Old Resume

Michael French's Resume

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M Y       W E B S I T E

TELEVISION NEWS SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT PHOTOJOURNALIST

NPPA Photographer of the Year 2001, New York State, Ranked #8 POY.....

NOT AN OFFICIAL RESUME

Professional Experience

Professional Experience I currently work for WPTZ, an NBC affiliate called "Newschannel 5," owned by Hearst/Argyle Television. . For the last 3 years, I've been the Special Assignment Photographer for the long format pieces featured in our broadcasts. These aren't day to day, routine stories- they are the award-winning, issue-oriented series titled 'Champlain 2000,' and 'Learning Counts.' And to a lesser degree there are 2 others called 'I Challenge Mark,' and '5 Star Teacher.' Look for all of them on NEWSCHANNEL 5 WPTZ's 6pm broadcasts or on the web at www.thechamplainchannel.com - WPTZ - Principal Photographer for many half-hour specials including "Champlain 2000, History's Highway" and "Champlain 2000, TARGET: Mercury" and more... Produced Documentary Entitled, "JOHN BROWN" in Lake Placid, NY FREELANCE WORK: I was recently contracted to shoot a series for the United Methodist Church about a pair of bicyclists travelling 10,000 miles. Other freelance gigs include the Miss Universe 1998 (watched by over 2 Billion People), and some work on independent films. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAST WORK EXPERIENCES: I attended an NPPA TV NEWS Week Long Intensive Workshop. NPPA is the National Press Photogs Association, who provide ethical and turorial support for professional photographers. Hired in November 1998, I am currently working for Newschannel 5 WPTZ (Hearst-Argyle)in the Burlington (Vermont), Plattsburgh (NY), Montreal (Quebec, Canada) and Lake Placid (NY) market. (DMA 91) I love it. We edit on both tape-to-tape and Non-Linear Avid Newscutters. I love it! CameraPerson@hotmail.com I was freelancing for WPTZ NewsChannel 5 and creating an on-line web-resume service during the summer of 1998. NO LONGER AVAILABLE or NOT ONLINE Matt's, Sara's, and Mike's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I did a brief stint for the big Donald Trump "Ms. Universe" pageant which was located on O'ahu, Hawai'i, during 1998. The images I made were seen by over 2 billion people. I actually met Donald Trump as well. A class act all the way. Oh yeah, that's right- over 2,000,000,000. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hired by KGMB (CBS) 9 in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is a pretty large market (#71) and is distributed thru-out the islands, it is also broadcast in many other languages for the benefit of the multi-cultural area. I functioned as one of about 15 staff Photogs; we shot and cut on BetaSP. P.S. -Anyone willing to send me a nice updated Oahu map, please do so because Honolulu's road system is as convoluted as a plate of spagetti. 1997-98. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My first Avid experience came from when I was hired at WPTZ (NBC) NewsChannel 5 in Northern New York (Plattsburgh, Montreal, Burlington) as a Photog hired during the summer of 1997 where my major duties were shooting and editing stories(on a Mac based AVID) . I was hired over a week before I ever graduated from college. (As a sidenote, I subsequently decided to return to WPTZ because they offered a solid chance to excel, and provided training and feedback, and it's located in the mountains and near the rivers. What more do I need?) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MY EDUCATION BACKGROUND: PLATTSBURGH STATE UNIVERSITY (NY) EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: BS/BA in Mass Communication/Media (Television) Minor in Photography, with a love of Physics and Astronomy... Highlights: Assisted in Teaching Photography for 4 Sememsters Produced TV Programs, From Game Shows to Live Music Programs Produced Documentary Entitled, "Macomb, 1814" One Sememster at the University of Hawaii, Manoa Campus AWARD: Awarded the Winkel Fine Art Scholarship Dec. 1997 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have taught Photography classes as Professors Assistant, produced an extensive personal portfolio of photographs, and participated in numerous Independent Study programs at SUNY Plattsburgh and at the flagship campus of the University of Hawaii @ Manoa .

Direct from the boss...

AWARDS

Graham (reporter)/Mike (Photog)/Jaime (livetruck), Your liveshot tonight was absolutely incredible. Great television. You made an inanimate object come alive. Great teamwork on this one. Interview was short, sweet and informative. Wormser says, "Riveting television." Andy

More Below...

