Colorado River District Intro

Press Release

Contact: Heather Macdonald

970.309.1938

heather@fusemedia.tv

September 24, 2007

For Immediate Release

Local filmmaker receives two Emmy Award nominations

Aspen, CO. Chris Macdonald, owner of FuseMedia and www.aspenlife.tv, was nominated for two Emmy nominations for Aspen Artbeat that airs on Plum TV. Macdonald was nominated for best cinematography and editing for his profiles on artists Tania Dibbs and Mark Cesark. Aspen Artbeat, fully conceptualized and produced by Macdonald, is a Plum TV series that profiles 10 artists living and working in the Roaring Fork Valley. Over 1000 entries were submitted to the regional Emmy competition, which included programming from all major broadcast and cable markets in the “Heartland” region including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Wichita, Denver, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction. The awards ceremony will take place on October 27 in Denver, Colorado.

The Artist profiles from Aspen Artbeat can be seen on http://www.fusemedia.tv/artists.html

FuseMedia is a media marketing company that specializes in creating innovative and cost-effective video marketing solutions for businesses of all sizes and budgets. FuseMedia is also the sole producer of Aspen Life TV (www.aspenlife.tv), an online video guide to lodging, real estate, restaurants, shopping and recreation.

For more information, please contact Heather Macdonald 970.309.1938 / heather@fusemedia.tv

####

The Silver Queen Gondola

Watch Video!
If you are visiting Aspen, Colorado you must take a ride on the Silver Queen Gondola. The Gondola travels over 3,000 vertical feet up the face of Aspen Mountain (known as AJAX to locals). When you reach the summit 11,212 feet above sea level you will have breath taking views of Aspen and the Elk Mountain Range.

In the summer months activities include rock climbing, frisbee golf, hiking. You can also enjoy a picnic lunch or lunch from the Sundeck Restaurant.

In the winter months the main activity of course is skiing, but visitors may also enjoy snowshoeing or just the breath taking views!

Visit Aspen Life TV for more information!

Don't Spend More....Redirect Your Marketing Dollars

We take care of all the details from assessing your marketing needs to full HD production to posting your video on your website.

We are the video marketing experts in the Roaring Fork Valley. We have over 20 years experience producing film and video for major broadcast television networks, Fortune 500 companies, real estate brokers and small businesses.

We help distribute your videos through our partnerships, enhanced search engine optimization, and will include your video on our exciting new online video guide, Aspen Life TV for one year.

For more information please visit FuseMedia

or AspenLife TV

FuseMedia makes creating and distributing video easy as 123

Our 3 Step Process

Step 1: Before we get started we need to get to know you and your company to discover what is most important to you. To get started, please take a moment and answer the questions below.

Your Current Marketing & Advertising

What are your current methods of reaching your clients? (Print, direct mail, email, TV, radio, word of mouth, walk-in)

Would you say that your website is integral to your marketing & advertising success?

Do you know the traffic on your website (Unique visitors)?

Do you communicate with potential or existing clients through email?

How do you think you would use your video most, Internet, email, television or DVD?

Your Video—Your Story

How would you best describe your company?

What message do you want your consumers to receive?

What is the problem that you are solving with your service or product?

What is your competitive advantage? (Why do customers prefer your solution to other solutions?)

What are the key benefits that you provide to your clients?

Who are your clients that realize your benefits?


Who are the key people in your business (co-owners, influencers, people whom you could not do what you do without)?

Do you have clients or colleagues that will speak of your services or products (please list)?

Step 2: Now we head into our own creative process of research and brainstorming and develop a plot that tells your story in an informative and engaging way. We arrange shoot locations, schedule interviews, and then produce as promised.

Step 3: Now we make sure your video gets out to the biggest growing audience—the worldwide web. In addition your video can be used on TV or for DVD distribution. However, you decide to you use it, you are guaranteed that your video will get you the results you want.

For more information about our distribution channels please visit www.aspenlife.tv or call Heather McKee at 970-309-1938.

