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Visual Storyteller :: Lighting Expert

Neil’s skillset with Lighting can only be called “cinematic”.

Every interview, the forground, subject and background are carefully balanced.

Even reality TV show producers recognize it – hahahahahaha

Movement Studied :: Stories Revealed

Movement catches the eye.

Movement unexpected holds the eye.

Movement tells the story of the age old questions.

Movement captured well, is irreplaceable in visual storytelling

Visual Perspective :: Visual Creativity

The creative visual perspective

 

Introduces us to life – seen again

 

Life seen afresh

 

Neil’s habit of seeing, transforms a script into a fresh visual document

TV Episodes Directed

Shoots Produced

Love of the craft

production skills

  • Cinematography 100% 100%
  • Premier Pro Editing 100% 100%
  • Lighting Design 100% 100%
  • Set Building & Dressing 100% 100%
  • Color Grading 99% 99%
  • 2k 4k 8k Highres Capture 89% 89%
  • Talent Direction 80% 80%
  • Team Management 90% 90%
  • Proposal Writing 85% 85%
  • Script Writing 75% 75%
  • Sound Production 65% 65%
  • Jib – Dolly – Gimbal Operation 99% 99%

Education

Bachelor of Arts :
Major Study : Art 
Graduated 2000
Minor in Outdoor Recreation Management
Houghton College, Houghton, NY


Objective

Full time employment doing quality work with a learner‘s attitude in a place where creativity is abundant, criticism is shared, and leadership is strong; to be prolific in that environment furthering my audience and abilities beyond what I achieved in the past.


Skills:

  • Visually intelligent, creatively motivated
  • 17 year’s on set production experience for Still & Motion
  • Lighting and Grip for cinema : dolly, crane and steadicam setup and operation
  • Adobe Creative Suite workflow mastery with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Illustrator, Flash, and Lightroom
  • Proficient in common Web technologies including WordPress, HTML, CSS, & PHP
  • Professional training expertise communicating concepts and technical skills to fellow professionals
  • Farm grown common sense with a strong work ethic
  • Collaborative problem solving for on-the fly production
  • RGB Production: web scalability, video production, photo archive management
  • CMYK Print Production: Long Run, Short Run, On Demand and Book Binding
  • Direct and Internet Marketing services for companies Capitalized at <1-3m
  • Brand Development and Management for Startups

History

  • For complete history please view my extensive Linked In profile
  • 20 Years as freelance creative professional in production
  • 21 Year experience branding and marketing creative services
  • Clients include: New York Times Magazine, General Mills, UPS, Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, Harpers, Beretta, Intermedia Outdoors, Nikon, Sig Saur, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, New York State Tourism Board, Constellation Brands, ESPN, H&G TV, Glock, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Guns & Ammo
  • 250,000 airline miles averaged each year since 2014
  • 260 Broadcast TV Episodes Directed

Core Values

  • Relate to Each Individual
  • Create from Personal Insight
  • Dream Globally and Act Locally

Broadcast TV Titles

  • ESPN Golf
  • NASCAR Reality
  • Big Deer
  • Guns & Ammo
  • Gallery of Guns
  • Ruger Inside and Out
  • World Of Beretta
  • Peterson’s Hunting
  • Bowhunter TV
  • North American Whitetail

References & Reviews:

Neil directed me comfortably.  I have lots to say, but get so nervous I trip on my words.  I'm a wordsmith, and Neil would help edit me on the fly into the time constraints keeping the eloquent bits and helping me leave the rest behind.  Besides the fact that I looked cooler in Neil's footage than other camera operators or directors; he's the guy I want to spend the day in the pit with.  Meaning, his relaxed but confident demeanor and good conversation skills help the time pass on these difficult and wild shoots.

Skip Knowles

Editor & Publisher, Waterfowl Magazine

Neil is possibly the most talented photographer I’ve ever met. While some people take pictures, others are Artists. Artist describes Neil. From his technical skills to his mastery of composition I am always in awe.
Neil is one of those thoroughly creative, aesthetically genius people that I strive to compare myself to in my own work.

Joshua Pies

Executive Producer, C47 Films

Neil is one of the most talented individuals I have ever met. I hired Neil on multiple occasions for consulting, coaching and training of my digital workflow and compositional technique. Neil’s skills as a artist combined with his incredible talent for digital media management and ease of workflow far exceeds anyone I know in this industry. If you hire Neil prepare to be amazed.

