Orlando production manager / florida production manager/ TV Commercial/ 1st AD / Assistant Director /film crew / production supervisor / line producer / Tampa /St. Petersburg / Miami Bernie Cassar
Over 25 years experience ( not including Guinea Pig)
Guinea Pig ???? Yes, and I can explain........
First, let me say I was fortunate to have incredible parents as role models, before I was born they decided to put their little European Island of Malta behind them and head to the Americas to give their children more opportunities for their future . My father relied on his automotive repair skills to support the family before deciding to open a camera store and turn his hobby into his livelihood. My brother Jon grew up around cameras, and became a film maker at a young age.( back in the days when you actually shot on film, had it processed and actually cut film to edit it) Of course he needed someone to be his guinea pig as he experimented with stop motion animation and in camera effects and who better to use as your free labor than your little brother. I'm not sure if that could be counted as experience in the business, but I've been around film making for a very long time.
Skipping ahead 15 years and not knowing what I wanted to do in the film business, I packed my life's most important assets and headed to Canada to work for my brother and acquire an irreplaceable hands on education in film production. I spent any free time I had volunteering at Ottawa Cablevision were I continued my learning experience doing everything from running cable for the Grey Cup to directing international live television ( Variety club Marathon) and nationally broadcast Parliamentary procedures ( aka snoozefest).
When I received an invitation to return to Florida and once again become a guinea pig for a new film program at VCC ,the car was packed and I was headed south again. The education I received under Ralph Clemente was priceless, and my journey into film production went full speed ahead. Having the opportunity to work on a few TV shows, features and hundreds of commercials taught me a couple of things, I was better at managing people and budgets than I was at carrying stuff, and working on commercials brought my love for advertising together with my love for film making.
I'm blessed in life to have three great families the one I was born into , the one I chose and created , and the one I get to work with.