About

It all started when I got my first video camera. I don’t remember when it was, or if it was for Christmas or my birthday, but I do remember it was an old GE full-sized VHS camcorder. This is back when most people getting camcorders opted for VHS-C or 8mm. Of course, this was a second-hand camcorder so I didn’t really get to be choosy. My first taste of “professional” television came in the studios of Media One cable. (Media One has since been gobbled up by Comcast). It was in those studios right next to Palatine’s village chambers and Mayor’s office that I learned all about television. Sure sometime it didn’t look the best, sure it was old, limited equipment, but it taught me to be flexible and to be able to work with what you have. Seriously, do you know how many different sets you can make with a few risers, some chain-link fencing, a couple of stools and Christmas lights?

After spending junior and senior year of High School at the public access studio and working on a number of shows, it was off to Marquette University where I majored in Broadcast and Electronic communications. At Marquette I quickly got involved with MUTV, the student television station where I became a well known and highly regarded member of the production staff (even serving a year as a Production department head). I was also the first freshman to ever be on staff (as the station’s web master). MUTV and Marquette built upon what I had learned at the public access station. It also was my first taste of live programming. Through those four years, I learned not only how to produce a show, but the ins and outs of pre and post production as well. After I had mastered the station’s Media 100 system, I opted to teach myself how to use the Final Cut Pro station that sat in the corner of a lab because no one around knew how to use it. With just the knowledge of Media 100, I learned and mastered Final Cut Pro (and even taught a workshop on how to use it!). While at Marquette I also got the first taste of the “real world” at my internship turned part-time job with the Milwaukee Brewers baseball club. While it wasn’t traditional television, everything that I learned in television production applied equally to the production of the in-game “show”.

From there, I spent just over 2 years working at Rockford, IL’s NBC affiliate. It was there I learned the art of multi-tasking many things at once while wearing multiple hats at the same time. Everything from running a camera to punching a show to rolling tapes needed to be done at the same time, by the same person. Sometimes, all while I was running Master Control. During my time on the wake-up newscast, I had to produce, direct and edit the daily morning topical, and by doing so, I learned how to edit on an Avid.

My next stop was 4 1/2 years working first as a Director / Technical Director, punching my own newscast while calling them, and then as an OverDrive operator at Madison’s ABC affiliate.  Not only was did I have to re-learn how a newscast is produced when we went to automation, but I was exposed to the world of HD television production.  While in Madison, I was also the person who designed the archive filing system for the news aircheck archive.  I also on several occasions was the Director selected to Direct & TD the pre-game shows that the station produced for statewide broadcast of UW Badgers Football games that were aired on ABC.

Currently, I am a Technical Director for the CBS O&O in the Twin Cities.  I run the OverDrive system or the robotic cameras for various newscasts throughout the week.

Outside of work, I am an active storm spotter, Ham Radio operator, and general geek.