Experience

Storybus Driver Dec. ****-present

■I drive a 37 foot long children’s museum in a Winnebago to day cares and grade schools, read them the story of “The Three Little Pigs” and lead them in play within the world of the story.

■I am also in charge of maintaining excel data sheets regarding number of children, hours at schools and calendar.

Chicago Trolley and Double Decker Company-Driver, Tour Guide, Trainer July 1998-present

■Have helped write and develop multiple unique tours of various parts of the city of Chicago with varying emphases such as, movie tours, haunted tours, Hyde Park, Kenwood, and Bronzeville, Lincoln Park and the near north side. I also give those tours and have trained new guides on the same.

■As driver, I safely drive clients in large trolley style buses as well as larger double decker buses.

■Drive private charters for clients ranging from school groups to celebrities and heads of state.

Big Shoulders Digital Video, intern/paid freelance production assistant January 2014-present

■Aided productions “in the field” in various capacities, ranging from props, set dressing, camera set up, camera operation, media running and lighting set up.

■Aided in lighting, blue screen and other general set up and for satellite media tours in the studio.

■Editing on Avid.

Freelance “no-budget” filmmaker April 2010-present

■With the aid of kickstarter.com, I raised money needed to produce a “no-budget” or “micro-budget” independent film called “Thirsty Blackwater’s Karaoke Showdown”. (http://www.imdb.com/find?q=Thirsty+Blackwater%27s+karaoke+showdown&s=all)

■Produced, wrote and directed film which included logistical challenges such as location, special sound requirements and scheduling of shoot dates that included over twenty actors.

■Edited the film and submitted to festivals.

■All the above in my “spare time” outside of my fulltime job.

■Having successfully raised funds, I am working on a second movie. (clips available on request)

Freelance Theatrical Producer Mar. 2006-Sept. 2009

■Wrote, co-wrote and produced a variety of sketch comedy shows. (2006)

■Wrote, produced and directed the absurd comedy, “Chair” which was “Highly Recommended” by the Reader’s Zac Thompson in 2007.

Sketch Comedy/Musician, “Los Shut Up” Mar. 1999- Oct. 2004

■Co-founded, wrote and performed music and sketch comedy in rock band/sketch comedy group, “Los Shut Up.

■Set up both live music and live sketch shows.

■Highlights included shows at “The Empty Bottle” as well as “The Second City” as part of their first “Unhinged Festival” (featuring the best in “alternative” comedy) in 2004.

Traveling Live Game Show Host-Dog and Pony Shows’, “Big Money” Aug. 2003-Dec. 2003

■Set up the audio/visual component to a live “game show” on college campuses.

■As a “one-man band”, I filmed interviews and edited new footage into live presentation the day of the event.

■Hosted show about financial responsibility to incoming freshmen.

■Appeared at over 40 colleges, all over the country, over 4 months.

Education

Northeastern Illinois University-Communications: Media Fall 2011-Summer 2014

B.A. in Communications with an emphasis on media. Course of study has included extensive work in video production and editing (in Avid Media Composer) as well as theater production and film studies. I am currently pursuing my M.A. in the same.

Second City Conservatory June 1997-Dec. 1998

Completed the Second City Conservatory program. The focus was writing and performance of a Second City Mainstage style revue.

ImprovOlympic (Now IO) Jan. 1997-Sept. 1998

Completed training in improvisational acting. Trained under improv “guru”, Del Close.

University of Missouri Kansas City-Theater/Music Performance Fall 1992-Spring 1995

Began study of Theater and Music Performance.

Skills

Due to my experience as a performer and producer of independent theater and film as well as my education in communications and music, my skills are varied and numerous. I feel at ease talking with or “performing for” individuals or large groups. I have a dynamic personality as well as high intelligence and quick wit. I have extensive writing skill in various formats (theatrical, screenwriting, narrative, songwriting, solo comedy, stand-up comedy and formal speeches).

I am also a skilled video editor, with extensive experience in Avid Media Composer as well as Final Cut Pro. I type 45-50 WAM and I am comfortable with Microsoft Word and Excel. I am a skilled guitar player but also have a working knowledge of keyboards, drums, accordion, cello, and slide whistle (which, I feel I should add, can actually be played well.) These musical skills come in especially handy when it comes to scoring or editing audio pieces, which I also do.

I’m also great with children and animals.

References

Please feel free to contact any and all of the people listed below:

1. Chris DeRose (On Air Contributor, Creative Content Producer “You and Me In the Morning”) acri9n@r.postjobfree.com 312-***-****.

2. Aly Bockler (Reporter/Producer “You and Me In the Morning”) acri9n@r.postjobfree.com

3. Steve Gadlin (Web Development manager WCIU, Host of “Steve Gadlin’s Star Makers”) 312-***-****

4. Justin Kauffman (Executive Producer of Talk Programming at WBEZ radio) 312-***-****.

5. Don Murphy (Camera Operator at Big Shoulders Digital Video) 312-***-****

6. Amy Stewart (Producer at Big Shoulders Digital Video) acri9n@r.postjobfree.com 312-***-****

7. Jeff Tudor (Producer at Big Shoulders Digital Video) acri9n@r.postjobfree.com 312-***-****

8. Nathan Herman (Professional stage and television writer, director and writing teacher formerly of “Saturday Night Live” and currently with “IO”.) acri9n@r.postjobfree.com 773-***-****

Feel free to ask for more. People enjoy working with me.

Media Link

Please watch my reel.

In it you will see a short representation of some of the different types of work I have been done either for school at NEIU, or for comedic presentations. This reel includes snippets from a “one man band” piece about The Admiral Theater that I recorded and edited for my classwork at NEIU, an indie film currently in production (my second), the trailer for a completed indie movie that got me my IMDB listing, and a little fun I had as hapless investigative reporter “Tom Dillard” in his investigation on the air hand dryer industry. Please keep in mind that all these pieces were produced, written, directed, edited, wrote all the music, and sometimes starring me between 2005 and 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zjXB34ZZPg

Additionally, I am pursuing my Masters in Communication (focusing on media) at NEIU. Instead of a written thesis, my professors have decided they would like me to do a “creative thesis” which will be a documentary about my mothers mental illness and the way it has affected her and our family.

Contact this candidate