Though he died before I was born, my mom used to tell me about my grandfather who worked for Twentieth Century Fox Movietone news. He used to travel around demonstrating the very first “synced sound on film.” It was developed by Theodore Case and Case Labs in Auburn New York. That’s where I’m from originally. This story so close to home was all it took, after all film production was in my blood.
Then, after seeing Star Wars in 1977 and feeling the power of a well told story first hand I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I looked around as Star Wars mania altered the world as nothing had before. I watched as it set the pace of pop culture for decades to come. What power was this that could engage the whole worlds imagination? I needed to learn more about it. I would learn more about it.
I jumped in with both feet. First, with all the required general background skills I could learn at college and then on to tons of hands on experience in a wide range of production jobs. I volunteered, I got paid, I hired and I fired as I continued to get my hands dirty on all sorts of jobs. Some for Fortune 50 companies some for public access. I didn’t care. I loved it all because I was building something. All that experimentation led to knowledge about each facet of production. I spent time doing still photography, live multi-camera broadcast television, lighting, cinema style shooting, graphic design, 3D animation, visual effects and all that lead to my passion for the art of post production. I had finally scratched the surface on the magic and realized the tools were only a part of it and that I could spend a lifetime mastering any one of them. In fact, I nearly had. After over 25 years in the business I still love learning, researching and trying new things out and I’m as curious as ever.
While, I still am passionate about introducing relevant new technologies to a production, as I traveled my road I realized that the right people were the key. I found that my true joy came from taking a group of people, throwing them together and helping them unlock their own potential. I can’t describe the feeling when you help someone realize that they have done something that, mere weeks before they told you was impossible. Watching them grow and do more than they thought possible is what it’s all about for me now.
This journey made me realize that the artistry of any great story was hidden in the people who told it. We all have stories. Thanks for reading a bit of mine.