“The power of imagination makes us infinite” – John Muir
You’ve already read several boastful bios that are all written the same. They speak of shiny accomplishments according to everyone else’s standards. When working with someone for the first time, knowing what they’ve learned is paramount to a deciding whether or they’re fit for the job. I’m skipping the obvious achievements that you can find on my LinkedIn profile and have broken down my career highlights focusing on what I’ve gained from each:
- July 2010 – Attended the Pittsburgh Technical Institute (now Pittsburgh Technical College) to study multimedia technology with a focus in video production/3D animation.
- What did I learn from my experience at PTI? I graduated with an incredible foundation of video production, editing and animation skills. I gained an amazing network of friends and professionals who would inspire me to where I’ve found myself today.
- May 2012 – I started my annual Video Journal. Inspired by Cesar Kuriyama’s 1 Second Everyday – Age 30 video.
- What I’ve learned from consistently creating this video journal? The obvious answer is that I realized how easy it is to live a repetitive and mundane life, but also how easy it is to add excitement. I really surprised myself with how much I was afraid of people’s reactions to me recording my life. This project has helped me turn this fear into a way of conversation.
- May 2012 – Started working at WTOV9 as a production technician/master control operator.
- What did I learn with my time while at WTOV9? More than I ever imagined. I constructed a strong technical knowledge of what goes into a traditional video ad: everything from making crazy client requests a reality, to the flow of a commercial break, to the different formats. I was introduced to and became proficient in Avid, which ultimately made me a more efficient editor. I discovered the pains of working for a huge corporation that doesn’t appreciate the power of creativity.
- December 2014 – Started working at Em-Media as the production manager.
- What did I learn from my time at Em-Media? I’ve had so many opportunities to look at the work we’re producing and how we can continue to improve not only video strategies, but advertising and marketing strategies as a whole. I’ve learned how important a creative opinion is and that saying yes to every project and request isn’t the right decision. Being tasked with managing not only projects, but also clients as a whole, has given me a firm understanding for both the account manager’s role and the client’s stance.
- February 2019 – Started working with KDKA as the in-house commercial videographer
- What have I learned from my time at KDKA? I took this job with the intention of diving deeper into cinematography and focusing on the production. Which is exactly what I’ve done. I’ve gained a familiarity with industry standard camera, grip & lighting equipment. I’ve also learned that the role of a cinematographer is essential even beyond the shoot day. Communication and planning prior to production is what makes the project take off smoothly. During production, the tone the director of photography sets trickles down to the crew. Responsibilities don’t end with the wrap, maintaining the look is key through the edit with shot selection.
- June 2019 – Started working with Folklore PR as the production manager
- What have I learned from my time at Folklore? I’ve learned to balance the sometimes unrealistic expectations of small budgets against big ideas. Not all budgets are equal, but that doesn’t mean a client should ever feel like their production is lesser. I’ve created traditional, short and long form projects with this in mind. Working with incredibly talented writers, designers and composers to create stories that both the client and I are fully thrilled to execute. I’ve fully embraced my creative side with absolute freedom of showing what I am able and want to do.
I’d love to talk with you more about my career path, how it’s shaped me more thoroughly and would love to hear about yours! Contact me to discuss our potential together.