Blog

  • Comcast Digital Connectors

    I recently worked with my long-time colleague Courtney Brinkerhoff to produce a video that highlights the significance of the Digital Connectors program, a multi-city effort that gives inner city youth the resources they need to increase their digital literacy skills, become leaders and give back to their communities through digital community service.

    We traveled to Washington, DC and Springfield, MA to capture the stories of the young men and women who benefit from the program. This video was played for Senators and Representatives at a reception in the U.S. Capitol for the official launch of the program.

  • CTCA Ceremony

    Friday I joined Denis O’keefe, Kevin Trainor, Todd Wall and Rick Wright in shooting the annual Celebration of Life at the Philadelphia location of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. The event celebrates the hospital’s five-year cancer survivors with ceremonies in and around the hospital.

    The stuff that I shot and edited on Thursday is played on the big screens for the assembled crowd on Friday.

  • CTCA 2009

    For the last three years, I have been hired by O’keefe & Associates to shoot and edit some of the content for the annual “Celebrant Ceremony” of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

    These videos introduce the audience to the five-year cancer survivors who are being honored at the event. Working with these people who have gone through so much is always a very moving experience for everyone involved.

    Part of the fun of producing these video profiles is that we have a very short turnaround time. We shoot the interviews on Thursday afternoon and then edit them on Thursday night for delivery before the event on Friday morning. It feels like I’m back in my news days again!

    ctca09int

    This year we shot the Celebrants with two cameras in high definition against a white background. The end result was something that we’re very proud of.

  • Kathy Griffin Interview

    I got a call last week from some nice folks who are putting together a new TV interview show that will air nationally this fall. Author, entrepreneur and TV host Lance Heft, is building a catalog of interviews for his new TV show “Inspiration” which is slated to air in high definition on PBS in September.

    We set up a two-camera sit-down interview with Emmy award winning comedian and actress Kathy Griffin. She gave us some time between her stand-up sets at the Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday night and she was great to work with. It’s nice to meet a celebrity who greets you and interacts like a normal person.

  • ESM Productions Interviews

    I spent the last few days shooting interviews for ESM Productions in Philadelphia. Politicians are busy people and we don’t usually get much time to set up an elaborate interview rig. I kind of like that run-and-gun approach. You can still shoot a good interview with minimal lighting.

    Tuesday I traveled to Dover, Delaware for an interview with Delaware Governor Jack Markell. Thursday it was Trenton, New Jersey for a sit-down with Jerold L. Zaro from the Office of Economic Growth of the Office of Governor Jon Corzine.

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    A frame of my interview with Delaware Governor Jack Markell

  • Building a Memory

    Friday evening was another one of those great gigs you get from time to time. I got a call from my colleague and friend, Brad Nau to shoot a few elements for a documentary he’s working on.

    Brad is a true inspiration to film and video storytellers who care about their craft. He does more good work with minimal gear than anyone I have ever known. He’s living proof that a great story is 10 percent gear and 90 percent attitude and approach.

    Brad is working on a documentary about America’s Showplace, the legendary Spectrum in Philadelphia. The 40+ year old building is set to be torn down in the near future and Brad’s work will touch on the musicians, athletes, broadcasters, writers and fans who have made the Spectrum one of the truly great American venues.

    The Spectrum
    The Spectrum – “America’s Showplace”

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    Rob Parker, Mickey Hart, Brad Nau – May 1, 2009

    Friday night we interviewed legendary broadcaster Tom Lamaine and Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, two personable guys from two completely different backgrounds who are connected through this building.

    “Building a Memory” will likely debut in August on Comcast SportsNet.

  • Comcast SportsNet – Phillies

    It’s always a treat to get to work a Phillies game so I was glad to get the call last Saturday, even though it’s a bummer to have to work on weekends. Can’t be choosy in this economy, you know?

    The Phillies hosted a Harry Kalas memorial service and tribute earlier in the day and SportsNet needed some extra help for the game.

    I set up a live feed from the post-game press conference room so we could feed back live footage of Charlie Manuel’s comments from the podium. Then reporter Kevin Walsh and I shot post-game interviews in the Phillies clubhouse.

    On this night, Brad Lidge suffered his first blown save in more than a year.

  • Etta: A Novel

    Last night I shot some stuff for an old colleague, Gerald Kolpan. I had he good fortune to work with Gerald for 9 years at FOX in Philadelphia. Some of my favorite work from that era of my career was done with Gerald. He’s a masterful writer and a truly decent guy and so when I heard he was venturing out on a tour to support his novel, I asked if I could help with some video.

    Gerald’s website says of “Etta: A Novel” – “Beautiful, elusive, and refined, Etta Place captivated the nation at the turn of the last century as she dodged the law with the Wild Bunch, led by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Her true identity and fate have remained a mystery that has tantalized historians for decades.”

    Gerald Kolpan reads from his book "Etta: a Novel"
    Gerald Kolpan reads from his book "Etta: a Novel"

    Gerald gave an interesting talk and read some excerpts from the book. I’m looking forward to reading it. The high point of the night was when Gerald was questioned about his decision to write a book that combined facts with a ton of fiction. Gerald explained, “It’s basically a bunch of lies based on actual events. Kind of like TV news.”

    The crowd roared.

  • Media Training

    I’m shooting media training again today with the folks from Bellevue Communications Group.

    It’s always interesting to hear how media savvy trainers talk to their trainees. It’s a really valuable experience for these corporate people to get prepared to respond to any media requests that they may encounter during a crisis. Their companies are wise to be this proactive, and have a better communication with their clients by having communication and transparency by using VOC Tools that allow them be in better contact with their clients and be able to be more effective with their work.

    Communicating effectively is fundamental, not only in a leadership position, but also in various other areas of life. Communication is what separates the average from the extraordinary. Communicating effectively is one of the most important skills in life. It can make all the difference! When you’re able to skillfully communicate, you can avoid time-consuming misunderstandings. In doing so, you can greatly reduce the amount of conflicts in your day-to-day life. Effective communication skills can also aid you in resolving conflicts and in establishing harmony between conflicting parties. By learning to communicate in an effective manner, you’ll get more of what you want out of life. Not only will it help you to encourage people to adopt your ideas, but it also allows you to build stronger relationships with them. The following guide presents 19 truly effective communication strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your communication.

    Even though communication seemingly seems to be the simple act of transferring information from one person to another, it’s obstacle-ridden and comes with many pitfalls. The central problem of communication arises when we’re not able to effectively convey the ideas we have in mind. Therefore, the quality in which information is transmitted and received greatly depends on our communication skills.

    My job is to shoot interviews with the trainees and then play them back for immediate critique. It’s an incredible learning experience for most of these folks.

  • Dealing With Workflow

    I’m shooting a media training session today with the good folks from Bellevue Communications Group. We’ve been working together for several years now and they’re real pros.

    As we all make the transition to high definition video, we can expect many things to get easier and some things to throw us a curve. Issues arise from new workflows and that leads me to today’s shoot. After a few months of using tapeless cameras, I’m back to using my DVCAM gear. (more…)