Thomas J. Veltre

33-21 163rd Street, Flushing NY 11358 646-797-3171 phone, 718-961-0604 fax [email protected]

Summary of Qualifications:

Extensive media production experience, including broadcast, educational and special venue applications. Extensive experience in presentation technology integration – educational facilities, interactive exhibits, kiosks, etc. High-level writing, producing, & post production skills - specialization in editing, audio recording, sound design and multi-format video publishing.

Employment History:

Present President, The Really Interesting Picture Company, Ltd. Independent producer of multi-media for broadcast, press release, museum exhibit interactive, streaming media and other educational applications.

Adjunct Professor, Fordham University Graduate Program in Public Communications

Instructor, BRIC ARTS/Media, Brooklyn Teaching courses in photography, digital editing& Video Production

1983-2005 Wildlife Conservation Society (1983-85 Audio Visual Specialist, 1986-89 Manager, Educational Media 1990-2000 Manager, Media Services, 2000-2005 Producer, Public Affairs Media)

Management of all Audio Visual services and media production in a large non-profit organization, supervising a staff of four and budgets exceeding $1 million. Applications include educational facilities, interactive exhibit design and fabrication, broadcast video news releases (NBC Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Sunday Morning) and documentaries for Discovery Networks, National Geographic Channel, PBS, etc.

Spring 1999 Adjunct Professor, Fordham University Teaching undergraduate course “Environmental Communications”

1989-90: Adjunct Professor, College of New Rochelle. School of New Resources. Teaching seminar course Introduction to Mass Communication.

1981-83: Arts Faculty, Brooklyn Friends School.

Teaching courses in television production, animation, and technical theater craft. Director of Audio Visual Services and co-director of Independent School Multi-Media Festival.

1978-80: Audio Visual Consultant, The Floating Hospital, N.Y.C.

Production of promotional and educational materials, shipboard facility design, staff training, summers. Thomas J. Veltre Selected film/video productions: (Writer/Cinematographer/Editor unless noted otherwise)

“ Nature’s Greatest Defender” One hour special on the life and career of Dr. George Schaller, produced for The National Geographic Channel and ORF (Austrian Public Broadcasting) distributed world wide by National Geographic Television International. Narrated by Glenn Close.

“ Assignment Earth” Multi-platform news series on environmental and wildlife issues, appearing on NBC affiliates, PBS & Yahoo News, produced for Environment News Trust

“ Living With Predators; Big Cats & Wild Dogs” Promotional produced for US Fish & Wildlife Service, Div. of International Conservation. (cinematographer, editor) Narrated by Glenn Close

“ Biggest Mammal in Africa” Answering the question; How does one establish a whale conservation program in Central Africa? Shot on location in Gabon. Broadcast in French and English in Gabon and Madagascar, re- versioned for PBS. Excerpts included in permanent exhibit at Amer. Museum of Natural History

“ Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program” Field research on mercury poisoning in loons in Northern New York State. Excerpts aired on CNN & PBS, and exhibited at the Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks

“ Madidi Monkey Naming Auction” Video news release and on-line internet campaign. Broadcast exposure on CBS 60 Minutes and the Ellen DeGeneres Show, on-line exposure at CNN.com National Geographic.com, CBS.com CharityFolks.com and many others. (producer, editor, writer)

“ Central African Conservation Series” Series of five news stories for National Geographic Channel “Today” on Central African issues. (writer, editor).

“Memories and Hopes – The Bronx Zoo at 100” Nostalgic reflections on the meaning of the Bronx Zoo to individuals from all walks of life. 35mm print debut at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, narrated by Jane Alexander.

“ 21 st Century Zoo” Discovery Channel documentary on the building of the Bronx Zoo’s Congo Gorilla Forest, produced in collaboration with Natural History New Zealand. (director, cinematographer- documentary & time lapse cameras)

"Butterfly Zone" A fanciful tour with poetry read by Charles Osgood. Featured at Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival.

"Global Tiger Campaign: Hope Burning Brighter" Video documentary on tiger conservation shot in Nagarahole Park, India, featuring Dr. Ullas Karanth and Dr. George Schaller.

"Celebrate" Music video of song performed by "Annie & The Natural Wonder Band" celebrating the centennial of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"It All Began in 1895" Historical retrospective, narrated by George Page, (of PBS Nature). 35mm print w/ Dolby stereo.

