone’s Executive Producer, Ray Hays.

Since the first iteration in 2015 the training has also been taken online by thousands of first responders in the other 24 states who find the information is helpful for all railroads and not only CSX.

Gemstone is currently collaborating with the CSX team in the production of expanded and more versatile update of the video training tools scheduled for release later this year.

Gemstone Media, Inc. is a full-service video and digital media production company helping clients achieve their goals through the power of effective media.  The company produces live broadcast sports, corporate media and training, commercials, and social media messaging.

For more information: Contact Ray Hays at Gemstone Media.  The CSX press release is here.

A shimmering sight in the lobby of Gemstone Media is our trophy case, which contains evidence of the quality work our team delivers, including two Emmy Awards and one Communicator Award for nationally broadcast documentaries about one of the world’s preeminent automotive events.

Winning Amelia and Driving Amelia were created by Gemstone Media. Executive Producer, Ray Hays, wrote and directed these hour-long documentaries showcasing the 2019 and 2020 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.  Both aired in prime time on NBCSN, and locally on WCWJ and WJXT.  

The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, founded by automotive journalist and collector Bill Warner, has earned an international reputation for its high-quality selection of cars, attendance by racing legends, picturesque setting, and the unbridled celebration of automotive history and design.

“Bill trusted Gemstone Media to faithfully share the essence and purpose of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance to the world. Our talented team turned the opportunity into multiple awards for the quality of the show!” says George Birnbaum, Gemstone Media CEO & Founder. 

“For over 25 years, The Amelia has been the crossroads of the unexpected and the incredible.  It’s the people, their passion, and their stories which gave our production team such fantastic content,” added Gemstone Media Executive Producer, Ray Hays. 

Winning Amelia drove off with a Communicator Award in 2020. The Communicator Awards honor excellence in a variety of categories and the entries are judged by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA).

Winning Amelia and Driving Amelia both earned Emmys for “Special Event Coverage–Edited” from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Suncoast Chapter in 2020 and 2021.