Stephen Ottley

Stephen Ottley Technical Consultant Video Production & Post Production Presentation Graphics Tukwila, Grange Lane, Littledean, Gloucestershire, GL14 3NJ-- Personal Details Birth Date 27 May 1950 Nationality English Technical Qualification City & Guilds of London Institute Audio Visual Aids Technician 1969 Member The Institute of Advanced Motorists WORK EXPERIENCE SUMMARY FULL TIME: Audio Test Technician, Quality Control Zonal Tapes Ltd Redhill Surrey June-October 1969 Audio Visual Technician Redhill Technical College Surrey October 1969-September 1970 Audio Visual Technician ILEA Vauxhall Manor School London October 1970-September 1974 Audio Visual Technician ILEA College for the Distributive Trades London October 1974-September 1978 Audio Visual Technician The American School in London October 1978-September 1982 Technical Director PM/SAT Inc London September 1982-May 1983 SELF EMPLOYED: Partner Footwork Display Services, London May 1983-October 1985 Promotional Consultant, South Africa Academy of Driver Training, Cape Town Institute of Advanced Motorists, Johannesburg October 1985-February 1986 Technical Adviser The Glad Cat Company Ltd London March-August 1986 Technical Consultant Sun Life of Canada Media Resources London August-December 1986 Promotional Consultant; Video Producer Academy of Driver Training Cape Province Institute of Advanced Motorists Johannesburg December 1986-March 1987 Technical Consultant Sun Life of Canada Media Resources Basingstoke March 1987-December 1995 Computer Graphics Artist Streetlight Productions Bushey January-February 1988 FULL TIME: Media Resources Adviser Sun Life of Canada Media Resources Basingstoke Jan 1996 – May 2001 CURRENT: Officially retired Seeking part time work in video subtitling REFEREES: Anne Fairbanks:- The Old George, The Village, Dymock, Gloucestershire, GL18 2AJ Tim Walter:- Storthwaite Hall, Arkengarthdale, Richmond, DL11 6EX ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PART ONE: Professional In the course of my work I have been responsible for a number of special projects in addition to the basic requirements of equipment purchase, provision and maintenance, and materials and programme production. The following is a brief description of some of these projects. REDHILL TECHNICAL COLLEGE Introduced the use of video by establishing a video distribution system to several of the major lecture rooms and initiated a Video Library by recording Off-air educational broadcasts. VAUXHALL MANOR SCHOOL Worked closely with the Music and Drama Departments and provided the services of sound engineer for school productions including public address, fold-back and recording. Installed comprehensive video distribution system and served for two years as Chairman of the Audio Visual Advisory Committee. COLLEGE FOR THE DISTRIBUTIVE TRADES Designed and installed a two-camera CCTV studio for role-play, public speaking and TEFL classes. THE AMERICAN SCHOOL IN LONDON Introduced the concept of Tape-Slide production and made a number of programmes about school events, notably a programme about a field trip to the battlefields of the First World War. PM/SAT At Promotional Media, the in-house production unit of Study Activity Tours, I was responsible for establishing the facility. Services provided included AV and Video production, and design and layout of print. These services had previously been provided by outside suppliers. I also became involved in designing tours and acted as courier and guide when the opportunity arose. PROMOTIONAL CONSULTANT SOUTH AFRICA In October 1985 I took extended leave to visit relatives in South Africa and became involved with two companies in restructuring their sales approach and material. For The Academy of Driver Training (ADT) I undertook the writing and design of brochures and advertisements, and advised on career enhancement schemes for staff. For the Institute of Advanced Motorists South Africa (IAM SA) I designed and wrote promotional material and implemented a direct marketing strategy utilising this material. Commitments in the UK necessitated I leave, but in August 1986 I began scripting a promotional video programme. I returned to South Africa in December that year and over the next three months produced and edited the programme. The use of this programme, in conjunction with the materials produced previously, changed the fortunes of the IAM from severe loss to considerable expansion enabling debt repayment, premises acquisition, and the addition of eight new trainers and vehicles in the first six months. THE GLAD CAT COMPANY LTD My contract here was the establishment of an on site facility for studio and location photography, slide duplication and colour/black & white film processing and printing. The particular emphasis was on architectural photography and special attention was given to equipment that would enable perspective correction. SUN LIFE OF CANADA I began working for Sun Life of Canada in 1983 as an outside supplier of photographic and slide production services to the Media Resources Department. When I returned to freelance work in the UK in 1987, Sun Life of Canada retained 50% of my time on a monthly basis. With the company’s decision to relocate their British Headquarters Office from Central London to Basingstoke, Hampshire, in 1987, plans were incorporated to establish a major on site production facility, and my involvement with the Company increased to full time. I worked in close co-operation with the Communications Manager to identify the needs of the Company and the problems associated with separation from London, the then national centre of outside suppliers and services. We established an 80 seat Conference Room equipped with Barco video projector, computer controlled 6 projector AV rig, and U-Matic and VHS video playback facilities. The Conference Room could also be configured for use as a video production studio. Facilities in the main on site production area included:     3 machine A/B roll BVU-SP post production suite; 10 machine BVU-SP to VHS hi-fi Stereo video duplication bank; High speed audio cassette duplication; Computer graphics systems for production of overhead transparencies and 35mm slides In addition there was approximately ten tons of equipment, lighting and staging for off site conference production and location video recording. In January 1996 I was invited to become a full time member of staff. I introduced 3D computer animation enabling video programmes and presentation graphics to achieve high quality animated graphics at a fraction of the cost of buying such services from outside suppliers. I also upgraded the video