Watch 3 New Real Estate Videos on Aspen Life TV

Doug Leibinger of Chaffin Light Real Estate showcases 3 incredible property listings on Aspen Life TV.
The Frying Pan River Home, Basalt, Colorado
Make this beautiful and serene river front estate your own. An ideal mountain retreat situated on the banks of the infamous Frying Pan River, this immaculate home is without compromise. An impeccably well designed home offering master craftsmanship throughout. This is the quintessential angler's dream home - equally suited as a year round residence or second home. Over an acre of land offer infinite privacy while remaining within walking distance of downtown Basalt's charming shops and restaurants.
For more information please visit Doug Leibinger's website at http://www.aspenareaproperty.com/

Sopris Mountain Ranch Home, Snowmass, Colorado
Gentleman’s ranch retreat. Extraordinary craftsmanship on a stunning lot with panoramic views of Mt. Sopris and Basalt Mountain. Walk or ride your horse into the wilderness from your front door. A stream and pond enhance the summer experience. *all artwork excluded from the sale of the property.
For more information please visit Doug Leibinger's website at www.aspenareaproperty.com

Snowmass Creek Home, Snowmass, Colorado
The true beauty begins along the home's spacious and private verandas with outdoor fireplaces overlooking Snowmass Creek with sweeping mountain vistas. Complete with barn, caretaker's quarters, artist studio and irrigated pasture for your horses.

On the banks of Snowmass Creek, you can fish, ride your horses or hike into public lands from the front or back door of this amazing estate.

Attention to detail throughout this property is extraordinary. From an underground irrigation system for the pasture to the reclaimed timber trusses, this property must be seen personally to appreciate all that it has to offer.
For more information please visit Doug Leibinger's website at www.aspenareaproperty.com

Aspen's Only Online Video Guide

About Aspen, Colorado

Aspen, Colorado boasts some of the world's best skiing, but winter is not the only season or reason to visit. From the stunning natural beauty of the mountain terrain to an equally impressive dining landscape, there is no place like Aspen. A distinctive blend of history, culture, festivals, sports and nightlife makes this Rocky Mountain town a world-class, year-round destination.

Location & Climate
Located in the White River National Forest, the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Aspen is 220 miles southwest of Denver. Most days in Aspen are clear and sunny, the 7,980-foot altitude translating to dry air and low humidity. (Indeed Aspen boasts an average of 300 days of sunshine annually!) Daytime winter temperatures range from 20 to 55 degrees, evening temperatures from 10 to 30 degrees. Daytime summer temperatures range from 65 to 85 degrees; evening from 50 to 65 degrees.

Getting To & Around Aspen
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is served by United, Delta, Northwest and America West airlines and is located five miles from downtown.. Aspen is also accessible via Eagle Airport, a 75-mile drive from Aspen, as well as Denver International Airport, which is 208 miles away. Colorado Mountain Express offers shuttle service from Denver International Airport and CLS offers a private limousine and Suburban service from all major airports in Colorado.

Sports for All Seasons
In warm weather, recreational opportunities include: golfing on championship courses; outdoor tennis at several nearby courts; hiking along hundreds of scenic trails; guided and unguided horseback riding along mountain trails; and biking through the beautiful Rocky Mountain countryside. In addition visitors can take in fishing at the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan rivers, guided hunting trips, scenic skytours of the Aspen/Snowmass area, sunrise hot-air ballooning above lush green mountain peaks and whitewater rafting on the Colorado, Roaring Fork and Arkansas rivers.

During the winter, Aspen offers skiers and snowboarders the power of four. Four of the world's greatest mountains - Aspen, Buttermilk, Snowmass and Aspen Highlands - form one giant ski resort, which can be accessed with multi-mountain lift passes. Scenic cross-country trails are available for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers. Private and group ski lessons can be tailored to individual levels of skill.

Other winter activities include exploring the surrounding mountains on snowshoes, gliding across the snow on horse-drawn sleighs and snowmobiling. Ice-skating also is available at Aspen Ice Gardens, an indoor rink open year-round, and at The Silver Circle, an outdoor rink open during the winter months. The Aspen Recreation Center also offers visitors access to a 32-foot climbing tower, aquatic center, NHL-size ice arena with grandstands, team, individual and family locker rooms, a youth center and five outdoor multi-use playing fields.

