This is a montage of my production work.

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Danny Ledonne

Filmmaker and Teacher

Employment | Production | Special Skills | Speaking | Media | Education

Recent Employment Experience:

Owner/Operator — Emberwilde Productions (2004 - present)

Experience includes shooting, editing short and feature-length video productions for institutions, businesses, non-profits, and individuals—also provided technical consultation and training. Subjects include business, travel, environmental, outdoor sports, and arts/humanities. Ongoing showcase of self-produced professional work at film festivals and academic screenings on college campuses.

Executive Media Producer — Reel Video (2007 - present)

Oversaw the production and post production needs of a unique multimedia production company started by The Balman Group to cover high school sports in the Washington, DC area. Shot and edited football games and developed a style sheet and template for all future camera operators and editors. Output games to DVD for coaches to review during the season. Edited highlight reels/skills videos of numerous sports for college recruitment. Maintained online database of all games for parents and coaches to view on the web – including unique logos and branding for company promotion. Developed a roster of camera operators in the DC area and coordinated the production and post production of these videos.

Instructor — International Film Academy of Jackson Hole (2009 - present)

Worked under the supervision of PBS producer Gillian Rose to create an intensive one week field study course in environmental filmmaking. Developed a detailed equipment list and daily lesson plans, worked with teens and adults to create short HD documentaries in the Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Lab Assistant Fellowship — American University’s New Media Center (2007 - 2010)

Assisted in multimedia training and assistance for students and faculty from all schools in the university. Worked with state of the art editing lab to provide technical support for all production and post production needs for video, audio, desktop publishing, and web design. Regularly taught seminars and workshop on specific aspects of multimedia production and editing. Assisted in the audio/visual needs of students and professors in the university's most advanced multimedia classroom.

Ocean Media Center Video Contractor — NOAA (2008 - 2010)

Collaborated within National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration to produce short HD videos on marine ecology issues such as oil spills, marine debris, ocean wildlife, marine protected areas, and scientific research. Worked as video shooter and editor for interdepartmental video needs as well as projects for the Ocean Media Center.

Video Mentor — NOAA Ocean for Life (2009)

Supervised multimedia production for educational pilot program in ocean science and cultural sharing. Collaborated with fellow instructors to develop a daily curriculum and production plan for groups of international high school students shooting from 16 countries. Taught on location in National Marine Sanctuaries in the Florida Keys and northern California coastline. In addition to supervising student video productions, shot HD video content for NOAA promotional use.

DV Filmmaking Program Director — Fairfax Collegiate Summer Program (2009)

Having taught previously as a filmmaking and public speaking instructor for this summer program’s 4th-9th grade audience, oversaw the hiring and curriculum design of the digital video filmmaking program. Interviewed applicants for teaching positions, researched equipment purchases and developed curriculum materials as well as online marketing design.

Assistant; Interim Coordinator — Intel Computer Clubhouse (2005 - 2007)

Developed programming for youth ages 8 - 18 with an emphasis on introducing multimedia technology in an underprivileged community. Ongoing self-education in various software applications to mentor youth in videogame creation, digital video/photo manipulation, programmable robotics, music production, as well as computer animation techniques. Training included alternative learning models and serving at risk youth effectively. Responsible for fiscal oversight and ongoing development of technology plan for host organization in addition to promotional materials and technological assistance.

Volunteer DJ — KRZA 88.7 FM (2005 - 2007)

Trained in use of studio's audio broadcasting equipment. Duties include selecting music for two hour show, maintaining a detailed playlist of all music broadcast, playing scheduled promos, and reading PSA announcements aloud on the air. Additionally, volunteered to pitch and promote station during semiannual fund drives.

Tae Kwon Do Instructor — Valley Health & Fitness (2004 - 2006)

Earned black belt; taught martial arts to children and adults. Developed ongoing curriculum to facilitate the needs of the class as well as testing students and ordering sparring equipment.

Teacher — Kids on Campus Summer Enrichment Program (2005)

Developed curriculum for intensive two-week course for 5th-12th grade students. Worked with Adams State College to purchase equipment necessary for digital photography, audio, and video productions. Hosted presentation during the student showcase of twelve short films including narrative, stop motion animation, and documentary at the end of the program.

