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Since 1990 I have written, designed and/or directed the production of numerous videos, primarily for corporate communications and training purposes. This portfolio presents snapshot summaries of five videos I’ve written and designed, three of which I also directed. At the bottom of each summary is a link to the finished video and additional documentation, where available.
(1) Intel: “Freedom”
(2) Wallace Co., Inc.: “The Road To The Baldrige”
(3) Mississippi Power & Light (Entergy): “Quality Action Teams”
(4) Fidelio: “Quartet”
(5) Ocean Hyperbaric Center: “Cerebral Palsy and the Brain-Injured Child”
(6) SOFTWIND, Ltd.: “Promotional video script”
(7) AZ Tech College: “Welcome to AZ Tech College”
(8) Razor Lube: “Buster & Bonnie”
(1) Intel: “Freedom”
Background: Intel was preparing to launch the computer industry’s first line of cellular and radio modems for portable PCs, and wished develop a 3D animated video to introduce marketing executives to these products, in a very dramatic fashion.
The Challenge: As a free-lance consultant, I was subcontracted by the production company that Intel tasked with developing this video (Tracer Design, Phoenix, AZ), to write the narrative script, and design the storyboard for this production. The video employs chromium mannequins, set in a jungle environment, to take viewers “inside” this technology, and how it can benefit “road warriors.”
The Result: Intel was so thrilled with this 7:30 video that it was shown to approximately 3,000 of its affiliated marketing executives throughout the world, and it was displayed at numerous technology conferences.
See the video, script-storyboard and complete project profile here.
(2) Wallace Co., Inc.: “The Road To The Baldrige”
Background: Each year, the President of the United States presents the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award to a handful of companies that have made the most significant gains in terms of applying Total Quality Management (TQM) principles. Wallace Co., Inc., a small Texas-based distributor of chemical and petrochemical supplies, was facing economic devastation. Only by learning about and applying TQM was its management able to save the company – and go on to win this prestigious award.
The Challenge: While Creative Director of Rainbow Multimedia Group (Phoenix, AZ), I was tasked with writing, designing and directing the production of a short video that tells the inspiring story of Wallace’s reinvention of itself. (This was my writing-directorial debut.)
The Result: Wallace was thrilled with the resulting 12 minute video, which has been shown on public television, in training seminars, and in the White House:
“I personally have seen many video productions (regarding Wallace’s Baldridge recognition)… however, none have been able to capture that unique experience or the ‘special moment in time’ that is so alive in our video. It is the highlight of every presentation.”
– Michael Speiss, Executive Vice President, Wallace Co., Inc.
See video and complete project profile here.
(3) Mississippi Power & Light (Entergy): “Quality Action Teams”
Background: Mississippi Power & Light, a division of Entergy (one of America’s largest utilities), made dramatic improvements in the efficiency in one of its repair operations, by applying the principles of Total Quality Management.
Challenge: While Creative Director of Rainbow Multimedia Group (Phoenix, AZ), I was tasked with writing, designing and directing the production of a training documentary, that chronicled how the MP&L division accomplished this feat. Entergy’s mission in producing this documentary was to honor this team, and to distribute the video throughout its subsidiaries, as an example of TQM applied to problem-solving.
The Result: Entergy was delighted, as articulated by the senior executive with whom I’d worked to develop the script and resulting video:
“Thank you and your crew for a wonderful product, and for the manner in which you went about creating that product. […] It has been extremely refreshing to work with a vendor who is able to meet schedule, stay within budget, and remain responsive to our requests.”
– Steve Lee, Senior Facilitator, Total Quality Improvement Coordinator
See the video and complete project profile here.
(4) Fidelio: “Quartet”
Background: Fidelio was the most advanced hotel property management software (PMS) of its kind. Created by Lanmark, Fidelio integrated many more features than any rival PMS offering..
Challenge: While Creative Director of Rainbow Multimedia Group (Phoenix, AZ), I was tasked with writing, designing and directing the production of an innovative trade show video, to promote Fidelio at hospitality technology conferences around the world.
