In December of 1992, the day after I finished full-time studies at the
University Of Windsor, I walked into the offices of NABET #700 and plunked down my resume. They accepted me into the Labour/Cable category, and sent me out to move wardrobe boxes
on CBI Productions series Top Cops. It wasn't much, but it was a start, and it was better than not working at
all.
In April of 1993, I was offered membership in the Labour/Cable category of NABET #700.
They continued to send me out as a daily labourer, usually either in Set Decorating or Construction Carpentry, and occasionally
in the Grip Department.
In the summer of 1995, I was offered and accepted my very first position as a Sound Trainee.
However, this position is not a regular position on most crews, so I kept my Labour/Cable card so that I could continue working
on a regular basis.
Top Cops, Season IV
C.B.I. Productions, 1993
- Set Decorating Labour
A weekly series for CBS
Due South, Pilot (Toronto Unit) and Season I
Alliance National Productions, 1993/94
- Set Decorating Labour
- Construction Carpentry Labour
- Properties Assistant
A weekly series for CTV
Night Of The Twister
Disney Productions, 1995
- Construction Carpentry Labour
M.O.W. for the Disney Channel
Must Be Santa
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 1999
- Set Decorating Labour and Condor Crane Operator (daily)
M.O.W. for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Note: At that time, I was one of the few members of the Labour/Cable Category to hold
an operator's license for Condor Cranes through Dwight Crane, and it came in handy for this project, as the bulk of my set
decorating work on this production involved putting up Christmas decorations.
Peter Benchley's "Amazon"
Atlantis Productions, 1999
- Trainee Rigging Grip (daily)
Weekly television series
Note: I was called in to work in Brian Potts' Grip Department for three weeks as a
labourer to cut pipe, unload trucks, and lug stuff up and down stairs for rigging grips during the studio pre-rig for the
Pilot and Season I. Brian and I agreed upon the title of Trainee Rigging Grip, partly because I learned a great deal
and actually did some grip work (technically) while I was there, but mostly because I wanted to call myself something other
than a Labourer.
Deadly Appearances/Love And Murder
Shaftesbury Productions, 1999
- Set Dresser
Two M.O.W.'s based upon mystery novels by Canadian author Gail Bowden
Note: By this point in my career, I had a few indie features under my belt as a Production
Sound Mixer, and I wanted to make a career out of being a sound-guy full-time. I accepted a position as Set Dresser
on these projects because it was my friend Andy Loew, Key Set Decorator, who was asking, and this allowed me to finish
this aspect of my career in film and television at the top of my game.
Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story
Class Of '96 Productions, Toronto, Ontario, 1995
- Special Skills Extra: Studio Television Camera Operator
I'm not a camera-man, but I play one on TV. M.O.W. for Lifetime Television in the United States. Scenes
filmed in a television studio or control room were filmed at CTV's Agincourt facilities. I played a pedestal camera
operator in two scenes, but because videotape from the camera I was operating was intercut into the final film, I was paid
as a camera operator as well as an extra. Non-speaking role, uncredited.
Mechanic (30-TV), Mister Transmission, Jazz Creative Marketing, Toronto, Ontario, 2005
- First Camera Assistant and Focus Puller
I was asked by a friend if I knew anything about the menus and set-up of a Sony XD-Cam optical disc camera.
Having worked with one before as an EFP sound recordist, I replied that I did. As a result I was offered a job for a
day as a camera assistant on a shoot for Mister Transmission. I was expecting to be a camera assistant in the style of
an EFP camera crew. What I got, however, was a Pelican case containing a follow-focus unit. I've seen the ad on
television; looks great!
Asian Television Network,
Newmarket Ontario
- Master Control Operator and Camera Operator, 1997-98
Based in Newmarket, Ontario, ATN is a satellite/cable channel which provides news, entertainment,
and movies to the South Asian community. ATN also re-broadcasts Doordarshan International, the state-run television
network of India, to North American viewers.
Permanent Images Video Productions, Inc.
Toronto, Ontario
- EFP Sound Recordist and Grip/Camera Assistant (daily), 1996-2000
Note: I met proprietor Steve Dekter, Director of Photography, in December 1996, through
CTV, and he hired me on a freelance basis first as a Grip/Camera Assistant for his outside productions. It was
Steve who taught me the business end of a Betacam, and it was Steve who encouraged me to buy an EFP sound package.
Permanent Images specializes in Video News Releases, news features and infomercials.
Department Of Communications Studies,
University Of Windsor,
Windsor, Ontario
Teaching Assistant, Basic Television Production (40-100/101) 1987-89
The two first year Introduction To Mass Media courses offered by the University of Windsor
(40-100/101) used to have laboratory exercises attached to them worth 10 per cent of the final grade. A choice of Basic
Film Production (cut and paste editing of pre-shot 16mm motion picture film) and Basic Television Prodcution (black-and-white
three-camera studio work) was offered; I taught Basic Television Production for four semesters. Lab groups of ten to
twelve students would spend an hour a week switching, shading, operating pedestal camera, doing basic lighting, mixing on
the audio board, rolling tape, and using a primitive chyron for character generator. My best guess was that the equipment
was about ten years older than I was.
Media Centre, Division For Instructional Development,
University of Windsor,
Windsor, Ontario.
A/V Operator, 1986-92
Note: My duties consisted of pick-up and delivery of overhead projectors to and from
classrooms and seminar rooms, projectionist for educational films in classrooms and seminar rooms, field and studio camera
for Media Centre Clients, and the occasional shift in the Media Centre Master Control room.
