"I am a semi-retired former English teacher living in Hawaii. My B.A. in English is from Kent State University. I also earned an M.A. in English from the University of Illinois. (I finished the coursework for an M.A. in film production at Stanford University but did not make a thesis film.) I spent about seven years teaching writing and literature at universities and a community college, but most of my work has been in television news where, over almost thirty years, I taught dozens of new reporters and camera people how to do their jobs. Those experiences made me realize how much I like teaching one on one instead of in front of a group in a classroom. I enjoy the give and take of working with one person at a time. That way I can answer a person’s specific questions and I can see right away whether what I’m teaching is getting across. I believe that getting to know my students as people really helps me teach them what they need to know.

I like to teach the basics of video production and editing. My goal is to make this vastly complicated art as simple as possible. Once you have a firm grasp of basic video skills, you will be able to learn more on your own.

At a first session, we will chat and get to know a little about each other. I'll ask you to tell me what you need to accomplish, and I'll give you some ideas about how we might proceed. I might ask you to write a sentence for me. And I'll ask you a few questions that will help me understand what level of knowledge and skill you have. I will also answer any questions that you have." less...