The Result: The video I wrote and directed employs a string quartet, and shows how, as one instrument accents the others, we cut to slates that describing Fidelio’s features complement the others. Lanmark was so happy with the video that it had Rainbow convert it into other language formats, for display around the world.
See the video and more details here.
(5) Ocean Hyperbaric-Neurologic Center: “Cerebral Palsy and the Brain-Injured Child”
Background: The OHNC was a neurological rehabilitation center, for which I provided creative consulting on numerous projects, over a four year period.
Challenge: As a free-lance consultant, I was retained by the OHNC to completely reconstruct what OHNC acknowledged were its extremely poor quality patient documentary (case study) videos, and augment them with new, professionally-produced content.
The Result: The OHNC’s Medical Director was thrilled with the resulting 24 minute video that t, and he retained me to work on other media projects:
“Jon has proven to be a multi-talented, exceptionally valuable asset to OHNC. Jon’s work… required that he research, analyze, deconstruct, then reconstruct OHNC’s existing media In all of the above work realms, Jon has performed exceptionally well, and the results became apparent soon after our affiliation began. The OHNC has received compliments from all over the world regarding the media that Jon reconstructed (particularly our videos and website)”
– Richard A. Neubauer, M.D., Founder & Medical Director, Ocean Hyperbaric-Neurologic Center
See the video and more details here.
(6) SOFTWIND, Ltd.: “Promotional video script”
Background: SOFTWIND, Ltd. (SWL) was a renewable-energy technology engineering firm that developed a new type of water-pumping wind machine, that possesses unparalleled performance characteristics.
Challenge: As a free-lance consultant, I was retained to help SWL develop key media components of a multi-faceted global marketing program. These included an updated logo, a storyboard for a 3D animated video, depicting how its wind machine is unpacked, assembled, installed, and operates, and a script for traditional video presentation.
The Result: SWL was delighted with my script, as articulated by the senior executive with whom I’d worked on it:
“Your skills in visualization and analysis are truly remarkable. I would gladly recommend you to any organization that needs to communicate its message in a dramatic, original, and distinctive fashion.”
– William Welch, Vice President – Development, SOFTWIND Ltd., Scottsdale, AZ
See the complete project profile here.
(7) AZ Tech College: “Welcome to AZ Tech College”
Background: AZ Tech College was a trade school that focused on providing training programs in computer-aided design (CAD).
The challenge: I was retained by Pantheon Studios, a Scottsdale, AZ production company, to write the script for a 5-minute sales video for help AZ Tech College. The purpose of the video was to provide aspiring students with an overview of the school, and what makes it unique.
The result: AZ Tech College and Pantheon were thrilled with my script, and I understand it was instrumental in helping to boost enrollment. The success of this project led Pantheon to retain me for other projects, including one that tapped into my zany humor (“Buster & Bonnie,” below):
“As Creative Consultant to Pantheon’s video division, your work has been consistently superb. You delivered the concept development, script writing and storyboard design services that we needed, on-time and on-budget, and made sure that whenever possible, our clients’ expectations were exceeded. Your determination and work ethic are truly exceptional. It has been a pleasure to work with you on each of these challenging projects.”
– Debbie Alexander, Executive Producer, Pantheon Studios
Read the script here.
(8) Razor Lube: “Buster & Bonnie”
Background: Razor Lube was a liquid lubricant that’s applied to the skin prior to shaving, that helped to prevent skin irritation, while still allowing for a close, comfortable shave.
The challenge: Based on the success of my script for AZ Tech College (above), Pantheon Studios retained me to develop a script to help it land Razor Lube as a client, as it prepared to launch a national advertising campaign. I had only one week to complete this work. After discussing various ideas, I suggested a humorous way to approach this challenge, that Pantheon loved, and authorized me to pursue.
The result: The script I wrote depicts a lovelorn male gorilla, trying to attract the attention of a female gorilla in a nearby cage. He decides to use of Razor Lube to try to win her affection, but the situation doesn’t turn out quite as he hoped.
Read the script here.