acquisition and post-production suite to the Sony DVCAM format and ES3 non-linear editing system with full ClipLink implementation, which proved highly effective. In February 2001, following a major business decision, Sun Life of Canada closed to new individual business in the UK and disbanded its sales force. Since support of the sales operation formed the major part of Media Resources work it was inevitably decided to close this department. As a result I was offered early retirement and refocused my attention on developing my own company, Radian. RADIAN INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES Ltd. Established in 1998 in response to demand from industry contacts, Radian Internet Technologies provided internet, media and communications services to private and corporate clients, including:        Web Hosting Website Design and Support Windows 2000 Network Design, Installation and Support Video Production Graphic Design for Print and Presentation Event Management Conference and Exhibition Design and Staging NB: This company was dissolved in 2010 when I became full time carer for my wife. PART TWO: Technical Skills VIDEO: PRODUCTION Able to write, direct and produce video programmes, either ‘solo’ or with a production crew. I can also work as camera operator, VT operator, sound engineer and production assistant. POST PRODUCTION Skilled in post-production techniques such as editing, graphics, animation, effects, sound recording and sweetening. From 1987 to 2001 I edited almost all Sun Life of Canada video programmes. DUPLICATION Skilled in high quality transfers from Master Tapes to distribution formats in bulk quantities. PHOTOGRAPHY: STUDIO     Flat copy Slide duplication Adding colour and text to slide by line film masking Pack-shot LOCATION Architectural, dance, movement and stage. Good working knowledge of current colour and monochrome processing and printing techniques. DESIGN: ARTWORK Medium weight design and layout for print. Good working knowledge of design and printing techniques. COMPUTER GRAPHICS Skilled in image design and manipulation using a variety of applications including:  3D Studio  Image North Inscriber VMP and Title Motion  Corel Draw  Corel Photo Paint CONFERENCE PRODUCTION Skilled in all aspects of corporate conference staging including:  Concept  Set design  Video module production  Speaker support graphics  Rigging and running TECHNOLOGY: COMPUTER Thorough knowledge of installation and use of PC systems, networks and peripherals for all aspects of production and administration. PART THREE: General Skills EQUIPMENT: Skilled in the specification, installation and operation of a wide range of professional and industrial equipment in the following fields:  Location and studio video recording  Video post production, editing and duplication  Sound recording, editing and duplication  Photographic (including Pin Registered)  35mm slide projection (including multi-image)  Conference staging and event management  Presentation and meeting support INTER-PERSONNEL: CLIENTS Accustomed to taking a production brief and following this through to completion and delivery, liasing with clients as required during this process. SUPPLIERS Regularly deal with suppliers of equipment and software and have established good working relationships with many major companies. CORPORATE Able to work in close co-operation with management, administrative and technical staffs, skills that I believe have been developed as a result of my varied interests and career structure. PART FOUR: Personal I am a keen programme producer, separately from my professional work. In 1979 I began work, together with two associates, on an Audio Visual Dance Drama production of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the World’s. I was responsible for the sound editing, re-recording and reproduction and also for the production and presentation of some 16 individual slide sequences that ran throughout the course of the 90minute show. The sequences were presented on a 4 projector, single screen rig using split screen and superimpose techniques in addition to the more conventional techniques of AV. The show took three years (part-time) to produce and was performed in 1982 as part of the Greenwich Festival with a cast of 25 professional and student performers. Hammersmith and Fulham Arts and Entertainment commissioned a further series of performances in 1983. Current projects in hand include a video programme hypothesising that the massive volcanic eruption of Santorini in 1450 BC and the simultaneous demise of the Minoan Civilisation on nearby Crete may in fact be the basis of the ‘legend’ of Atlantis. Recently completed the archive of Sun Life of Canada video programmes, distributed to colleagues on DVD. Currently creating a digital archive for online playback incorporating closed captions, something that had never been required for the original productions. My interest in sound has included the production of specially created recordings as support for numerous dance productions choreographed by my former wife. It also includes the design of hi-fi loudspeaker systems. A small two-way system design was adopted by Hitachi some years ago. A large transmission line studio reference system, although perfected, has not been built in production quantities. My interest in hi-fi probably stems from my varied tastes in music, which is mainly classical orchestral and choral works, but includes film scores, some opera, and some rock and electronic compositions. I am very keen on motoring and have passed the IAM Advanced Driver Test. I have also passed the UK Taxi Driver test, although this licence has now lapsed due to disuse. I have gained much satisfaction and financial benefit from my improved driving standards. Travel also plays an important part in my life and I have travelled extensively in North America, Europe, Greece and Southern Africa and, more recently South East Asia. Work that involves travel is always of interest as it enables me to discover more about the area visited than a simple holiday. I am interested in developing existing skills and learning new ones, and I like to try things out. It is important to me that such development is fully realised. I am not content to dabble. I am dedicated to and care passionately about my work. So much so that I personally own most of the equipment necessary to provide all of the services I have listed above, including a Vegas Pro based computer edit facility. In short, I am very fortunate that my hobby is my work. I have tried to give a full and honest picture of my abilities and interests and if you have read this far, thank you.