"Naked Mole Rats ... Exposed!" A natural history "poem" to one of the oddest mammals in the World of Darkness. Narrated by Barry Paine.

"Congo Forest" Fund raising film for $45 million gorilla exhibit, narrated by Linda Hunt.

"How to Behave Like A Gelada Baboon" Instructional videocassette on observing primate behavior, produced under a grant from the Pew Charitable Trust.

"Paseo Pantera" From the top of an ancient Mayan temple, noted biologist Dr. Archie Carr, III, explains the concept of "wildlife corridors" and his precedent setting project to link all the major nature reserves of Central America. Location shooting in Belize and Guatemala, narrated by George Page. Publications & Conferences:

20 th World Congress of Science and Factual Producers Nov 2012 – Session Producer/Moderator “Where Did We Go Wrong? – Science TV in the Age of Denialism.”

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival Oct. 2009 – Panel Moderator – “”Keeping Score, music in Natural History Films” Oct 2007: Films that Make a Difference” Co-Chair, “Filmmakers for Conservation General Membership Meeting”.

Wildscreen Film Festival, Bristol UK Oct. 2006 – Featured Panelist “The Greatest Show on Earth – 100 Years of Wildlife Filmmaking”

29 th International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula MT May 2006 - Symposium Moderator – “New Media Distribution” & “Pitching Panel”, Tarkio Retreat break-out session leader – “New Media Strategies”

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival 2005 – Panelist – “Films Making A Difference” Showcasing Madidi Monkey Name Auction campaign

6th Annual Convention of The Media Ecology Association Fordham University, June 22-26, 2005 Paper presentation: “Songs of the Humpback Whale — A Case Study in Unintended Consequences”

28 th International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula MT May 2005 Symposium moderator “Scientists and Film Makers; Bridging The Gaps”

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival 1997 Symposium producer/moderator: "Art of the Score - four composers score the same film clip." Symposium panelist: "Scientists & Film Makers"

WildScreen Festival '96 Panelist: "Natural History Programmes for Children: Have We Got It Right?" Master of Ceremonies, "BKSTS Film Makers Hooley"

Menageries, Metaphors and Meaning (1996) chapter in the volume New Worlds, New Animals, Johns Hopkins University Press, a joint project of The Smithsonian Institution and The Society for the History and Bibliography of Natural History.

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival 1995 Sept. 18-23, 1995 Symposium producer/moderator: "Scoring Wildlife Films - Understanding the Composing Process" Symposium panelist: "Special Venue Films" "Scientists & Filmmakers"

WildScreen Festival '94" Bristol, England Oct 1-7, 1994 Symposium producer/moderator "Composers & Filmmakers - Building a Common Language" "Scientists & Filmmakers - Allies or Adversaries"

Children's Wildlife Programming in the U.S; Not A Pretty Picture Illustrated lecture delivered at the 7th International Wildlife Filmmaker's Symposium, Telford, Shropshire, England Sept. 26, 1993

Meet Pablo Python Workshop on video for children, conducted at the 15th International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula, MT. April 1-4, 1992

The Slums of the Global Village BBC Wildlife Magazine, Vol 8, No. 5, May 1990 p328

Are You A Media Ecologist? Round-table presentation at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Boston MA, April 19, 1990

What Television Can't Do International Conference on Communicating Conservation and Sustainable Development, Bangalore, India, April 2-6, 1990, (in absentia)

Bringing Media Ecology to the Real Ecologists Paper presented at the 35th Media Ecology Conference, Saugerties, N.Y. Oct 7, 1989

The "Browning" of Television paper delivered at the 5th International Wildlife Film-maker's Symposium, University of Bath, England, Sept 24, 1989 Menagerie, Metaphor & Media Paper presented at the 32nd Media Ecology Conference, Saugerties, N.Y. April, 1987 Education: Professional Memberships:

State University College, Potsdam, N.Y. American Association of Museums Bachelor of Music, Music Education American Educational Research Association International Documentary Association New York University, School of Education Former Board Member; MA in Media & Culture Filmmakers For Conservation Festival Judge; Explorer’s Club Film Festival Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival Former Advisory Board Member; Int'l Wildlife Film-maker's Symposium

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