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Q&A With Porter Versfelt III

(interview me)

Porter Versfelt III
CEO & Executive Producer, Versfelt Communications Group
Location: Atlanta, GA United States
Joined: Feb 20th, 2008

About (request update)

Porter is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas.

After spending his teen years as an "oil patch brat" in Europe and the Middle East, and a nomadic early professional life, Porter L. Versfelt III chose Georgia as his adopted home state in 1994. He has worked as an Atlanta-based freelance producer, director, journalist, script writer and television cameraman for such organizations as Sony Pictures, Lions Gate Films, DreamWorks, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Georgia Public Broadcasting / PeachStar, E!, the Food Network, ABC News, NBC News, CNN International and the United States Geological Survey.

Recent projects include � Shooting the behind-the-scenes making-of documentaries and DVD features for five motion pictures � �Meet The Browns� directed by Tyler Perry, �Why Did I Get Married?� directed by Tyler Perry; �Daddy�s Little Girl� directed by Tyler Perry; the Sony Pictures/Screen Gems theatrical feature �Stomp The Yard�; the Lions Gate Films/Tyler Perry motion picture "Madea's Family Reunion". Lighting Cameramen and Field Producer for E! Entertainment USA and E! Entertainment International coverage of the 2001 and 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Lighting Cameramen and Field Producer for the reality TV series "Naked Cannes", a behind-the-scenes program showing how E! covered the Cannes Film Festival � and many other assignments.

Porter has worked as a broadcast journalist since 1975, getting his start in Boston while attending Northeastern University. In 1976 he won a national reporting award from Sigma Delta Chi (SDX) for his radio coverage of court-ordered Boston public school desegregation.

After completing his journalism training at the University of Missouri - Columbia, Porter worked for five television stations in the mid-west, Texas and Florida as an on-air reporter/photographer, winning a variety of awards along the way. Porter also worked variously as a Chief Photographer, Consumer Reporter and Police Reporter.

From 1984 - 1990 Porter worked as a freelance producer, director, scriptwriter and cameraman in Miami for a wide variety of clients such as NBC and ABC News, ABC and NBC sports, and many advertising and public relations agencies, Fortune 500 corporations and international TV networks.

In 1990, Porter created the concept and pilot for the national PBS do-it-yourself series "Building The American Dream", later joining the regional PBS network (WPSX-TV / PennArama / iTV) operated by the Pennsylvania State University, where he produced many regional and national educational, documentary and public affairs programs.

Porter's interests include organic herb and vegetable gardening, carpentry, home DIY projects, reading, cooking, weather and earth science, collecting old books and travel. His favorite TV networks are The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Food Network, SciFi Channel, HGTV, Fox News, CNN and PBS. His favorite PBS programs are This Old House, Victory Garden and NOVA. He enjoys any television program dealing with history, adventure, space, science fiction, DIY, gardening, food and cooking.

He enjoys the diverse assignments that working independently offers because his life is never boring.

My Interview Question

Tell me about some of the famous movie stars that you have worked with in your career.

Current Whereabouts:

I am an experienced DP and Lighting Cameraman with decades of network TV (news, sports, documentary and syndicated series), corporate and motion picture experience. References, detailed production credits and a video demo reel are available upon request. See below for on-line links to my work. I also have extensive production credits as a Producer, Director, Script Writer and Editor. We have a full TV production package with several SD and HD cameras to choose from. A full equipment list and rate-card available upon request. Here's some information about my recent work. My resume is attached. You can also see more about me and my company at: www.vcgtv.com Some of my selected recent projects include: 2008: Cameraman for 4-camera directed coverage of the annual Xerox Senior Leadership Meeting. Four-day shoot. 2007: Cameraman (HD Panasonic HDX-900 1080i/24p) for Food Network series �Dinner Impossible� with chef Robert Irvine in Biloxi, Mississippi. 2007: DP (HD Sony F-900 1080i/24p) for audience screening testimonials used in national TV ad campaign on the Lions Gate Films motion picture �Meet The Browns� directed by Tyler Perry, EP: Reuben Canon. 2007: DP (HD Sony F-900 1080i/24p) for the EPK / Behind-The-Scenes / Special Features on the Lions Gate Films motion picture �Meet The Browns� directed by Tyler Perry, EP: Reuben Canon. 2007: DP (HD Sony F-900 1080i/24p) for the EPK / Behind-The-Scenes / Special Features on the Lions Gate Films motion picture �Why Did I Get Married� directed by Tyler Perry, EP: Reuben Canon. The following is a link to a short scene from the �Riot� segment of the DVD Special Features: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&ChannelID=132154611 To see all of the Special Features that I shot for Why Did I Get Married�, go to: www.whydidigetmarriedthemovie.com and click on �Special Features�. 2007: DP (HD Sony HVR-V1U) for �NASCAR Angels� segments. http://www.nascar.com/video/cup/2007/05/02/angels_stewart.nascar/frameset.exclude.html?MostPopular 2006: DP (HD Sony F-900 1080i/24p) for the EPK / Behind-The-Scenes on the Lions Gate Films motion picture �Daddy�s Little Girl� directed by Tyler Perry, EP: Reuben Canon. 2006: DP & Field Producer (Digi Beta) for the EPK / Behind-The-Scenes / Special Features on Sony Pictures/Screen Gems theatrical feature �Step Show�. I conducted all on-camera interviews of the stars and above-the-line 2005: I was the principle Director / Cameraman for the EPK / Behind-The-Scenes / Special Features documentary for the Lions Gate Films / Tyler Perry motion picture "Madea's Family Reunion" which was released in February 2006. It was the #1 box office motion picture after just one weekend. I shot for this production over two months in the summer of 2005 on digital Betacam in 16:9. This shoot included multiple sit-down interviews, shooting on-set (both in studio, interiors and exteriors), documenting specialized make-up, special effects and prosthetics as well as digital time-lapse videography. 2004: DP for behind-the-scenes DVD special feature on musician Ludacris during the recording session for the soundtrack to the animated Dreamworks motion picture �Shark Tale�. �Luda� wrote and produced the ovie�s theme song: �Gold Digger� for the star character of this show, Lola. I was the Field Producer for this project as well, conducting sit-down interviews with Ludacris and musical collaborators Bobby V. and Lil� Fate. To see my work for this feature on-line, go to: http://www.sharktale.com/main.html ... click on �Video� � then click on �Watch Music Featurettes� � then click on �Ludacris Featuring Bobby V and Lil� Fate, Gold Digger. To see my interviews, click on �Music Featurette� at the top of the same �Music Featurettes� list and watch for the Ludacris segment near the end. 2005-2006: DP for the new PBS reality TV series "The Wine Makers", shot and directed key on-camera host segments with CNN anchor Sophia Choi for a University of Missouri promotional video, DP�d segments for the PBS documentary �The Rise of the Southern Biscuit� (EMMY and ADDY award-winner), shot and directed twenty-six one-hour training videos, shot news coverage of the 2005 America Society of Hematologists convention for Johnson & Johnson - London, DP�d an 8-day marketing video shoot for a Los Angeles/Malibu celebrity substance abuse rehabilitation center, and much more. I also was one of two principle Lighting Cameramen and a Field Producer for E! Entertainment USA and E! Entertainment International coverage of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. This involved several weeks of exhausting coverage of press conference, red carpet premiers, one-on-one star interviews, press tours and documentary featurettes. I also simultaneously shot the reality TV series "Naked Cannes", a behind-the-scenes program showing how E! covered the Cannes Film Festival and what festival organizers do to put on this event, which is has the largest news media coverage (after the Olympics) - of any event in the world. Here is a link to a recent video project: http://www.summitcenters.net . Click on "View Videos" at upper left-hand corner of screen. I shot all video on this site, including the introduction, marketing video, video tour, interviews and testimonials. Atlanta Broadcast Productions / Versfelt Communications Group is a full-service television, video and multimedia production company dedicated to creating compelling, creative, informative and entertaining transmedia programming for broadcast network, institutional and corporate television. Our award-winning and creative approach to communicating your message to the world encompasses 28 years of national and international expertise. Our clients include Xerox, ABC News, Johnson & Johnson, Coca Cola, DreamWorks, Lions Gate Films, Sony Pictures, The Tyler Perry Company, UnitedHealthcare, TI Automotive, Ford, SYSCO Food Services, U.S. Geological Survey, Lowe Worldwide, Ingersoll-Rand, Fox News Channel, ESPN, Penn State University, University of Missouri, the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, United Way, GE Power Systems, PAX TV, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, NBC News, PBS, Georgia Public Television, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston), Burger King Corp. Florida Power & Light Co. and many more. ABP/VCG specialize in creating business, institutional & corporate videos, from concept-to-completion. Our services include - Marketing, PR & training videos. TV commercials. VNR�s (Video News Releases and distribution). EPK�s (Electronic Press Kits). PSA�s (Public Service Announcements). Documentaries. Network TV news. Syndicated programming. Live event coverage. Mobile production truck (x 6 cameras). TV crews for hire. Please contact me at your earliest convenience so that we can discuss the details of your project which will allow me to give you an accurate price quote. I charge between $450 and $550/10-hour day for my services as a cameraman. I am flexible unlike some freelancers. Equipment rental is additional. The rate varies according to the type of job and skills required. My package rates start at $800/10-hour day with equipment + travel expenses, and vary according to what camera and video acquisition format that you require. Half-day rates and multi-day discounts are available. I look forward to talking with you. Sincerely, Porter L. Versfelt III � CEO, Executive Producer, DP/Lighting Cameraman Telephone: 678.469.6224 FAX: 770.485.9077 E-Mail: porter_versfelt@vcgtv.com Web Site: www.vcgtv.com IMDB Filmography: http://imdb.com/name/nm2260640

