The WHNPA is happy to announce the judges for the 2014 Eyes of History Video Contest. Dan Renzetti, Catherine Steward and Pam West will judge the video editing entries while the video photography entries will be judged by Jack Ahearn, James Holloway and Eric Seals. For more information about the judges please read their biographies below. Members of the public and photojournalism community are encouraged to attend this which will be held February 8 at National Geographic in Washington, DC.
2014 Video Contest Judges
Jack Ahearn
2014 marks Jack Ahearn’s 40th year in the TV Film/Video. The first 23 years were spent in local news operations in Green Bay Wis., Rochester, N.Y., and Oklahoma City.
For the last three year he has been at a video production company in Charlotte, N.C., and has spent the last 14 as a freelancer. His freelance career has included network news coverage, sports coverage and corporate video projects. Ahearn has also served as a judge in regional NPPA video competitions for many years. He is married with 2 grown children and lives in Mooresville N.C.
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James Holloway
First news experience I remember was being taken to South Bend, Ind to see President Eisenhower’s motorcade in 1959. Sat on top of my fathers’ shoulder. My father was president of the local NAACP in the 60’s so that led to civil rights marches in area around southwest Michigan and a sit in at the launch counter in the local Woolworth in Niles, Michigan…another news event.
A memory- attended a April 1968 rally for Bobby Kennedy who was campaigning for president on the campus of University of Notre Dame. His speech was only a few hundred feet from the first TV station (WNDU-TV) that I would start to work at in June the same month he died- I had no idea about TV news.
I started as a part-time reporter at WNDU TV and Radio …. 20hrs a week… 20 years old… so nervous that each day when I would drive 20 minutes to work my under arms were drenched with sweat… learned about AFTRA.
I was drafted into the Army, served in Vietnam… When I returned my reporter position was taken by a radio guy- they offered me position as a news-photographer… photo-journalist… news-videographer…cameraman… photo-journalist again… shooter (sic)
WNDU-TV News Photographer/Videographer 1970 to 1976-
A memory- filmed presidential candidate George Wallace on a campaign in South Bend, Ind in 1972… Did not load the camera correctly resulting in no image being recorded – bad memory.
WNDU-TV Chief Photographer – 1976 to1980-
Proud memory.. hiring a woman videographer in 1978.
WJW-TV Videographer 1981 to1985
Best memory- met my wife at the DNC in San Francisco 1984
WKYC-TV Videographer 1985 to 1993
A memory-arrested covering a news story and went to jail after a 5 day trial it was dismissed by the judge – not a good memory
WJW-TV Photojournalist-Crew Chief 1993-Present
Inducted in the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame – that just means its time for me to retire and to fade to black
I have been fortunate enough to record some history along the way.
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Eric Seals
“If you learn to shoot with your heart, you’ll move peoples souls!”
A good friend said that to Eric some time ago & it is something he thinks about constantly working as a Photo & Video Journalist at the Detroit Free Press.
A 1993 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric joined the Detroit Free Press in 1999. It’s the hometown newspaper he grew up reading & wanted to work at.
Over the years Eric has covered many things from various Presidential campaigns, two different intifadas in Israel/Palestine, 5 months covering the war in Iraq & many sports from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing to several Super Bowls, World Series & NBA Finals.
In May of 2008 Eric eagerly embraced video storytelling as his paper started the push to video on the web at Freep.com. From video features to projects he loves trying to bring a cinematic feel & style to his pieces while always staying true to the one thing that matters the most, the story, the story, the story!!
Eric has been recognized for his video storytelling with the 2011 MPPA Multimedia Photographer of the Year, a national Webby Award, several POYi, NPPA-BOP awards & six Michigan Emmys.
Eric has taught at several workshops & has judged at national & state contests around the country. He loves the “Reach One, Teach One” philosophy & mentors others around the country interested in this amazing profession!
Seals is married, has two kids ages 14 & 9. He can always be reached at eseals@freepress.com with any questions about photo & video storytelling.
He can also be found on Twitter; @ericseals & on Instagram; ericseals.
[/column] [/row]2014 Video Editing Contest Judges
Dan Renzetti
Dan Renzetti is an Emmy award winning photojournalist and a member of the phenomenal photography staff at News 12 Connecticut. He attended The New England Institute of Art in Boston, Massachusetts and earned a degree in Digital Media Production. Renzetti has also received several Edward R Murrow awards and national NPPA honors. Besides working with video, Renzetti plays in bands in the New York area and is a die-hard sports fan. Renzetti has said that if he did not work in television news and was not ridiculously short, he would play in the NBA. He currently lives in Stamford, Connecticut.
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Pam West
Pamela West has been a television news photographer for about 15 years. West began in the business as a videotape editor at the Lexington CBS affiliate, WKYT-TV. After about 10 months she began learning to shoot and operate microwave trucks. In 2000, West decided to become a full time news videographer so she took a job at the NBC affiliate, WLEX-TV.
After briefly working in Louisville shereturned to WLEX in 2012. In 2009 West was awarded a “Best Spot News” runner-up AP Award.
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Catherine Steward