Adam Coker

Exec. Dir. Producer, The Good Light

Neil is an incredibly innovative, hardworking, out-of-the-box thinker and worker. He is an asset to any team, and would be an incredible creative resource to any company.

I would highly recommend him for any creative position!! At Rockin Baby he saved us money on printing, moved effortlessly through communications bottlenecks on set, and shortened our creative delivery timelines by 3 or 4 weeks.

I had the daunting task to create a management system for our three warehouses on three continents, online transactions in 4 currencies, wholesale & retail pricing, and Neil saw the Magento website build through to completion in 3 months!!!!!

Kathryn Wiley

CEO, Rockin Baby

Mr. Cowley and I have traveled to numerous destinations both U.S. and abroad to film, and I
have always been pleased when he was assigned to me. He is extremely intelligent, always maintains a good sense of humor, and consistently works as long as it takes and goes to whatever lengths necessary to get the job done. He is both technically skilled and technologically advanced, and, unlike many of his peers, expends a great deal of thought and effort prior to a shoot making certain that he is prepared and has the proper equipment for the job. [continued]

Craig Boddington

Journalist, Boddingtons Adventures & Petersen's Hunting

Neil is absolutely one of the most creative and inspiring humans I’ve had the opportunity to have worked with. He knows his trade. He knows precisely how to combine branding efforts with our companies trajectory with the utmost of ease. His knowledge and sense of urgency to proactively utilize not only the typical SEOG data in respect to programming and design, his approach allows for great transparency and communication. This has opened up far reaching avenues of specific brand marketing for us. Our launch that will be soon, has been met with excitement and already proven with Neil’s proprietary services to directly reach not only our doors and pages, yet far beyond. We are a global resource that has been globally transformed to match our future positioning for Sales and Marketing! All thanks to Neil’s persistence and skill sets that aligned our past to our future! Thanks Neil. The only loss that companies encounter by not having Neil to compare their data or create their content, can't be measured witnessed until you retain his services. He is as sought after as one can get in his field. Get in line to sign up!

Tom Pemble

VP Sales, Parker Fabrication

Neil is by far the most talented videographer, techi - artist I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. He takes your visual dreams and makes them a reality! I would highly recommend him if you wish to take your event or business venture to the next level!!

Andrea Passage

Professional Dancer

Neil takes initiative, and completes the basic goals while looking for those beautiful shots only he brings back.  As producer of an adventure and wilderness TV show for over ten years, the camera operators who excel are few and far between.  It's too easy to get the safe shot, and yet Neil communicates well to set the stage and executes the difficult shots. He comes back with a more nuanced story line and the elegant and artistic moments that bring a final edit from mundane to sensational.  I have worked with Neil from the Kalahari desert to the Colorado mountains and seen maintain his equipment from 100 degree heat to -20F cold while in a good humor. His up-before-dawn and late night time lapses are the most dramatic elements in our show's history.  He collaborated with me to design a hero style show opener that utilized slow motion footage.  His quad-copter or "drone" flying footage was the first in our show's history, and still the most interesting!

Kevin Steele

Publisher and Producer, Petersen's Hunting Adventures

Neil has an incredible eye for images, and presents a new reality through his photographs or cinematic content. Whenever I’ve had the pleasure of working on a job with Neil, he’s always been a complete pro, focused on his work and considerate to other professionals who needed to share the same work area. And, he could always add some levity to the situation, even if things weren’t going perfectly. I would work with Neil any day, and not hesitate to recommend him.

Dave Bartlett

Independent DP, DB Productions

Neil Cowley is beyond talented. He’s a self-starter, a self-generator, and selfless with his wonderful, creative ideas. He’s always striving to bring his readers beyond the obvious elements of the story.

Gary Fong

Photo Editor , San Franscisco Chronicle

As a field producer/director, I have worked with Neil for 4 years and on each production he has been a key member of the team. Neil has a comprehensive understanding of camera equipment, lighting and cinematography. I can rely on Neil to creatively capture the image I have for each shot. With a ever cheerful attitude Neil inspires the whole crew to be more creative and makes each shoot a fun atmosphere. I highly recommend Neil as a go to Videographer in any circumstance. Whether you have a highly controlled set or you are capturing fast ever changing action Neil is a great hire for your next production.

