Introducing the first official app from the American Museum of Natural History.  This app lets paleontologists of all ages explore the Museum’s famous fossil halls in depth.  DINOSAURS: American Museum of Natural History Collections contains more than 800 images from the Museum’s archive, woven together to create a striking image of the world’s most famous dinosaur, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The app also features six detailed stories that take you even further into the Museum’s archives to explore the deep history of fossil collection. Keep an eye out for additional adventures coming soon.

I produced and edited this promo video for the Museum’s first iPhone app January 2010.

After seemingly endless public fighting and controversy, Conan O’Brien has departed NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”

First hosted by comedian Steve Allen in 1954, “The Tonight Show” has seen many lead the talk show. From Allen and Jack Paar to the venerable Johnny Carson and now O’Brien, the program is full of comic history. Jay Leno reigned as king of “The Tonight Show” from 1992-2009 after nabbing, some would argue “stealing,” the show from David Letterman upon Carson’s retirement.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the show, with ratings dropping and that ill-fated format switch in 1957 to a news-type program. However, there has been a sense of dignity about hosting the legendary broadcast, until now. Who wants a washed up comedian, Leno, to return to late-night with his tail between his legs, besides Jeff Zucker?

With O’Brien departing and Leno set to return as host March 1, NBC is certain to face an uphill climb as it tries wooing back viewers and re-building the dignity of its storied program. Any TV viewer that ditched “Tonight” once O’Brien took over shouldn’t be that hard to get back, pending they haven’t died of old age. No, NBC shouldn’t be concerned about that demographic. It should, however, be nervous about the 18-to-49 demographic — a group O’Brien plays well to.

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With funding from a National Science Foundation grant, I traveled to Mojave National Preserve along the border of California and Nevada to profile Dr. Clinton Epps and his research on big horned sheep populations.  Dr. Epps has been focusing on the effects desert highways have on sheep populations, as road traffic decreases the amount of sheep crossing from one mountain range to another.

This video profile of Dr. Epps is part of an ecology curriculum for teachers of grades 7-9.  Its goal is to advance understanding of basic science and fundamental ecological principles and support schools in achieving national and state ecology standards by using engaging media.

I produced/shot/edited this video November 2009.

With funding from a National Science Foundation grant, I traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to profile Dr. Sujay Kaushal and his research on water pollution and road salt.  Dr. Kaushal has been focusing on the effects road salt and pollution have on urban streams around the Baltimore area.

This video profile of Dr. Kaushal is part of an ecology curriculum for teachers of grades 7-9.  Its goal is to advance understanding of basic science and fundamental ecological principles and support schools in achieving national and state ecology standards by using engaging media.

I produced/shot/edited this video January 2010.

Looking at the current Broadway season, both at shows that have already closed and upcoming productions, the most prevalent trend is star power. And by star, I don’t mean theatrical heavyweights like Ethel Merman, George M. Cohan or Bert Lahr — these names certainly mean little to nothing when it comes to the current theatregoing masses. Stars on Broadway this season mean Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Scarlett Johansson.

All of these actors have names that transcend the stage — something producers surely hope will fill seats as tourists roll into town. While some of these recognizable names won over even the toughest of Broadway critics, and proved more than capable of handling a live production, it was name alone that won them the role.

The trend of casting Hollywood celebrities in Broadway shows is nothing new, and has been griped about by many a theatre columnist, however, with news of Ragtime, a completely star-less musical closing after a brief revival, the subject should once again be analyzed.

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