One of the most enjoyable times in my career was when I worked for WMDT-TV Delmarva 47 in Salisbury, Maryland as a TV commercial writer-producer.They had the most creative small market production team that I've ever been part of. Derek Baucum was the video editor, and to this day he continues to amaze me with his talent. I have linked (with permission) to his resume reel to highlight the spots that we developed together.

EZY Net-"High Speed" This was one of our Telly Award winners. Back in the late 90's the internet was limited to a very slow dialup connection, or an expensive T-1 line. Wireless was unheard of, and cell phones just made phone calls! Our client was looking for a way to sell his new high speed wireless DSL.(it's a joke now, but back then it was a BIG deal!) We were sitting around the cafeteria and I joked that if we had a Big Wheel tri-cycle drag racing a full blown race car that could pull a wheelie, it would make a GREAT spot! Logistically, however it was an idea that almost didn't happen. We had a VERY limited budget (usually about $500 per spot) and no real special effects, meaning that the video had to be shot live. So where do you get a drag strip location,a race car capable of doing a wheelie, or even a Big Wheel tricycle that a 250 pound guy is probably going to destroy for FREE? And what ACTOR is going to embarrass himself this way? Our crack sales team solved the first two problems. The owner of the local drag strip, US 13 Dragway in Delmar,DE agreed to let us shoot at his facility if we mentioned the location in the spot (basically a free plug for him).He also had exactly the powerful drag race vehicle we needed, and he was happy to pull a few wheelies on camera! I found a "Little Tykes" wagon at a yard sale for $5 and the guys at the TV station all agreed that I was the one to pilot the slower vehicle. We finished out the getup with a pilot's cap and goggles, some smoke bombs and sooty makeup for the scene after I was "blown off"! I still use this commercial as an acting demo and a voiceover sample, because both were done by me! Enjoy! Hit "refresh" to see it again! The Pasta Bowl "Wanted" This was a fun spot to do! We shot it in black and white at a high angle to make it look like surveillance camera footage. The VO (done by me) was an attempt to sound like Sergeant Joe Friday. The "ghost of Sinatra" effect was created by shooting the wine cellar empty, then, without moving the camera, videotaping the Sinatra actor. Because of the static camera location, the two shots had an identical background. Overlaying the shot of the actor in half opacity creates the "see through" ghost video effect! Here's the spot.

Freedom Motors "Freedom Fighter" This spot also won a Telly Award . The owner of Freedom Motors had a very "mild mannered" salesperson whom he wanted to promote as a superhero to those "poor repressed citizens" who were bullied by the big car companies' stringent credit policies. This one was assigned to me because I had become the "king" of superhero spots during my time at WMDT. My original script called for the Freedom Fighter to fly in, but when the actor showed up in the suit, the blue was EXACTLY the color of our blue ChromaKey wall, so it didn't work out. In later scripts we borrowed a green key wall studio from the local college, so in the end the Freedom Fighter was flying high! Like the Freedom Fighter, WE MAKE IT POSSIBLE! This spot is another voiceover demo for me. The diabolical laugh is also my trademark! Here's the spot. Hit "refresh" on your browser if you want to play it again. Enjoy! Here's another version we did later on! Again, hit "refresh" on your browser if you want to play it again. Enjoy! Cash Advance"Captain Cash Advance" The "King of Superheros" was again called upon to create this rendition of "Captain Cash Advance", that cool speedy character with WAY too much money to give away! I DO love working with money! The voiceover is again done by me, if you are keeping track. Here's the spot. Hit "refresh" on your browser if you want to play it again. Enjoy!

Delmarva 47 "Reading Rap" Promo One of the things that has always come naturally to me is making things rhyme. It's not as easy as you might think, because you also have to get the RHYTHM correct. One syllable too many and your whole presentation is off. I guess I should thank my mother for getting me started on the Dr Seuss books at an early age! Anyway, this piece was written by me and the voiceover is my attempt to sound black and cool..two things that I'm really not! At any rate, the kids loved it! Here's the spot. Hit "refresh" on your browser if you want to play it again. Enjoy! Cat Country "Cash for Keys" When I was working at the TV station, I was usually called on to do local radio station promos because of my radio background. Shooting with the local DJ's was always entertaining! This spot involved three rotating static cash graphic backgrounds with on-camera shots of the personalities. The trick on THIS production was getting the DJ's to look in the direction of the graphics, which of course were added after the live shot. This actually took a bit more effort than you might think, but it really adds to the overall production. Here's the spot. Hit "refresh" on your browser if you want to play it again. Enjoy!