Stacy Ratliff

TV Director & Producer, IQ2Hunt

Neil designed our first website and would always lovingly add his expert eye to our mailing and publications.  He always took the time to help me learn what he was seeing, or how it would help communications rather than just show me he could do it better.  Neil was there to do strategic thinking, branding and opportunity identification.  He partnered with me in reaching donors as effectively as consumers, and helped me communicate those emotional cues that are the motivation for donating just like purchasing.  Neil was also able to utilize common print formats to allow us to give away print pieces and mail effective communications that had a cohesive style and message on our minuscule budget.

I was very hesitant to spend on getting Neil to Uganda for the purpose of making video:  how could he do better than a team with college degrees?  But he did - piece was the first successful 3min video that shows what we do, and the people of Uganda in their natural state without overt or manipulative 'tone'.  These video pieces helped introduce me to fundraising audiences as I was invited to speak in schools and churches across the country raising thousands of dollars and impacting tens of thousands of individuals in Uganda.

full project

James Harrington

Director, Ugandan Water Project

I have worked with Neil for 4 years on 12 different shows.  Each time I log and watch through his footage he brings a creative eye to the production. Neil is a consummate professional that is calm, works at whatever pace fits the set, and captures the shots that shine. I really like working with Neil and would recommend him for your production team.

Jason Lyons

Post Production Supervisor, Outdoor Sportsmans Group

Demo Reel Presentation:

Full Episodes and Projects:

Music Video Director Producer

Affordable Video Production Chicago If you're looking for professional experience without the expense of a full crew, choose my experience as an solo producer to build your social media & music videos. Storyline is still king. My experience making network...

Adventure Travel TV Solo Producer

Our last flight in Mexico landed us in Ciudad del Carmen a remote oil town on the gulf side of the Yucatan Peninsula.  From town we boarded a boat to travel two hours into the Campeche jungle up the Atasta waterways toward the Reserva de la Biosfera Pantanos de...

Social Media transitions in a Traditional Company

Taking a 50 Year Old Property into the Social Age Petersen's Hunting Magazine was started in the 50's by Pete Petersen, a Los Angeles publishing giant who's media strategy went like this: "For the kind of magazine I publish," Petersen once declared, "the newsstand is...

Independent Reality TV Director

Production Notes: Camera by Neil Cowley in close - B camera Bill Owens on birds 2 day shoot for 30min episode, ended early by flooding Branded content by Beretta for air on Sportsman Channel Specalties: camouflage & outdoors wet environment close quarters high...

Dancing Performance Promo

@sunkiss_blyss performing Produced by @mindaswater ? Music: “Secret Place” by @clozeemusic ? The universe works in magical unsuspecting ways …making a vision I’ve had for as long as I can remember has come to life thanks to @mindaswater !! 🙂

Richmond VA Music Video Production

How to keep your music video production costs down:
Hire someone capable of One Day shoot and edit turnaround
Keep your script simple
Keep your set natural
Know your material
Work with your friends and community

Chicago IL Music Video Director

Direction & Artist Development If you are looking for advanced storyline, character development and emotional scripting with your music video then start with me. From motion graphics to character development Neil's in-the-field experience takes you miles in the time...

African NGO : Branding, Design, & Video Production

Neil developed the branding direction with Ugandan Water Project for 7 years before finally getting the opportunity to produce videos in Uganda showing the staff and director working in country. Same day edits produced in HD in 2013. Spirited and lively take on the NGO or Development promotional piece.

High Adventure TV Producer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRus3RyLTJI https://vimeo.com/278862372 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktk_UHFwt70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXJ6fIat1qI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N-gFJj17-o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgGHcHXC05k...

Formal Letter of Recommendation

We are constantly thrown into unfamiliar situations, often requiring physical exertion but always mental agility, and in many cases we must rely on perfect strangers. Mr. Cowley is able to roll with the punches, but among his many excellent attributes is this: His interpersonal skills are excellent. He is able to get along with anyone and everyone.Again, Mr. Cowley has my unqualified and most enthusiastic recommendation; he is an extremely talented young man with a bright future ahead of him.