Education (request update)

Academy of Art Col class of 1979

Undergrad Major:

High School: International School Beverweerd in , class of 1975

Activities & Accomplishments:

International boarding school in The Netherlands.

Best Memories:

The school trips throughout Europe.

Experience

I currently work with Versfelt Communications Group as CEO & Executive Producer
I have 28 years of experience working in the Broadcasting/Public Communications industry.

Freelance TV Producer, Director, Cameraman, Script Writer, Technical Writer, PR & Media Relations | Atlanta Broadcast Productions / Versfelt Communications Group, Inc.
From January 1984 to Current • 42 year(s)
Consultant for transmedia communications, created PR campaigns and multimedia products for major clients including Xerox, TJ Maxx, U.S. Geological Survey, and others.

Freelance News Photographer/Live Truck Tech | WSB-TV (ABC)
From January 2001 to December 2001 • 0 year(s)
Freelance news photography and live truck technical operations.

Staff Videographer / Editor | Georgia Public Television
From January 1998 to June 2001 • 3 year(s)
Staff videographer and editor for public television productions.

Staff News Writer | CNN International
From August 1997 to January 1999 • 2 year(s)
Staff news writer for international news coverage.

Oil & gas newsletter Publisher/Managing Ed. | International Exploration News
From January 1995 to January 1998 • 3 year(s)
Publisher and managing editor of international petroleum and mining industry newsletter.

Video Production Manager, Producer/Writer | CarpetMAX
From May 1996 to May 1997 • 1 year(s)
Managed all aspects of TV production studio and staff for largest floor covering retailer.

Documentary TV Producer/Writer | Dystar Television
From May 1995 to May 1996 • 1 year(s)
Producer and writer for documentary television programming.

Freelance News Photographer/Live Truck Tech | WXIA-TV (NBC)
From January 1995 to December 1995 • 0 year(s)
Freelance news photography and live truck technical operations.

Staff Producer/Writer | WPSX-TV (PBS) Penn State Univ.
From August 1990 to June 1994 • 4 year(s)
Staff producer and writer for public television programming.

Cameraman, Editor | WCKT-TV (NBC/WSVN-TV)
From January 1982 to December 1984 • 2 year(s)
Camera operator and video editor for television news.

Reporter, Cameraman, Editor | WBBH-TV (NBC)
From January 1981 to December 1982 • 1 year(s)
Reporter, cameraman and editor for television news.

Chief Photographer, Cameraman, Editor, Police Reporter, General Assignment Reporter | KRBC-TV (NBC)
From January 1980 to December 1980 • 0 year(s)
Chief photographer and general assignment reporter, produced Centennial Minutes series about west Texas history.

General Assignment Reporter, Cameraman, Editor | KARD-TV (NBC)
From January 1979 to December 1979 • 0 year(s)
General assignment reporter with camera and editing duties.

News Editor, Producer, Anchor/Host | KBIA-FM (NPR)
From January 1978 to December 1979 • 1 year(s)
News editor and producer for statewide All Things Considered daily news program.

Gen. Assign. & Consumer Reporter, Cameraman, Editor | KOMU-TV (NBC)
From January 1978 to December 1979 • 1 year(s)
General assignment and consumer reporter with camera and editing responsibilities.

Assistant News Director, News Anchor, Reporter | KCOU-FM
From January 1976 to December 1978 • 2 year(s)
Assistant news director with anchor and reporting duties.

Editor's Desk Assistant, Production Assistant | WEEI-AM (CBS)
From January 1976 to December 1976 • 0 year(s)
Editorial desk assistant and production support.

News Anchor, Reporter, Special Events Producer | WRBB-FM
From January 1975 to December 1976 • 1 year(s)
News anchor, reporter and special events producer.

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