scrabner@gmail.comMy experience in the communications field has given me a broad perspective and appreciation for the very hard work we all do as creative professionals. I cut my teeth in the "biz" in the trenches, first as a lighting coordinator at the Chicago office of Panavision. From there, I moved into the local freelance production community where I specialized in being a dolly grip (the guy who pushes the the director/cameraman around). I learned how to help compose shots, block actors, and work as a key member of the film crew. In addition to working on dozens of features and TV shows (Above the Law, Crime Story, Red Heat, Untouchables, Fugitive, Uncle Buck, Baby's Day Out), I worked for two of the premier tabletop directors in the city, namely David Deahl and Peter Elliott. We did a lot of spots for Burger King and McDonald's, which often involved intense high-speed photography and painstaking hours spent on product lighting to make everything just right. I also realized at that point that I would rather be writing than lighting, and decided to make the move in 1998. I began by sending food reviews around to editors until I got a bite. Since then, I have written about everything from film set safety, printing presses, to ADHD, both in magazines and on the web. It hasn't been easy, but I'm glad I stuck it out as things are finally starting to go in the direction I had hoped for. I have a portfolio I am very proud of, and just completed two websites for a large ethnic food company based in Chicago. I now have a food blog titled "The Mouthful" where I write about the best cheap eats and where to find them. Ultimately, I would be happiest writing about the food service industry as that is the field I know best.Specialties: Press releases, food reviews, slice-of-life articles, film production techniques, web based marketing, and client-liaison specialist.