My background
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I have been a video producer for many years. I started out before my college years when I purchased one of the first video cameras made for home use. It was a “portable” rig that had to be strapped to a backpack and had reel to reel ½” tapes that recorded for all of 20 minutes. And oh yeah, this was all in glorious black and white low resolution! But I didn’t care because this was the best that was available at the time. I also worked for a couple of TV stations in Madison and Green Bay running the audio board or operating camera during the nightly newscasts.
When I entered college – The University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh as a Radio TV Film student I had a leg up because I owned my own equipment. This enabled me to get a job shooting films for the education department. Because of this I had exclusive access to expensive editing equipment that most of the other film students only wished they could use. During these years I also developed my skills as a still photographer and was able to earn extra money by shooting weddings and educational slide projects. Later on I started shooting weddings on video, sometimes using multiple cameras. During my senior year I was hired by Warner Cable to shoot short videos for the local outlet.
Upon graduation from college I managed to obtain a job in the A/V Department at Brunswick Corporation in Chicago. I was the department; a one man band! But I saw a great opportunity there and within a year or so I was scripting, shooting and editing dozens of Informational Videos that were designed to be shared with the top management in order to encourage creativity and to foster greater productivity! One video I produced cost a few thousand dollars and was responsible for helping save a government contract worth over $30 million dollars! A lot of jobs for Native Americans were saved as well! Now THAT’s what I call productive!
A few years later I found myself working as chief writer-producer at Fortune 100 company at corporate headquarters – Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation. And again I had an opportunity to put my skills to work producing information films as well as training films. AT one point I was able to show how and investment of about $100,000 in a railroad training film project could potentially save the company millions of dollars. This project went so well that it was continued each year for three additional years even after I voluntarily left the company I was brought back for a couple more years to work on this project.
After working for large corporations for nearly eight years I decided to freelance and this led me to a gig with Real Estate Sciences in Winnetka, IL. I was hired as chief writer-producer and editor to one of the primary legal subcontractors for the Exxon Valdez Court Case. Real Estate Sciences was the number one rated land appraisal firm in North America. While on this project I created a significant video documentary that was used in this landmark court case. I also consulted on the technical purchase and installation of the video editing equipment for this operation.
During this time frame I worked as head Video Producer for Intermedia Inc. in Winnetka, IL (1993 – 1998). I was responsible for all aspects of the production cycle including: budget, proposals, producing, scripting, camera, editing. I produced business films and documentaries.
Around this time I decided that I needed to start my own Talk Radio Interview Show. (1993 – 2000) I created, produced and hosted a weekly interview-format local radio program in Chicago and later in the San Francisco market area. Topics ranged from leading edge science and medicine to alternative healers and thinkers. The show had a number of iterations:
In 1998 I moved to the San Francisco Bay area. I became a Freelance Producer (5/1998 – 10/2001) I worked on an interesting faux radio project producing “Corporate Radio Shows” for internal use by large corporations like Oracle, Sun and Cisco. I also produced various audio projects around Silicon Valley. Produced and edited audio and video productions for a variety of smaller clients using my own studio and equipment. I also designed websites for individuals.
In late 1999 I was diagnosed with CLL – a type of auto-immune cancer. For about a year I could not work. The doctors said I needed to have a BMT – a Bone Marrow Transplant. But after due consideration I decided against it and started researching alternatives. Long story short, I was able to beat the odds and healed myself without the usual chemo and BMT solution!
At this point I decided to take a job working with the disabled as a Assistive Technology Coordinator. This position fit me well because a good part of the job involved research. And that is something I love to do! Now I am also able to put my technical skills to work helping disabled individuals find technical solutions to their needs.
When I entered college – The University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh as a Radio TV Film student I had a leg up because I owned my own equipment. This enabled me to get a job shooting films for the education department. Because of this I had exclusive access to expensive editing equipment that most of the other film students only wished they could use. During these years I also developed my skills as a still photographer and was able to earn extra money by shooting weddings and educational slide projects. Later on I started shooting weddings on video, sometimes using multiple cameras. During my senior year I was hired by Warner Cable to shoot short videos for the local outlet.
Upon graduation from college I managed to obtain a job in the A/V Department at Brunswick Corporation in Chicago. I was the department; a one man band! But I saw a great opportunity there and within a year or so I was scripting, shooting and editing dozens of Informational Videos that were designed to be shared with the top management in order to encourage creativity and to foster greater productivity! One video I produced cost a few thousand dollars and was responsible for helping save a government contract worth over $30 million dollars! A lot of jobs for Native Americans were saved as well! Now THAT’s what I call productive!
A few years later I found myself working as chief writer-producer at Fortune 100 company at corporate headquarters – Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation. And again I had an opportunity to put my skills to work producing information films as well as training films. AT one point I was able to show how and investment of about $100,000 in a railroad training film project could potentially save the company millions of dollars. This project went so well that it was continued each year for three additional years even after I voluntarily left the company I was brought back for a couple more years to work on this project.
After working for large corporations for nearly eight years I decided to freelance and this led me to a gig with Real Estate Sciences in Winnetka, IL. I was hired as chief writer-producer and editor to one of the primary legal subcontractors for the Exxon Valdez Court Case. Real Estate Sciences was the number one rated land appraisal firm in North America. While on this project I created a significant video documentary that was used in this landmark court case. I also consulted on the technical purchase and installation of the video editing equipment for this operation.
During this time frame I worked as head Video Producer for Intermedia Inc. in Winnetka, IL (1993 – 1998). I was responsible for all aspects of the production cycle including: budget, proposals, producing, scripting, camera, editing. I produced business films and documentaries.
- The Power of Play – A documentary about the importance of play in early childhood development
- The Hong Kong Handover – a documentary about the change in leadership in Hong Kong
- The Creative Self-Expression Program (Video News Release – VNR). – a marketing film directed to high schools by The Great Frame Up Corporation.
Around this time I decided that I needed to start my own Talk Radio Interview Show. (1993 – 2000) I created, produced and hosted a weekly interview-format local radio program in Chicago and later in the San Francisco market area. Topics ranged from leading edge science and medicine to alternative healers and thinkers. The show had a number of iterations:
- The Light at Night
- The Inner Light
- The Expanding Light
- The Millenium Journal
- The Millenium Cafe
In 1998 I moved to the San Francisco Bay area. I became a Freelance Producer (5/1998 – 10/2001) I worked on an interesting faux radio project producing “Corporate Radio Shows” for internal use by large corporations like Oracle, Sun and Cisco. I also produced various audio projects around Silicon Valley. Produced and edited audio and video productions for a variety of smaller clients using my own studio and equipment. I also designed websites for individuals.
In late 1999 I was diagnosed with CLL – a type of auto-immune cancer. For about a year I could not work. The doctors said I needed to have a BMT – a Bone Marrow Transplant. But after due consideration I decided against it and started researching alternatives. Long story short, I was able to beat the odds and healed myself without the usual chemo and BMT solution!
At this point I decided to take a job working with the disabled as a Assistive Technology Coordinator. This position fit me well because a good part of the job involved research. And that is something I love to do! Now I am also able to put my technical skills to work helping disabled individuals find technical solutions to their needs.