Future Promo
This video is the first in a series of sizzle reels to promote my experience and ability to write, produce and create video of all types. Working within Adobe After Effects, I compiled all the effects, text and video elements to present my professional skills and attributes in a dynamic way. It took a day to gather all the elements and edit the project.
About Me
Over 30 years of award winning experience with all types of video, From web to broadcast television, I specialize in broadcast quality editing and video production, with a flair for taking the most basic elements and creating magic. Simple or complex marketing, introductions, tours, explainers, music videos, promotions, infomercials, documentaries, television series, whiteboard animations, amazing high-end 3D graphics, kinetic text, infographics, green/blue screen, HD, 4k, UHD, If you can imagine it, desire it, or need it done, I can make it happen. No matter your goal, I can take anything from a few graphics or video shot on your iPhone and mix it together with a quality script, narration and music. Even if you've shot poorly exposed, blue or orange video or photos, I can correct nearly anything and make it worth including. Approaching each project, big or small, with the same level of attention and detail, I will bring your vision to life with video. To learn more about my passion for video and the life-long path I've traveled, here's my short biography: TONY ALAN KNOSS – VIDEO VIRTUOSO Growing up in small towns across Minnesota and Iowa, Tony discovered the creative magic of video at age twelve. President Regan was in office, NASA’s shuttle program was in full swing, Atari was king, the personal computer was being introduced and MTV was starting a revolution. The cinematography of Duran Duran and storytelling of Michael Jackson turned music video into mini-movies, sparking a passion for film-making and video production. When his family purchased their first home video camera, a lifelong hobby and the start of an award winning career was about to begin. Before learning how to drive, Tony was talking his friends into taking classes at the local cable-access studio. Two years later, that same studio was paying Tony to record city council and school board meetings. During his formative years, Tony and his childhood friends created all types of videos and programs, including a weekly one-hour, live, open format talk show entitled Hang Loose Live. After producing the show every Friday night for more than two years, Tony and his friends graduated high school and moved-on to college. QUAD CITIES COMMUNITY TELEVISION While attending Minneapolis Community College’s newly created film and television program, the same cable access studio where he started experimenting and learning all aspects of video, hired Tony as a producer and cable access instructor. MEDIA RELATIONS After three years of non-stop production and completing the film and video program, it was time for a break. Tony took a job as researcher and media producer for Media Relations. In addition to finding clients and booking them on local and national radio and television talk shows around the county, Tony also produced nationally syndicated radio talk shows, but it wasn’t enough. The call to video was strong and he picked-up a part-time job as Master Control Operator for the cable company, running pay-per-view and the start of automated commercial insertion on nights and weekends. That job made Tony realize video production was his true calling, so he started developing ideas to produce his own television show. Partnering with local radio station KTCZ, Cities 97, Tony created a one-hour music video program titled SoundScapes. Purchasing airtime on the local independent UHF channel 23, out of pocket, he was able to get four episodes on the air before running out of money and failing to find a sponsor. VISIONS OF SOUND Learning from failure after producing SoundScapes, Tony refined his concept to create a socially conscious music video program. Visions of Sound incorporated man-on-the-street interviews about social issues, based on the message or meaning of popular alternative music videos of the day. After gaining the support and partnership of local radio station KJJO, KJ104, he cast their morning drive DJ, Brian Turner, as the shows host. Once again funding production out-of-pocket on a shoe-string budget, he talked the local NBC affiliate, KARE 11, into a 50/50 barter of commercial time in exchange for air time. Airing after Saturday Night Live in the summer of 1992, the series ran for 16 consecutive weeks, placing first in the time-slot, going head to head with Howard Stern’s first attempt at hosting a late night talk show. Considered a local success and rare event, having an independent and locally produced series broadcast on local television, Visions of Sound was eventually replaced by the HBO Comedy Hour when advertising dollars and out-of-pocket funds failed to cover the expense of production. CARGILL COMMUNICATIONS Growing tired of public relations and yearning for a return to broadcasting, a