In this business, a significant amount of my work is proprietary, and bound by union and copyright rules, so the cost of getting the rights to display it on the web would be prohibitive. As such, it's only the 'scraps' of my work--the uncontrolled material--that make it to these portfolios. In a way, it's a shame, but that's the nature of a lot of the work, whether it be a theater play or a symphony, or a project involving sensitive subject matter.

 

My comprehensive 'demo reel' is on DVD and is serial-numbered and loaned out to prospects for limited periods, after which, they return said DVD to me. Without a web presence for the really top-notch materials for paid work, it may give a false impression that I only do nature videos, or street videos. It's another example of the two-dimensional character from Flatlands People, seeing the footprint of an elephant and declaring that it is a series of appearing and disappearing ovals.

 

Where I make most of my income, is a tightly-regulated world, with many rules, some of which are quite arcane (like the union rule that says for every crew member a non-union guest shop puts on a job, the theater crew must add one crewmember for the job. Working in the biz requires a lot of diplomacy, for you are walking on eggshells. Little conflicts sometime arise, and to survive, one develops a knack for tactful defusing of these little wrinkles. I consider myself fortunate, because the people I work with most of the time seem to keep the attitude problems in check and are very pleasant to work with. I have heard horror stories from others who work in the field in other territories and it can get dicey.

 

Lots of what I produce can never see the light of day as a commercial recording. But that doesn't mean I am not working with the clients to persuade them to consider new avenues, to think outside the box and expand their horizons. It's a slow process, but we're making progress.