
Film School
After production wrapped on Sign ‘o’ The Times, I discovered the notable Film in the Cities film school was being absorbed by Minneapolis Community College. Clear in conviction to work behind-the-scenes, within a month I was registered and began my film production studies.
In addition to learning the many technical nuances of old-school 16mm film production, I studied composition, film finance and accounting, history of film, screenwriting, and marketing.
As I was wrapping up that film production degree, my second cousin was making strides in his own acting career. Filming around Chicago and Wisconsin during the early winter of 1989, Macaulay Culkin was cast in the role of Miles Russel, opposite John Candy in the John Hughes feature film, Uncle Buck. A year later, he would star in the mega-hit Home Alone.
Quad Cities Television
My passion, skill, and talent in production was getting noticed. While working to complete my film degree, the same cable access studio where I started, offered a job as full-time staff producer. I spent the next three-years producing hundreds of hours for local government and access channels, while continuing with my own independent productions.
The most memorable experience during this time, was shooting a documentary on President Gorbachev’s visit to Minnesota. Darting around the Twin Cities with the International Press Pool to cover his historical visit, offered a true learning experience.
Striving for something beyond local cable, I started developing an independent television series for broadcast. Based in my lifelong passion for music, Soundscapes Alternative Music Video was created.