| ABC Feature with Bob Woodruff and Paralympian Melissa Stockwell |
 Two amazing lives converged this week at the United States Olympic Center in Colorado Springs. Under the grandeur of Pikes Peak, amid dozens of waving flags from around the world, Bob Woodruff sat down to interview Melissa Stockwell.
A few days before, Melissa had heard the news that she'd been named to the United States Paralympic Swim Team, and would be going to Beijing later this year. Melissa, who lost her leg to a roadside bomb in Baghdad in 2004, is the first Iraq war veteran invited to compete in the Paralympics.
As they sat across from each other, the parallels between interviewer and interviewee were hard to ignore. Bob Woodruff was nearly killed by a roadside bomb about twelve miles north of Baghdad in 2006 - becoming the first American news anchor to be seriously wounded in a war zone.
Two Big Pictures crews (Tom Miller & Tom Levy, Zumi Hidalgo & Pete Ward), along with ABC Producer Christine Romo, spent the day with Stockwell and Woodruff capturing her inspirational story.
This feature will air tomorrow (Friday, April 18th) on ABC's Good Morning America, and World News Tonight with Charlie Gibson. Please check it out if you get a chance.
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| Gunnar Blanke - Denver Loses one of the Greats |
 Our local production community has suffered a lot of loss over the last year.
First we learned about Ralph Binder's tragic automobile accident as he was on his way to cover the Oklahoma mall shootings for ABC.
Then earlier this month, I got the shocking call from fellow cameraman Mark Weiler that Gunnar Blanke had passed away the day before while on a shoot.
Gunnar has been an icon in this community forever, usually spotted behind his jib, or helping someone out, or laughing. Once I saw him outside Western Cine picking up some film he had shot for a timelapse project about lightning. The last time I saw him was while he was shooting the Colorado Symphony's Christmas concert. I was there as a "civilian" with my family. I couldn't take my eye off his camera, as it swept perfectly above the crowd at the end of his jib - skilled hands guiding it towards the stage.
Gunnar was also an accomplished glider pilot who loved to soar. He was only 61 years old, and is survived by his wife Rose and sister Tana.
Gunnar - we will miss you.
Thank you Laszlo Varga for this fantastic photo.
Obituary
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Now Showing - Recent and Future Airings
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The Oprah Winfrey Show - Extraordinary Friendships - 4/9/08
We spent the day with Martina Navratilova at her home outside Aspen for this segment about her friendship with longtime rival Chris Evert. Martina showed us her fitness routine, as well as some nutrition tips in her kitchen. We shot with two Panasonic HDX900 HD cameras. Crew was Tom Miller, Drew Levinson, Zumi Hidalgo and Steve Roseboom. Harpo Productions. Aired April 9th, 2008.
ABC Feature on Melissa Stockwell - Friday 4/18/08 -
On Good Morning
America and World News Tonight with Charlie Gibson. See the article
above article for details.
Prehistoric Megastorms - AKA Mega Disasters- The History Channel - 5/6/08
This new six-hour HD series that brings viewers inside the ancient storms that helped reshape our planet. We worked on several segments with Lightworks-KPI. We're told the first episode is currently slated to air May 6th on The History Channel, under the "Mega Disasters" banner. Check out Last Month's Newsletter for an article about this series.
ESPN E:60 Feature on Darren McFadden - 4/18/08
We shot an interview with Former Broncos GM Ted Sundquist for this feature on Darren McFadden. First aired 4/15, and will repeat Friday 4/18.
Shockwave - History Channel - Segment: 516 - Avalanche Buries Reporter
Airdate TBA
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