I’ve been producing television, commercial, branded, and corporate video projects for over 30 years. I’ve won over 35 Telly, one Lumiere and three Emmy Awards among others for my work. Recently I have been producing live-action and CG VR projects and serve as the Vice-President of Content for VR company Immotion.

How many years have you been a judge?

10+ years

What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?

My first job in the industry was as a video editor. I enjoyed the challenge and the excitement of knowing that it was me versus the machines in the final stages to produce the best possible version of the content.

What project are you most proud to have worked on?

There are many — from my first documentary about the Stanford Prison Experiment to the documentaries I currently create on conservation and animal extinction issues.

What’s the most challenging part about your job and/or the industry?

With VR, the most challenging part of the job is waiting and adopting the newest cameras into the field for production. We are only now moving from toys to tools, but it’s exciting to watch the genesis of a very powerful storytelling medium.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

It’s all about story and emotion. I want to feel that the content I just watched somehow moved me and is memorable.

What are your current roles and responsibilities and what do you love most about your job?

I love being in the field filming most of all. I love the collaborative nature of producing content.

What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?

Filming live-action VR is very new — especially filming wild animals in VR. I feel we are inventing a new grammar of production using VR where a lot of what I learned in film school no longer applies.