Technical Advisor — Alamosa High School (2004)

Regularly took equipment inventory and maintained digital editing workstations. Set up multiple analog editing suites for tape-to-tape editing and digital-to-analog transfer. Held workshops with students to teach the principals of media technology as well as advanced camera techniques and audio recording theory.

Film Equipment Assistant — Emerson College Equipment Distribution Center (2001 - 2004)

Responsibilities include vending and inspecting college’s equipment and making reservations for checkout. Readily assisted other students when questions arose.

President — Frames Per Second (2003 - 2004)

Supervised production of short films in 16mm and 35mm format including organization’s first music video. Organized weekly workshops and lectures from industry professionals including cinema curators, independent film producers, equipment rental managers, and two former 20th Century Fox CEOs. Awarded Organization of the Year by the Office of Student Life.

Intern — Boston Camera Rental Company (2003)

Working closely with cameras, lenses, heads, and accessories, developed detailed understanding of 16mm and 35mm motion picture cameras, also video and HD video cameras. Responsible for in-house inspections, rental deliveries, and basic camera/accessory maintenance.

Student Technician — Emerson College Film Equipment Shop (2003)

Assisted master technician in repair of various motion picture cameras and sound recorders. Updated database frequently to indicate items in repair/on shelf.

Recent Production Experience:

Producer, Director, Editor — Duck! (2010)

Produced/Directed/Edited short documentary for broadcast and online distribution on the complex sociological interactions between humans and ducks. Traveled from Florida, Massachusetts, California, and throughout the US to collect humorous or eccentric stories of ducks in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Worked closely with professional composer and motion graphics artists to create a unique style for the project. Slated for showcase in wildlife film festivals and released episodically on a number of online video platforms.

Producer, Cinematographer, Editor — The Galapagos Game (2009)

Collaborated on the development of an interactive multimedia simulation for middle school science students, modeling the ecological impact of invasive species on endemic populations. Traveled to the Galapagos Islands and shot/edited HD video production to introduce the elements of the simulation for classroom use, transition into new phases of game play, and introduce concepts for classroom discussion. Slated for publication in the Problem Based Inquiry Science Curriculum, New York City.

Producer, Cinematographer, Editor — Farming Forward (2009)

Co-producer, cinematographer, and editor on short documentary in HD focusing on the environmental problems of modern agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay region. Interviewed farmers and agricultural scientists about the improvements being made to reduce the environmental impact of industrial farming practices. Included in the “EcoViews: Reclaiming the Bay” series broadcast on Maryland Public Television, featured online, and screened at environmental film festivals.

Producer, Director — Moments (2008)

Created experimental narrative short film utilizing verite documentary technique, improvisation, and high contrast post-processing. Worked closely with DVD authoring technician to create a final assortment of 18 scenes that play in a random order with each viewing.

Cinematographer, Editor — Working with Fire (2008)

Filmed and edited a short observational documentary in HDV of a prescribed burn let by a team of fire experts and field biologists in northwest Florida. Winner of the Best Environmental Film award at Visions 2008, featured on Montana State University's video podcast, “Life on Terra.”

Producer, Director, Editor — Playing Columbine (2008)

Produced/Directed/Edited feature length documentary in HDV on the future of videogames for social activism, interviewing over 40 subjects. Premiered at AFI Fest in Los Angeles, represented for online distribution by Cinetic Media. Screened in numerous film festivals and on dozens of college campuses nationally and abroad. Hosted online and live presentations of the film.

Cinematographer, Editor — Kenya Hidaya (2007)

Travelled to the east African country of Kenya and toured five major national parks. Shot and edited a short documentary in high definition video highlighting the landscape, wildlife, and indigenous Masai culture.

Cinematographer — Kis-ka-DEE (2007)

Served as cinematographer on a short documentary focusing on the lives and techniques of a group of blind birders in south Texas (who identify birds entirely by ear). Included numerous outdoor locations and wildlife cinematography on three separate shoots in various locations. Screened at film festivals and featured online at “Life on Terra.”

