Senior Technical Writer, Information Developer, Substantive Editor, and Corporate Documentary Writer
Vancouver, Canada Area
- Current
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- Technical Writer (Self-employed)
- Past
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- Consulting Editor and Technical Writer at British Columbia Transmission Corporation
- Consulting Technical Writer at CHC Global Operations
- Contract Technical Communicator, Instructional Designer, Researcher, Journalist at Healthy Heart Society
- Creative Writer, Technical Writer, Marketing Communications Consultant at ImageMaker Advertising
- Video script writer (Self-employed)
- Contract Technical Writer and Editor at IMT Image and Microscope Technology
- Consulting Technical Communicator at E-Comm 9-1-1 Emergency Communications for Southwest BC, Inc.
- Commissioned Content Developer and Project Manager at National Film Board of Canada
- Consulting Video Script Writer, Content Developer, Technical Writer, and Instructional Designer at BC Ministry of Forests
- Consulting Technical Communicator and Program Analyst at Hughes Aircraft Company
- Consulting Technical Writer and Content Developer at BC Hydro
- Contract Technical Writer at Spectrum Signal Processing
- Consulting Science Writer at Science World BC
- Consulting Video Script Writer (Training) at BC Cancer Agency
- Contract Technical Writer at MDSI
- Screenwriter at self employed
- Quality Assurance Contractor at MDA
- Technical Writer and Corporate Communications Writer at IP Unity Glenayre
- Commissioned Science Writer at Federal grant
- Education
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- The University of British Columbia
- University of Southern California
- The University of British Columbia
- Recommended
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3 people have recommended Stephen X. - Connections
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34
connections
- Industry
- Writing and Editing
- Websites
Stephen X. Arthur’s Summary
Thirty years experience. See a wide range of writing samples at www.sxa-portfolio.com.
Note: Script writing services draw on ten years of experience authoring six feature screenplays, eight years directing independent short films, and four years as a professional video writer. Taught screenwriting at the Institute for Communication Arts. Three options to produce were sold to film producers in Los Angeles. Award-winning short films have screened in numerous film festivals worldwide over 36 years. Nominated for Best Director, Animated Production, at the BC Film and Television Industry Leo Awards, 2000, for "Transfigured" (NFB production).
Stephen X. Arthur’s Specialties:
Revisable manuals, science writing, life science, cognitive science, geology, medical devices, biomedical imaging, microscopy, engineering for bulk handling, mining, electrical power & energy, health care, health informatics, bioinformatics, patents, scientific software, narration, animation & VFX, CGI, sound design, audio engineering, digital photography, screenplay format and story editing. Myers-Briggs (MBTI) type: INTJ.
Stephen X. Arthur’s Experience
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Technical Writer
Self-employed
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Writing and Editing industry)
1983 — Present (26 years)
1. Specializing in technical instructions delivered in clear, plain English for revisable manuals.
2. Specializing in video scripts for corporate documentaries, training, and education. -
Consulting Editor and Technical Writer
British Columbia Transmission Corporation
(Utilities industry)
June 2008 — July 2008 (2 months)
Performed comprehensive substantive editing of BCTC’s 2008 State of the Transmission System Report, 115 pages.
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Consulting Technical Writer
CHC Global Operations
(Public Company; Airlines/Aviation industry)
February 2008 — April 2008 (3 months)
Wrote a manager's manual for using CHC's Web-based Safety & Quality Integrated Database, a global, integrated, reporting and safety-management system.
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Contract Technical Communicator, Instructional Designer, Researcher, Journalist
Healthy Heart Society
(Medical Practice industry)
October 2006 — February 2008 (1 year 5 months)
Impact BC: Practice Support Program. Wrote a series of training manuals to assist BC family physicians to make management improvements as part of a province-wide program sponsored by the BC Ministry of Health, the BC Medical Association, and Merck Frosst. Wrote the Participant’s Guides entitled Program Introduction, Understanding Quality Improvement, Adopting the Chronic Disease Management Toolkit, and Working in Teams.
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Creative Writer, Technical Writer, Marketing Communications Consultant
ImageMaker Advertising
(Mining & Metals industry)
December 2005 — June 2007 (1 year 7 months)
Wrote treatments and scripts for corporate documentary videos for mining exploration companies American Creek Resources, Baffinland Iron Mines, Bell Resources, Selkirk Resources. Series of separate contracts.
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Video script writer
Self-employed
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Media Production industry)
1986 — 2007 (21 years)
Clients include BC Cancer Research Centre, BC Ministry of Forests, Bikes on Broadway, Fisheries Council of BC, BC Children's Hospital, BC Institute of Technology, Hillsborough Resources, Trans Atlantic Resources, Baffinland Iron Mines, Bell Resources, and BC Central Credit Union. Producers include Vidatron Productions, Shane Lunny Productions , National Film Board of Canada, and ImageMaker Advertising.
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Contract Technical Writer and Editor
IMT Image and Microscope Technology
(Medical Devices industry)
October 2005 — November 2005 (2 months)
Wrote sections of a user manual for upgrades to iSolution DT, a professional microscopic image-analysis application. Copy-edited the entire manual.
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Consulting Technical Communicator
E-Comm 9-1-1 Emergency Communications for Southwest BC, Inc.
(Public Safety industry)
June 2005 — October 2005 (5 months)
Developed the format for documenting standard operating procedures for dispatching fire-and-rescue responders. Wrote and edited the manual in clear, plain English.