new opportunity was on the horizon. Brian Turner, the former host of Visions of Sound, was leading a newly formed radio group, Cargill Communications. Familiar with Tony’s strength to think outside the box, accomplish the impossible with a strong work ethic, Brian offered him a job as Technical and Special Operations Manager, with the eventual goal of expanding into video and film production. Funded by James Cargill II, the radio group startup developed a new concept in radio broadcasting after FCC deregulation, allowing a single company to own more than one radio station per market. To compete with mega-power radio stations, Cargill Communications purchased multiple geographically positioned low-power radio stations, and simulcast the same programming to reach the same audience as the multi-million dollar stations. Launched on May 1, 1994, REV105 started broadcasting alternative rock to a thankful Twin Cities audience, but after investing over 7 million dollars, any additional investment was placed on hold. Unfortunately the plan to expand into video production was dropped along with Tony’s position. Knowing his goal was video, to keep their promise, Brian and Jim helped arrange an interview with WCCO-TV, a locally owned and operated CBS affiliate. After nearly three years of award winning effort and struggling budgets, the ultra-competitive world of radio broadcasting started closing-in with offers doubling Mr. Cargill’s investment, and the experiment in radio concluded with the sale of REV105 to the same radio stations they competed against. WCCO-TV / CBS TELEVISION The interview with WCCO-TV was a success and Tony was hired for the overnight news photojournalist position in December 1994. Armed with a camera, microphone and news car, Tony pursued the job of covering breaking news with passion. Listening to scanners and chasing the latest crash, fire or shooting, he competed against the other local stations to be first on the scene, capturing the most compelling video. Proving himself as a top photojournalist, never missing a story, the local daily newspaper, Star Tribune, even offered kudos, publishing an editorial about how Tony was the only journalist in the Twin Cities to capture a major story, blocks away from the Star Tribunes own offices. That hard work and ability to outshine the competition on a regular basis, eventually lead to a promotion to shoot and edit for the 10pm show. Consistently winning awards, creating great work and being easy to work with, Tony was promoted again to the Special Projects and I-Team, creating long-form and undercover stories for sweeps. Always keeping up on the latest technology and production techniques and considered an expert in non-linear editing, when the station transitioned to HD production Tony helped lead and train the entire staff on Final Cut Pro. Years in the news business, shooting and editing on a daily basis, helped evolve and improve Tony’s creative abilities, which lead to increased requests to do freelance work. After 17 years of hard working run-and-gun shooting, over 30 awards and nominations, the economics of the news business started changing and the Special Projects unit was dissolved, returning Tony to work nights and weekends. Seeing a dim future in the news business and an opportunity to earn his annual salary with only a handful of freelance productions a year, Tony left to continue building his own production company, Digital Planet Productions. MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE After a few well-paying projects, the economy and incoming projects started to decline. To make a living outside the news business, Tony started applying for full-time production jobs. Eventually the Minnesota Department of Revenue offered a position as their Video Production Manager. Seeing it as a great challenge, turning a subject as dull and boring as taxes into exciting and engaging videos, he accepted the position in April of 2012. New to video, the department needed help building a video unit from the ground floor. Over the next three years, while producing an average of 50 videos a year, keeping 10-12 projects in production at any given time, Tony built and managed an award winning in-house production and photography studio, established best practices, and raised production value gaining attention from the Governor’s office and state governments around the country. Providing a one-man-band return-on-investment of nearly $500,000 per year, he increased viewership of the department’s YouTube channel over 400% and expanded video distribution to over 32,000 internal views per year. After attempting to resolve internal conflict, creative differences and overall direction, with no potential for additional change or growth due to the limitations of government work, Tony left the Department of Revenue in May 2015. Returning to freelance production to make-a-living, Tony is currently searching for the next great opportunity to utilize and expand his talent, skill and overall mastery of video production.
$ 45 USD/hr
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