“My father had one of those wind up, 8 mm cameras. I discovered that and began to get film and make movies. I’m from a big family of 12 so I had a lot of actors and actresses available to me.
I’ve always had a wild imagination and being able to capture that and share with others is awesome.”
While others appreciate the joys of watching a good film, William Reliford, principal, executive producer and owner of Real Images Video Productions Inc. finds joy in being behind the scenes making films and other visual ways to interact.
In 1994 Reliford created his company to “bring ideas, concepts and people together to create visuals that would serve as useful, innovative and effective tools of communication for clients.”
Making his childhood fantasy a reality, Reliford’s path to entrepreneurship was a smooth one; one he attributes to his artistic family.
Before developing creative synergy between his staff and clients, Reliford’s passion and drive propelled his love for visual images through college at Indiana State University. The Sycamore alum graduated with a bachelor of science degree in film and television production.
“In college, you probably learn about 10 percent of the things you need to know. The rest is up to you. There are all kinds of ways you can continue to develop yourself and not rely on others to teach you,” said Reliford on some of the most important lessons he learned during his ISU years.
Post college, Reliford worked as a TV journalism video editor and videographer, and also worked in corporate communications for a Fortune 500 company.
By then it was an obvious step for Reliford to venture out and “produce” the kind of impact he wanted.
During the advent of Real Images, technology in his field was increasing. Yet Reliford still doesn’t get too caught up in the ever-evolving world of industrial science. The 43-year-old simply uses technology as a tool, one that makes it easier to bridge the gap between his imagination and what you can present to others. Technology simply brings his talent to fruition.
That talent has manifested itself in a variety of ways and a variety of projects. Real Images’ portfolio is vast, yet Reliford enjoys projects that moves and inspires people and working with non-profit organizations. He recalls a fundraising project he produced for Volunteers of America titled “Hopes and Dreams.” Through a series of vignettes, supporters learned about the lives VOA has touched: a homeless military veteran, a man who had everything but lost it to drugs and a woman and her struggle with abusive relationships.
“Those people on the screen could’ve been any one of us. I had the privilege to capture their story so people could really see what Volunteers of America do for others,” said Reliford. “The point was for people to go home and make a change. That’s the real payoff.”
Reliford and his crew also create cutting-edge animations that can be used effectively in areas such as the law.
Paul Hunt, an attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, says it’s not uncommon, especially in high stakes cases or accident lawsuits, to recreate a scene using animation.
“It’s a powerful tool to teach. Rather than just explain it, you recreate it,” said Hunt.
Hunt describes one of his cases where animation was used to show inside a dishwasher.
Reliford’s company has produced visual images for patent infringement cases for the large law firm.
“With animation, there’re no limits. It allows lawyers to demonstrate their narrative in a way that’s unmistakable,” added Reliford, who specializes in 2D and 3D animation and visual effects.
Other future projects include the Super Bowl XLVI Legacy Project, the Near East Side neighborhood revitalization project and videos related to the auto industry. Through word of mouth, Real Images has grown immensely over time.
Furthermore, this certified Minority Business Enterprise offers services such as consultation, concept development, script writing, production, graphic design, branding and marketing to corporate, governmental and educational areas. Reliford has plans to make his company useful in other areas such as medical and architecture.
Reliford is also in the process of producing his first documentary, about his mother, with other documentaries on the lives of minorities to follow.
“This is fun. My philosophy is, you only live once – live like you only have 15 minutes left. I’m doing that by creating visual images,” said Reliford.
For more information, call (317) 423-2192 or visit www.realimagesvideo.com.