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Commissioned Content Developer and Project Manager
National Film Board of Canada
(Government Agency; Motion Pictures and Film industry)
April 1996 — February 2001 (4 years 11 months)
(1) Directed, animated, and co-produced the award-winning NFB film Transfigured, based on the paintings of Jack Shadbolt. Numerous international film festivals and exhibitions. (2) Researched and wrote successful proposals that obtained funding to develop a scientific-visualization project for schools—a paleogeographic time-lapse film series, simulated with 3D animation. Commissioned by the NFB to research the subject matter in depth (historical geology), conduct market research, write the scripts for the five parts, evaluate production software, and estimate the budget.
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Consulting Video Script Writer, Content Developer, Technical Writer, and Instructional Designer
BC Ministry of Forests
(Environmental Services industry)
June 1995 — October 1996 (1 year 5 months)
Wrote a series of ten training videos on field sampling procedures for the Resource Inventory Skills Training program (BCIT/Nutec Training/Black Tusk Video). Wrote Participant's and Trainer's Guides for the Resource Inventory Skills Training Curriculum, including photo interpretation, field navigation, plot sampling for plant identification and coverage, timber cruising, and ecological site series.
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Consulting Technical Communicator and Program Analyst
Hughes Aircraft Company
(Public Company; GMH; Defense & Space industry)
May 1994 — July 1994 (3 months)
Hughes Canada Systems Division – Product Support
Developed the department's procedures for managing, developing, and conducting large-scale training programs for the air-traffic control industry, based on the Design/IDEF process-mapping software tool. -
Consulting Technical Writer and Content Developer
BC Hydro
(Government Agency; Utilities industry)
May 1993 — July 1993 (3 months)
B.C. Hydro Trades Training and Development --
Researched and wrote the training manual for a new skills-upgrading course for power system journeymen, Distribution Switching for Linemen. -
Contract Technical Writer
Spectrum Signal Processing
(Public Company; SSPI; Wireless industry)
May 1993 — June 1993 (2 months)
Developed and co-wrote the user guide and online help for an integrated sound/fax/modem/ answering-machine PC expansion board, with associated software.
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Consulting Science Writer
Science World BC
(E-Learning industry)
February 1993 — April 1993 (3 months)
Researched and wrote the content for That Day in Science, an interactive computer kiosk on the history of science.
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Consulting Video Script Writer (Training)
BC Cancer Agency
(Government Agency; Hospital & Health Care industry)
June 1992 — July 1992 (2 months)
B.C. Cancer Research Centre - Terry Fox Lab
Wrote a training video on tissue culturing. -
Contract Technical Writer
MDSI
(Public Company; MDSI; Computer Software industry)
July 1987 — October 1987 (4 months)
Documented parts information for the 6100 Portable Data Terminal. Supervised comprehensive updating of the product documentation, from component-level maintenance to user guide.
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Screenwriter
self employed
(Writing and Editing industry)
September 1977 — July 1987 (9 years 11 months)
Authored six original, feature-length, commercial screenplays; seven treatments for features; and four short scripts. Three options to produce were sold to film producers in Los Angeles.
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Quality Assurance Contractor
MDA
(Public Company; MDA; Defense & Space industry)
March 1987 — May 1987 (3 months)
Validated documentation for installation, operation, maintenance, and engineering of a mainframe-based meteorological analysis system developed for the U.S. Air Force, AWDS (Automated Weather Distribution System)
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Technical Writer and Corporate Communications Writer
IP Unity Glenayre
(Privately Held; Telecommunications industry)
May 1985 — August 1986 (1 year 4 months)
Engineering Department (on contract): Wrote Operator's, Supervisor's, and Manager's Manuals for a commercial answering-service system. Marketing Department (as employee): Wrote brochures, press releases, and overhead presentations for a variety of telecommunications products. Supervised complete documentation for installation, operation, and maintenance of a digital paging system.
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Commissioned Science Writer
Federal grant
(Higher Education industry)
April 1975 — September 1975 (6 months)
Originated and wrote, with co-author Lorne Whitehead (recently Vice President Academic at UBC), a 400-page college-level general science textbook based on visual flowcharts that show the development and relationship of major concepts.
Stephen X. Arthur’s Education
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The University of British Columbia
Master of Science , neuroscience , 1989 — 1991
(Dept. of Physiology) Wrote numerous scientific reviews and primary research papers.
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University of Southern California
Master of Fine Arts , film production , 1979 — 1981
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The University of British Columbia
Bachelor of Science , zoology , 1973 — 1977
* Minored in animation and film production.
* Achieved an analytical score in the 95th percentile on the Graduate Record Exam.
Additional Information
Stephen X. Arthur’s Websites:
Stephen X. Arthur’s Interests:
mindfulness meditation, Buddhist psychology
Stephen X. Arthur’s Groups:
Society for Technical Communication (STC) - Canada West Coast Chapter, ASIFA
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Society for Technical Communication -
The Official USC Alumni Association Group -
University of British Columbia (UBC) Alumni -
Hughes Aircraft Company -
STC Canada West Coast -
Glenayre Alumni
Stephen X. Arthur’s Honors:
* Canada Council for the Arts Production Grant, 2002 ($55,000)
* Canada Council Creative Development Grant, 1999 ($20,000)
* Jury for National Film Board of Canada (NFB) Award, VIFF 1999
* NFB travel grant - Hiroshima Int'l Animation Festival in Japan, 1998
* NFB commissions, 1996 ($70,000), 1998 ($80,000)
* Guest Speaker, Vancouver Film School Multimedia Campus, 1996, 1998, and Center for Digital Imaging & Sound, 1998
* "Studio BC" profile on Knowledge Network, 1997
* Guest Speaker, Society for Technical Communication, 1984
* Rotary Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1979
* William Rea Fellowship in Communication, 1978
* Canada Council for the Arts Production Grant, 1978
Stephen X. Arthur’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
