Knock Me Down, I'll Keep On Moving

- American Hi-Fi

Well I got the sad news about the Emmys, we will remain Emmy nominated rather than Emmy winning. Our Cinderella-story had to come to an end eventually. For those of you that don't know the whole story, Mikel Lauber and I (along with some great help from the WSAW newsroom) created an investigative series Avraham Cohen and his groups, SIST, in Shawano entitled Secrets in Shawano. After putting in 110 hours in two weeks to make this thing sing like nothing I've ever created, we were rewarded with an Emmy nomination for best investigative series.

Mikel and I both had just a year of professional experience at this point. We were working in market number #135, one of the smallest television markets in the United States, resulting in us being underfunded, undermanned and less experienced than the big boys like Chicago and the Twin Cities. And yet, up against competition from Chicago and South Bend, Mikel and I managed to create something that went to the top. An Emmy is arguably the most prestigious award in all television. The two us with less combined experience than most likely any one member of the teams that put together our competition on equipment at least twice as old if not more.

But much like, Rocky, we lost the final round. However, again like Rocky, we came out winners because of the insurmountable odds we faced. I couldn't be more proud of the work I did on that series. It was amazing to work along side Mikel Lauber, who will go nothing but up from here. I foresee multiple gold statues someday on his mantle for this type of work. He's that good, and it was an honor to be with him for most of th experience.

I'm still looking forward to how we do in the Associated Press and Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Awards this coming Spring. Besides Secrets in Shawano, we've got our hard news series: Drinking and Snowmobiling, my favorite news package of last year, Wheelchair Basketball, and maybe some of my work with Jeff Thelen like the Surviving the Recession and Welcome Home, Dad.

Partystarter has a long-line and treatment. I'm working on the beat by beat scenario right now. My biggest challenge has been trying to fit in the love interest to the mix. I'm also trying to tighten down the original scene outline I received by trying to combine scenes and their purpose to keep the pacing tight. I'm hoping the producers will like the type of work I'm doing. Scene writing should begin in earnest this Wednesday at the latest.

Finally, Microcosm, has DVDs coming quite soon. I sent the DVD in to Amazon.com so they can produce a proof for me. Assuming I'll be happy with that I'm hoping before the end of the month we'll selling them to all of you! The money will go to a good cause: us! In all seriousness we'll use that cash to send the film out to more festivals and try to get us some major exposure. Designing the DVD, cover art to menus, has been insanely fun for me and I hope you all like it. Our storefront is all set for sales, so when you want to buy Microcosm on DVD, you can!