I didn’t expect this week to take a turn toward skyline views and a glowing LED robot, but here we are. Around noon this Monday, I got a message about filming a corporate holiday party video. The catch? The party was that same night, 6–9 PM. Nothing like a little creative cardio to keep the industry lit. Quick paperwork, a sprint to wrap what I was doing, gear out the door, and I hit the road from two hours away, wondering what this company and party were all about.
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A bit of research on the drive (not by me, don’t worry) revealed that Cloud Dentistry isn’t tech in the Silicon Valley sense, but they do run a slick web platform that helps dentists and dental professionals find each other for work. Think staffing meets marketplace, modernized. So as far as vibes go, they’re not the stiff-corporate type, which lined up perfectly with the party I was walking into.
Filming (Un)Corporate Fun
I arrived, rode the elevator to the 41st floor, and the doors opened to a full 360-degree NYC night panorama of Dear Irving on Hudson Rooftop Bar at Aliz Hotel Times Square . Not a bad way to start a job, even on a same-day notice. The party itself was exactly what a corporate holiday party video thrives on: relaxed, social, slightly chaotic, and full of the moments you can’t script.
The DJ kept everything comfortably moving, and food kept circulating while the open bar did its best to make everyone forget it was Monday. The entertainment centerpiece was an LED robot from Laser Show USA that walked in like it owned the lease to the floor. If you’ve never seen a roomful of professionals scream-laugh when an 8-foot glowing robot appears, you’ve missed out.
I filmed for three hours, weaving around conversations, speeches, dancing, clinking glasses, and the kind of interpersonal micro-moments that make a recap shine.
Rush Processing
Then came the real work. I started editing the next morning and wrapped the polished cut in two days. I’ve done fast turnarounds before, but this one had a bit more finesse than my recent same-day edit at an Indian wedding. That SDE was a sprint: shoot in the morning, cut during the afternoon, deliver by evening. This holiday recap had room to breathe, letting me sync speech, beats, tempo, reactions, and FX details with more intention. It’s still a party piece, but a refined one.
Corporate Holiday Party Video
You may be surprised, but it was my debut filming a corporate holiday event—somehow, after two decades of photographing everything from underwater maternity to South Asian weddings in India, this niche hadn’t crossed my path. Turns out, I love it! Vibrant lighting, fast-moving energy, people dropping their guard (and occasionally their dignity), and a chance to shape a polished, hype-worthy company vibe? Yes, please.
What made this job especially fun is how unexpectedly human corporate events can be. There’s a storyline in every room, and a corporate holiday party video is really just stitching those story beats together so the team can relive the night without the hangover. If you’re a planner or a company decision maker, this is exactly the kind of assignment I love taking on. You can find more info about my corporate work on my Corporate Events Photography & Videography page.
If you’ve got a team gathering, a year-end celebration, a conference, or anything that needs strong visuals to capture the energy, reach out. I’m always up for another Cloud9 moment.
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Credits
Client: Cloud Dentistry (@clouddentistry)
Venue: Dear Irving on Hudson Rooftop Bar (@dearirvinghudson) at Aliz Hotel Times Square (@alizhoteltimessquare)
DJ and photo booth: Steve Napolitano of Liquid Sound FX (@liquidsoundfx)
Entertainment: Laser Show USA (@lasershowusa)
Cinematography & Editing: Zorz Studios (@zorzstudios)
