I started in the training industry in the mid-1980s as an instructional designer and a video script and copy writer. Most of the focus at that time was in the production of interactive video discs, and what was then called computer assisted instruction. This was the very early days of what was to become web-based delivery of training or eLearning.
Eventually, I advanced in my career to producing training video for the health-care and pharmaceutical industries from Boston to Berlin. Next, I became an executive (VP of product development) of a large training operation in Chicago—focused on video and web-based training in the information technology space. Our facility was one of the largest video production houses in the Chicago area. We eventually shifted our delivery method from stand-alone video tape to streaming video over the web.
During all of this time I did voice communications to our field and clients, along with narrating a number of promotional DVDs and CD ROMs. In effect, I became the voice for the company and was marketed as such. Because of this high profile my company refined my voice by sending me to a special voice school in Los Angeles.
Private voice training in Los Angeles
Private VO coaching sessions with Michael Minetree of Minewurx Studio
Ph.D. in Instructional Design, University of Minnesota
BA in English, emphasis in creative and expository writing
Booth with noise floor of -40dB.
Mogami Neglex 2534 cables used throughout recording chain
Microphone: Neumann U87, Sennheiser 416, and RE 20.
Avalon M3 pre and Avalon 737 channel strip.
Digital Hybrid for voice directing via telephone, licensed music library
Dell Desktop (Intel i5 64 bit) with ECHO AudioFire 12 and Adobe Audition 6.0
1TB HP MediaVault for sound files
Big Red DAW controller in recording booth
Gentner DH22 Hybrid for voice directing via telephone
Can also use Skype for voice directing
FTP delivery over T1 or DropBox.
My entire career has been devoted to the delivery of training through various media: film, video, live instruction, and computer. As a result, I have a high degree of familiarity of the production process in each and understand their business aspects (sales, marketing, and management).
I have a working knowledge of almost all aspects of the information technology industry, and have built and maintain my own network server. My audio studio is integrated into this environment. I also have a passion for photography and the creative processing of the digital image—which is also integrated into my network server.