Dining
A premiere dining destination, Aspen features over 100 restaurants and bars that appeal to every palate. The place in Aspen for breakfast, Poppycock’s or the Weinerstub, and lunch, Boogie’s for burgers or Pacifica for enjoying fresh seafood on the patio. Throughout the summer months, diners take in breathtaking views of Aspen Mountain from Hotel Jerome's Garden Terrace while enjoying the distinctive American cuisine.

For more globally-inspired cuisine, visitors can feast on sushi at Kenichi and Matsuhisa, gorge on Italian dishes at Campo di Fiori and its sister establishment, Gusto, enjoy Mediterranean favorites at D19 or indulge in the true flavors of the French countryside at Rustique and Cache Cache.

Nightlife
When it comes to life after dark, there is plenty in Aspen with a host of trendy bars, live music venues, upscale lounges and spirited sports bars. The Hotel Jerome's saloon-like J-Bar has been Aspen's favorite watering hole for locals, visitors and celebrities since 1889. For a more relaxed atmosphere, the hotel's sophisticated lounge, The Library, serves premium liquors, fine wines and cigars in a warmly lit, comfortable setting. Night crawlers in search of a casual sports bar sample the attractions of Bentley's at the Wheeler or Eric's bar, while those in search of a dance floor can trip the light fantastic at Belly Up or Synergy. The Cigar Bar and the infamously exclusive Caribou Club offer a more cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Cultural Enrichment
Chicago industrialist Walter Paepcke discovered Aspen while looking for the ideal setting in which to revitalize the mind, body and spirit. With the nationally acclaimed Aspen Art Museum, exceptional galleries, and spectacular annual festivals, Aspen fulfills Paepcke's dream and serves as the cultural Mecca of the Rockies. Seasonal events include the summer's internationally acclaimed Aspen Music Festival & School; Jazz Aspen/Snowmass, two, three-day festivals of jazz and world music; Aspen Santa Fe Ballet; the Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen with dozens of celebrity chefs and wine experts, cooking demonstrations and tastings; and the winter's U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, when the biggest names in the entertainment industry flock to Aspen to perform stand-up routines and sketch comedy. Other offerings include performances at the historic Wheeler Opera House, Aspen's beautiful Victorian theater; exhibitions of fine arts and architecture at the Aspen Art Museum; tours of Hallam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary; guided walking tours of downtown Aspen and the historic West End residential area conducted by Heritage Aspen.

Shopping
Aspen shopping is a sport all its own. A myriad of high-end boutiques and specialty stores are all within walking distance. Visitors in search of the finer things in life can stroll through Brioni, Bulgari, Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren and Prada boutiques. Aspen specialty stores Harmony Scott Jewlry, Chepita, Tomorrow’s Laundry, Polar Revolution, Performance Ski carry an eclectic array of designer brands to specialty items. Those who seek active wear look no further than regional favorites like the Ute Mountainer, Aspen Sports or The North Face. Shoppers can find a wide selection of fine art from sculpture, painting, glass, these pieces are hand selected by distinguished art conosouiers and made available in Aspen’s many fine art galleries

Brief Historical Background of Aspen
By Patricia Limerick
Professor of History, Colorado University

Archaeologists recently discovered that ancient people made their homes in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado 8,000 years ago. Ute Indian tradition says that these "Shining Mountains" have always been their homeland. First silver, and later near perfect snow conditions enticed more recent settlers to the Roaring Fork Valley.

Leadville was the second largest city in Colorado in 1879, when prospectors from Gothic and Leadville crossed the Continental Divide into the Ute’s summer hunting territory to discover one of the richest silver lodes the world has ever known. They named their camp Ute City, but by spring the name had been changed to Aspen.

Many mining camps were temporary settlements. Aspen had the winning combination of rich silver ores, two competing railroads, and ample investment from wealthy Victorian capitalists such as Jerome B. Wheeler, President of Macy’s Department Store and Cincinnati lawyer and businessman David Hyman. Aspen quickly became an urban, industrialized community with impressive architecture, leaving Independence, Ashcroft, Ruby and other camps to become ghost towns.

