ArtPole Video is Maciej Ochman - broadcast media professional with 18 years of all-encompassing experience in all facets of production phases, engineering and media education.

Contact:
Email: maciej@artpolevideo.com or maciej_ochman@hotmail.com
Cell:    240-599-6483

Producing and Directing Story              

Producing is very rewarding to me because the project I work on becomes an integral part of my life. There are three projects that are very close to my heart: a documentary about New England’s Native Americans who talk about what the Powwow means to them and about their cultural identity, entitled “Stomping the Ground”; "Homeless Not Hungry", an educational video for Boston City Hospital distributed nationally featuring Sarah Ann Shaw of CBS WBZ-TV4 Boston. The third project is the one that I am going to share my producing story with you entitled “Safety First”.

Safety First

I produced, directed and edited these 3 dramatized federally sponsored educational programs in English, Spanish and Khmer languages for the city of Lowell, MA (utilizing 3 sets of actors for each language version). Programs aimed at educating parents on how to recognize signs that their children might be gang involved. In addition, the video provided the viewers with access information and description of local organizations whose goal was to aid families in dealing with such challenges.
                 
Safety First is an alliance of local law enforcement officials, community organizations as well as individuals designed to combat crime in the city. Safety First received federal grant to produce video programs for English, Spanish and Cambodian speaking communities. I submitted budget and proposal and was awarded the right to produce, direct and edit the three-language videos.   The script was written in English language and consequently translated to Spanish and Khmer languages. I realized that in order for the video to be most effective it must carry messages and visuals that will speak to each individual ethnic group. It cannot be a simple translation of an English version.   One of the first steps I took was to hire Director of Photography, who would translate my vision properly. Although the budget was not limitless I was able to convince Jan Maliszewski http://www.dgaproductions.com , who worked as Director of Photography on On Tiptoe: Gentle Steps to Freedom, Academy Award Nominated Documentary http://www.imaginenews.com/Archive/2001/MAY_2001/Text/FEAT05.htm to be part of this project. Simultaneously I began working with all the groups involved in the projects to make sure each groups’ goals were going to be met. Later on I have met with language translators in order to create scripts that would reflect each groups’ cultural tradition. And although English and Spanish versions turned out to be fairly close, Khmer version called for different locations. (Fig.1)

Fig. 1 Scene from the Khmer language version inside a Buddhist Temple.

I rehearsed very closely with three sets of actors for each language version for two weeks before shooting commenced. I visited each location before rehearsals in order to create in the actors’ minds proper atmosphere and understanding of the surrounding they would find themselves in once on location. I didn’t want them to feel out of place once we were ready to shoot. For the most part these actors (including children) had day jobs or were in school and acting was their passion and not a profession.

Videography had to be completed in three weeks. I had to coordinate various locations from cemeteries and temples to private apartments and 911 call centers as well as individual schedules of all the actors. I engaged local police and public access station to provide me with the b-roll footage of all the local organizations, whose contact information was to be included in the video. I minimized the amount of location shoot days by linking all three-language versions for common settings and videotaping them for all three versions the same day. I kept the lines of communications open at all times between local officials, organizations and many other individuals involved in the project.  
I have to admit that even though I was in charge, it was the spirit of cooperation and community involvement as well, which allowed the project to stay on track and reach its final destination. We all managed not only the scheduling differences but cultural as well.

Fig. 2 Scene from the Spanish language version showing hand signals used by gangs. Former gang members were invited to demonstrate in front of the camera these gestures. Videotaping only areas shown on the picture protected their identity and none of the crew members knew their real names.

Fig. 3 E&E TV production studio.


Technical and Engineering Story

The idea behind providing good engineering service is to listen to the client and recognizing his needs. I am driven by my clients’ business and creative goals.  

My first real job in this business was as media technician troubleshooting Sony Umatic equipment at Boston University http://www.bu.edu/com/ft/tv/facilities.html television studios, shop and editing suites. The rapid advent of non-linear editing technology engulfed me too and I became Avid Certified Service Representative http://avid.com/training/certification/acsr.html after I worked for Avid Technology, Inc http://www.avid.com/ as Technical Support Representative providing technical and operational phone support for variety of Avid products. After that came Avid technical support to such clients as UPN38 http://www.upn38.com/, Interlock Media http://www.interlockmedia.com/enter.html both in Boston, Massachusetts, and Williams/Gerard Productions, Inc.  http://www.williamsgerard.com/ in Arlington, Virginia to name few. Most challenging and interesting (not to say that other projects were not) work came with Discovery Communication and E&E Publishing. 

Discovery Communications, LLC http://www.discovery.com/ doesn’t need any introduction but just in case someone does not know, please visit http://corporate.discovery.com/ for more information. Upon the company’s move to a new location, Discovery Creative & Technology Center (DCTC), in Silver Spring, MD in 2003 I helped develop training material used throughout the facility and I provided Avid NLE, audio/visual equipment, computers, router and facility training to Discovery editors. Simultaneously I integrated close to 20 Avid editing systems. With the purchase of 40 new Avid Media Composer Adrenaline PC editing systems I facilitated weekly technology conference calls with Avid Technology aimed at improving technical and operational features of the new Avid editing system. Currently I manage Discovery Frontline Engineering team's daily work-flow and projects’ implementation supporting facilities in Silver Spring, New York and Los Angeles. See my Experience for more information.  

Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC of Washington, DC is a highly specialized service company providing information on environmental and energy policy action in the United States. In January 2005 E&ETV, new service of E&E Publishing, began broadcasting daily interviews with individuals who create the environmental and energy policy; providing up-to-the-minute information from Capitol Hill and facilitating policy deliberations among main policymakers from opposite viewpoints from a newly built studios at E&E Publishing’s Capitol Hill headquarters. With South River Productions, LLC of Edgewater, MD I provided design, engineering, and integration of the broadcast production studio and 2 Avid NLE editing suites for E&ETV. Also, I created instructional material and provided training. Finally, we offered on-site technical, production, and operations support with as needed on-call arrangements. http://www.eande.tv/main/

Fig. 4 E&ETV editing console with Media Composer Adrenaline HD PC, Mackie 16 channel audio board, Panasonic DVCPRO deck, and lighting board.  The bottom left corner shows studio announce with intercom system and ISIS Group 8x1 Remote Panel for live camera switching and simultaneous capture into MC Adrenaline.