Mykl Trappler

Nonprofit; 11-50 employees; Media Production industry

2009 – 2010 (1 year)

Designed the web site for their film "Bhutan: A Kingdom of Happiness", built on the WordPress content management system, making it simple for non-technical staff to update the site. I kept costs down by customizing an existing "theme", while creating a unique online look for their documentary. I also integrated the web site with the film's Facebook Page.

Web site URLs:

http://bhutanakingdomofhappiness.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bhutan-A-Kingdom-of-Happiness/197595789743

2008 – 2009 (1 year)

Planned a cost effective web-based registration system and online database.

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; VZ; Telecommunications industry

2005 – 2008 (3 years)

My work at their studios has included producing, post production supervision, script services and technical support.

Privately Held; Myself Only; Media Production industry

1993 – 2008 (15 years)

Without ever advertising or promoting this service, for over two decades, a regular (and growing) group of clients have been calling on (and referring) me for teleprompter, script writing and editing.

In the '90s, when I became a producer, and raised my rates accordingly, I assumed that priced me out of this work. To my surprise, clients kept asking for me. At first, I thought this was just force of habit. After they found other and cheaper 'prompter operators, yet still called me, I began to ask them why.

Clients call me when they need more than a teleprompter operator. My clients know they can hand me a script or an outline, or just a few bullet points, in almost any format, and I'll make it work, in the time we have, tailoring it to our talent -- whether that's an actor or a president, reading 'prompter for the very first time or the fifth time since lunch.

They know I'll just get it done.

(Read the full story at http://PrompterToGo.com.)

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; S; Telecommunications industry

2006 – 2007 (1 year)

Nonprofit; 51-200 employees; Museums and Institutions industry

1999 – 2007 (8 years)

I designed and produced several interactive kiosks for The Walters Art Museum, creating a virtual library of illuminated manuscripts, allowing anyone to flip through the pages of ancient one-of-a-kind books, even zooming in to hand-painted details that a magnifying glass wouldn’t show you. I'm doubly proud that mine was The Walter's first foray into interactive media. My "Book of Kings" kiosk, made in cooperation with the Morgan Library, was part of a traveling exhibition that toured several museums around the country.

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; VZ; Telecommunications industry

1998 – 2005 (7 years)

Old client, new name, following MCI's merger with WorldCom. I continued to produce television, encrypted satellite broadcasts and webcasts for old and new clients within the large corporation. I also edited interactive training videos for the web.

Nonprofit; 1001-5000 employees; Publishing industry

1996 – 2000 (4 years)

As computers became faster and cheaper in the ‘90s, I could finally focused my work on interactive media. I passed up a television producer gig to work as a technician, learning the nuts and bolts of new media tools. A couple months later, I was editing multimedia projects. And a few month after that, I was producing and redesigning educational CD-ROMs for National Geographic. This was also the first time I worked a stint as Executive Producer (which was more fun than I had expected).

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; VZ; Telecommunications industry

1993 – 1997 (4 years)

I produced multiple live and interactive television series for technology clients like MCI. Always wearing out sneakers, always on the move, always taking the stairs because I couldn’t wait for the elevator. Between live shows, I produce educational and motivational videos. And I setup networked calendar and contacts software for the entire production department, which forever simplified the scheduling of equipment, facilities and personal.

Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; PGI; Telecommunications industry

1990 – 1993 (3 years)

In my early days as a freelance producer, I was one of the first to persuade a client to accept an "edited master" output directly from a computer. Of course today, you wouldn't do it any other way.

Nonprofit; 51-200 employees; Nonprofit Organization Management industry

1989 – 1993 (4 years)

I was lucky to work in a prototype all-digital online suite -- back when that was magic -- donated by Sony to United Way of America, before they’d even written a manual for it. We figured it out. And I was one of the first in our production house -- "are you nuts?" -- to say we needed nonlinear editing systems, years before "Avid" became synonymous with professional video editing -- back when executive producers were still getting used to the idea that we didn't cut on film.

Privately Held; Myself Only; Media Production industry

1987 – 1993 (6 years)

Teleprompter Operator was one of those jobs that found me, not the other way around. At the beginning of my career, I saw it as a mere stepping stone, perhaps a task worth learning, admittedly another way to earn a technician's day rate, but not an end I was seeking. At first, I was just glad to be sitting in the studio, control room or on location, a perfect vantage point to see, hear and learn from a production crew firsthand.

But I was disappointed when clients discovered I had a knack for 'prompting, especially automating it's time consuming aspects (under deadline) with personal computers. Not only did they grow accustomed to editing the script right up to the last minute (because I could still load it into the 'prompter right before we went to air), but those early clients became reluctant to hire me for "better" jobs.

Little did I know, then, that I'd still be doing it two decades later!

(Read the full story at http://PrompterToGo.com.)

1990 – 1992 (2 years)

1988 – 1990 (2 years)

I stayed after work to teach myself "online editing" with 1-inch videotape. Even as I was still learning, the Executive Producer started hiring me, at first for underfunded projects. I worked cheap, getting paid to learn my chosen craft.

I cut television commercials for the NFL. I made a visually rich biographical film about an life long union leader, despite the fact that all photos and mementos of his long life had been destroyed in a flood. This was the first video I ever produced (if only because the project had no budget for a producer). I edited dozens of videos on diverse subjects. After a while, I realized I wasn't charging enough.

Nonprofit; 51-200 employees; Nonprofit Organization Management industry

1987 – 1989 (2 years)

I got my foot in the door at United Way Productions working parttime, job-sharing with their media archivist. In the days before the Windows operating system was commonplace, in an organization that wouldn't buy Macs, I created an easy-to-use computerized multi-media inventory system.

1987 – 1989 (2 years)

I taught introductory and intermediate classes, providing hands-on training in field and studio production. What I learned about explaining poorly documented, highly specialized and deeply technical know-how, clearly and quickly, to complete novices, has served me well, almost every day, ever since.

1987 – 1989 (2 years)

I got my start in television at a local station, working as a technician with the analog equipment of the day. I learned video editing on 3/4-inch "cuts only" system. I operated old-style tube video cameras. I became much sought after as a lighting designer. And I learned enough of everything else to at least speak knowledgeably to all members of a production crew, to this day.

1983 – 1987 (4 years)

What began as a creative undertaking that wouldn't require the large upfront investment (then) necessary for film production, turned me into the young owner, author and designer of a start-up publishing business. I worked long and hard, without ever breaking even. Yet, I still profit from it.

Everything I learned (about management, operations, negotiating, business relations, self-motivation, and doing the work of three people by being organized and using the right tools) became the foundation upon which I've erected all future endeavors. Plus, it was the genesis of many wild ideas for interactive entertainment, which had to wait until the new millennia to even be possible.

1978 – 1981 (3 years)

Starting as a teenager, I worked as a Master Painter, Scene Designer, Stage Manager and Director. Figuring out how to motivate young and sometimes moody volunteers, while working with paid staff 2 to 4 times my age, taught me more about management than any business school could. It was the first time I was made responsible for production budgeting and spending. I didn't realize it then, but in three years I'd laid the foundation for my career as a producer.

At the same time, I happily worked as a carpenter, and discovered a life long love of lighting. I studied acting and voice, even though I hated it. And I experimented with early videotape equipment.

Oh, and occasionally I went to class. Somewhere in a box I have the diploma to prove.