By 1891 the production of Aspen’s silver fields had surpassed even rival Leadville, making it the nation’s largest single silver producing mining district. By 1893 Aspen’s 12,000 residents had six newspapers, four schools, three banks, electric lights, a modern hospital, two theaters, an opera house, and a very small brothel district.

Aspen's fortunes fell with the U.S. government’s repeal of the Sherman Silver Act and the return to the gold standard in 1893. Ironically, one of the largest nuggets of native silver ever found was mined in 1894 in Aspen, weighing in at almost 2,200 pounds. With minimal commercial silver markets, Aspen survived as a rural county seat and ranching center as mining declined.

Just 700 people called Aspen home in 1935, when international outdoorsmen came to the Roaring Fork Valley in search of the ideal location for a ski resort. They hired the famous Swiss avalanche expert André Roch to develop a ski area based in the ghost town of Ashcroft, but had to cancel their plans with the outbreak of World War II. Meanwhile, André Roch and the enthusiastic Aspen Ski Club cut a race course on Aspen Mountain, served by a "Boat Tow"— two massive sleds pulled up the hill by an old mine hoist and a gas motor.

While plans for a ski resort were delayed by the War, later ski development was actually enhanced by the presence of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, training in nearby Camp Hale. Many soldiers skied in Aspen while on leave, and some, including Austrian Friedl Pfeifer, planned to return in peace time.

Pfeifer teamed up with Chicago industrialist Walter Paepcke and his art patron wife Elizabeth. The Paepckes were interested in the community's potential as a summertime cultural center; Pfeifer hoped to build a ski resort on a par with Europe’s best.

In 1947 Aspen Mountain opened with the world’s longest ski lift. In 1949, Paepcke, with the University of Chicago, masterminded the Goethe Bicentennial Convocation in Aspen, celebrating the great humanist’s 200th birthday with international leaders, artists, and musicians. Aspen’s role as a cultural center was assured by the music, art, dance, theater, and international studies programs which developed from the Convocation. The very next year, Aspen became the first ski resort in America to host an international competition, precursor of today’s World Cup Races.

Three more mountains—Buttermilk (1958), Aspen Highlands (1958), and Snowmass (1968)—added to Aspen’s reputation as a premiere international resort, and Aspen flourished in summertime with the combination of climate, recreation, history, and culture. The unanticipated growth of an appealing community based on world class skiing and culture spurred a concerned local population to turn to zoning and later to adopt controversial growth control measures.

From hunting territory to mining city, through the “Quiet Years” as an agricultural center to the present, the history of Aspen is the story of a town of changing economies with a distinct mix of locals and visitors, recreation and culture, landscape and sport.

“The lessons of the Western past appear in complex layers in the Roaring Fork Valley. From the impermanence of the traditional extractive economy to the benefits and costs of the contemporary tourist economy, understanding Aspen means understanding crucial regional issues. American society’s makers of decisions and makers of images have a way of hanging out in Aspen, and what they learn about the West in that town could indeed shape the way they behave toward the region.”

To learn more about Aspen’s rich history, please visit the Aspen Historical Society at www.aspenhistory.org

Fuse Media Internet Video Services

Interent Videos can be produced to profile companies, individuals or property.

Company Profile:
Designed for medium to large companies. Use as a unique tool for niche or mass marketing.
Click here to view an example

Individual Profile:
Designed for entrepreneurial individuals to showcase your service or product.
Click here to view an example

Listing Profile:
Designed to display luxury home listings and to tell the story that goes with the house, beyond the facts and figures.
Click here to view an example

FuseMedia
FuseMedia works with innovative companies that need to market their products and services in a way that's cost-effective and cutting edge. By combining the narrative qualities of TV with the growing popularity of high speed internet, FuseMedia provides an essential, new marketing tool....Internet Video

What We Do
FuseMedia produces professional, click to play Internet Videos that spotlight the services and products that make your company unique. We then post the Internet Video to your website and make it available for email distribution, so prospective and existing clients can view your message anywhere, anytime

Why Internet Video
Internet Video is an easy, fast, and effective way to engage your target audience, bringing credibility and authenticity to your message. Internet Video is the best way to tell the story of your business whether it’s the exceptional service you provide, the merchandise you sell, or the product you create.