Editor — An Awakening Journey: Songs and Voices from the Earth (2006)

Assembled nearly seven hundred photographs into a feature length documentary project produced, directed, and composed by Eric Karlstrom. Photography from five continents was broken into nine sections with graphical maps and titles. Responsible for picture cutting, image movement keyframing, title design, additional sound mixing, and final DVD design and output.

Game Developer — Super Columbine Massacre RPG! (2005)

Researched and developed videogame focusing on the Columbine High School shooting of 1999 over the course of six months. Used game encoding software to create an interactive approach to understanding the motives behind the shooters' actions. Distributed via the Internet, the game gained immense popularity (over 600,000 downloads) and sparked international debate (in the form of television, online, and printed press) over the game's contribution to the medium as well as its potential social value. The only entry in the history of the Slamdance Film Festival to be accepted as a finalist and then pulled weeks before being screened due to mounting controversy. It has been called "one of the worst games of all time" as well as the "most important artistic videogame."

Writer, Director, Editor — Wild Animals, Domesticated Humans (2004)

As a senior thesis project for BA: Visual Media Arts (film production) from Emerson College, worked with faculty advisor Robert Todd to interview zookeepers, enthusiasts, and experts in the field of zoological parks. Footage was shot from five zoos in Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Massachusetts and cut into a documentary short. Screened at Emerson College, Wildscreen Film Festival 2004, Jackson Hole Film Festival 2005, several other international wildlife film festivals, and was a semifinalist in the Jack Ward Film Award at the 2005 Animal Behavior Society. Currently being distributed on DVD through the National Film Network.

Special Skills:

• Strong familiarity with American Sign Language and German
• Extensive training in classical, method, and eastern approaches to acting for the stage
• American Heart Association Certified: Basic Life Support (CPR, AED), First Aid
• Experienced in wilderness survival, snorkel, SCUBA diving
• Certification in outdoor filmmaking by Learn to Return Survival Training Systems
• Technical proficiency with wide variety of multimedia software (Mac and Windows)
• Experience with computer networking, diagnostics and hardware repair
• Multimedia research training as teaching assistant and faculty marketing consultant

Professional Speaking Engagements:

Student Video: Doing it Right Ann Ferren Teaching Conference - Washington, DC: Jan 2010
Ocean for Life: Video Mentoring American University - Washington, DC: Nov 2009
Filmmaker Discussion/Q&A Marymount Film Festival - Arlington, VA: Apr 2009
The Business of Wildlife Film Production Environmental Film Festival - Washington, DC: Mar 2009
Deadly Games: Echoes of Columbine Starz Film Festival - Denver, CO: Nov 2008
Videogames: Art or Commerce? AFI Festival - Los Angeles, CA: Nov 2008
Game Designer Lecture Series Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Worcester, MA: Jan 2008
Reflections on Game Design Montreal Independent Games Summit - Montreal, Quebec: Nov 2007
Videogames and the First Amendment Loyola Marymount University - Los Angeles, CA: Feb 2007
Videogame Journalism Canadian University Press - Vancouver, British Columbia: Jan 2007
Stepmania in your Clubhouse Intel Computer Clubhouse conference - Chicago, IL: Apr 2007
RPG Game Design Intel Computer Clubhouse conference - Denver, CO: Oct 2005
Conservation Messages in Wildlife Films Wildscreen Film Festival - Bristol, United Kingdom: Oct 2004

Additional media appearances/interviews:

Fox News, NPR, New York Times, Wired, Washington Post, G4TV, Der Spiegel TV, MTV Canada, CBC, Kotaku, Associated Press, Toronto Star, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, Hollywood Reporter, Variety

Education:

American University — Washington, D.C. (2007 - 2010)
MFA: Film & Electronic Media — emphasis on natural history documentary
Cumulative GPA: 3.92 (Academic Merit Scholar)

Emerson College — Boston, Massachusetts (2001 - 2004)
BA: Visual Media Arts — emphasis on film production (minor in hearing and deafness)
Graduated Magna Cum Laude - Cumulative GPA: 3.84 (Gold Key Honor Student)

*References furnished upon request

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