AWARDS

AWARDS

AWARDS

AWARDS

NYSBA 2003 "Hard News Award" " Scott Geddes; on the web." See NYSBA 2003, below... AP- Investigative Reporting "Quebec Puppy Mills" Ace Award, 2003, "Puppy Mills." Murrow Award, 2002, "Puppy Mills." Named #8 NPPA Photographer of the Year 2001, New York State. <Pre-2001> Won 1st place NPPA for "In-Depth" category piece "Snow Mapping" Won Honorable Mention for "Wolves (Reintroduction)" Won 3rd Place "Science Class" more misc

Recent Awards

Graham and Mike, Congratulations on your ACE Award from the Humane Society of Chittenden County. ACE, as I learned last night, stands for "Animal Compassion and Education" award. Susan O'Kane made a really nice speech about how terrific your series was and how important it was in raising the issues of puppy mills to viewers in the Champlain Valley. I'm sorry you weren't able to make the dinner. You'd have been a star of the show. The group was really appreciative of your efforts and spoke very highly of us as a news organization. Andy

Ace Award from the Humane Society

I and Stphanie Gorin, anchor for the 6+11 WPTZ News, won the "Best HARD NEWS STORY coverage of a significant event affecting the community" at the New York State Broadcasters Association Awards for Excellence in Broadcasting, hosted by Regis Philbil. The award was for a sweeps period series about a killer/rapist who, from prison, is contacting people over the web- legally. Film at 11....

NYSBA 2003

Folks, A belated, but hearty, congratulations to folks for some extraordinary achievements recently - First places: Investigative Reporting -- Graham and Mike -- Quebec Puppy Mills Other awards: Feature -- 2nd place -- Graham and Mike -- "Lighthouses" Public Affairs/Documentary -- 2nd place -- "C2K History's Highway" Election Coverage -- 2nd place -- "Election night" Nice going to all! Andy Wormser (news director)

AP AWARDS 2002

Champlain 2000 Awards: - VT Associated Press 1st Place Award for "Target Mercury" - NY Associated Press 2nd and 3rd Place Awards - EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award - NYSDEC Region 5 Media Award - EMMY Nominated - 2 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards - Vermont Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence in Pollution Prevention ---- For several of our colleagues for extraordinary effort -- effort rewarded last night by the Vermont AP. Congrats, too, to Mike French for his first place and honorable mention awards in the NPPA region 2 quarterly clip contest -- for 2 C2K pieces he produced with Graham. Mark and Mike won first place for the sled dog challenge -- first in both features and sports coverage. Finally, congrats to Stephanie and Mike for a first place award in the NY State Broadcasters competition for their story on The Lost Boys of Sudan. That award will presented in Bolton Landing later this month. Andy _______ CLASS 3 Best regularly scheduled local news program #1 WPTZ, Plattsburgh, 12/5/0, News Channel 5 at 6 - Staff Best spot news coverage WPTZ, Plattsburgh, Federal Express Plane Crash - Chris Glorioso Best feature WIVT, Binghamton, IBM Band - Grant Loomis WPTZ, Plattsburgh, Mark Goes to the Dogs - Mark Sudol, Mike French Best sports coverage WETM, Elmira, Stefanie Collins - Andy Pruitt, Wayne Hicks/photojournalist WPTZ, Plattsburgh, Sled Dog Challenge - Mark Sudol & Mike French General excellence of individual reporting WPTZ, Plattsburgh, My C2K Partner in Crime, I mean, Environmental reporting, Thom Hallock CONGRATS: To Mike French for his honors in the NPPA quarterly clip contest. Mike won for a Report Card piece on getting science back into the classroom. he placed third against some tough competition across NY. Congrats to mike! Andy At the AP awards, we picked up 22 total awards, including 6 first place awards. We (WPTZ) were awarded first place awards for: Breaking News -- the Dragged Baby case Special Coverage of Jeffords' Announcement Public Affairs/Documentary -- for our special on Howard Dean's announcement he wouldn't run for re-election. Moe produced it. Winning these awards took a lot of hard work from people in all 3 newsrooms. Congrats to all who took part. I've pasted the entire list below. Andy TELEVISION Enterprise: 1. WCAX, Addicted woman behind bars, Kristin Kelly, Andy Goodrich. 2. WVNY, Vermont gun culture, Keith Baldi. 3. WPTZ, Champion Lands, Graham Johnson, Michael French. HM: WPTZ, The Lost Boys, Stephanie Gorin, Michael French. Breaking News: 1. WPTZ, Baby Dragged, Stewart Ledbetter 2. WCAX, Williston police shootout, Sera Congi 3. WPTZ, shutdown at the border, team coverage, Mike French Public Affairs/Documentary: 1. WPTZ, Decision Day, Maureen O'Brien, producer 2. WPTZ, Jeffords independence day, Maureen O'Brien, producer 3.WPTZ, Champlain 2000: Common Ground, Maureen O'Brien, Thom Hallock, Mike French Special Coverage of U.S. Sen. Jeffords' decision to become an independent: 1. WPTZ, Jeffords announcement, team coverage, Stewart Ledbetter. Special Coverage on the events of Sept. 11: 1. WCAX, Sept. 11, team coverage 2. WPTZ, composite, staff 3. WPTZ, live coverage, staff ----------------- For several of our colleagues for extraordinary effort -- effort rewarded last night by the Vermont AP. Congrats, too, to Mike French for his first place and honorable mention awards in the NPPA region 2 quarterly clip contest -- for 2 C2K pieces he produced with Graham.

More Awards,  unabridged