Jeff Neill has been fascinated with television and motion picture production since childhood. In high school, he became a semi-finalist in the national Kodak Teenage Movie Awards, with an unedited 8mm original film. In college, his student
films won consecutive awards. While in college, he went to work as a cameraman at the local television station, KXII TV in Sherman, Texas, later working his way up to become the youngest production manager they had ever employed. Through
his efforts the station experienced many firsts, including local appearances for the annual Jerry Lewis telethon by Phyllis Diller, Paul Lynde, the Texas Rangers, and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
As he was becoming known for his work at the
television station, he was eager to move to a
place with better production values. Offered
jobs in three different cities simultaneously, Jeff
opted for the
one he thought
would allow him
to do the most
creative work. He moved to Pollaro Media, an
advertising agency and TV production company,
becoming Chief of Video Operations. Here, Jeff wrote
and directed regional and national spots for a variety of
clients, including Subaru, Honda, Lincoln Mercury,
Grandys, Carl's Tasty Sausage, Minyards, and many others. As a "hands-on" director, in addition to direct- ing, writing, and doing the computer-based video
editing, he also sharpened his skills at camera in both
video and 35mm film production, as well as lighting,
sound, and production management.
This also gave Jeff the unique
opportunity to work with
actors and professional
spokespersons. The most
valuable experience from the
Pollaro years was Jeff’s ability
to create stunning productions
with the smallest of budgets and
resources.
Delanna Reed, Jeff, Phil Ransom and Jerry Lewis do a station promo
Jeff directed Steve Melton in a
Carl’s Tasty Sausage TV ad
Jeff directed this spot for Honda, recreating the lunar landing
Jeff directed this animated Dance Sequence for Broadway Square
Jeff directed this night sequence; an alien gives a boy keys...
Jeff directed this spot and created the water and cloud effects
Because of the long hours involved, Jeff left
Pollaro Media and joined Community Video in
Dallas as a video editor in order to spend more time
with his family.
Here, he edited national television series and
specials, including the Billy Graham Crusades and
Zola Levitt Presents. But after a couple of years he yearned to direct again, and so he formed The
Production Group with partner Mark Schatzman. They created a series of syndicated national commercials, followed by promotional and training videos for
corporations such as American Cyanamid and ICI Americas, as well as writing and directing national
commercials for The Billy Graham Crusades.
After Schatzman left to go into the medical industry, Neill started his own company, JN Productions.
Billy Graham, “Disappearing Family”
Zola Levitt Director/Producer Ken Berg trusted Jeff to create this open for Zola’s program
From that point on, Jeff Neill and JN Productions have created outstanding television and video projects for a host of major clients, including ICI Ameri- cas, NEC Americas, The Christian Satellite Network, Copesan Services, Upjohn, Frito Lay, Nortel Networks, Proview Capital Productions and VISA, as well as many others. He also created a video training company with partner, Dr. Ted Granovsky. Their company, PCVN, has produced over sixty one-hour programs that have been used all across the United States and in seven countries worldwide.
Jeff served as a writer, producer, and editor for these TV ads featuring sports legends
While working on a project for VISA, produced by Proview Capital Productions, the schedule became so tight that Jeff had to write seven segments of introductions and closings all night, and then direct them all in studio the next day. Everything went off without a hitch, and the project was delivered on time and on budget.
“Kitchen Monster” segment - One of seven Jeff directed after writing all of them the night before
Jeff directed Racing, Southern Style which featured segments about Bonneville racing, jet cars, and legends such as Dale Earnhardt
Jeff has also written and directed
TV pilots. Racing, Southern Style was a reality program celebrating everything from dirt-track to
Bonneville racing. He had segments with international racing legends as well as home town legends.
Jeff directed Wind ‘n Wheels, a
reality show celebrating the love of motorcycles
Wind ‘n Wheels
featured segments on The Great Race, and race president,
Tom Moore
Jeff directed The American Roll,
a skate/dancing show featuring 35 talented
skaters from around the nation
Jeff wrote and directed Galileo Registrar, a comedy training program (top left), The PCVN Western Episode, and “Willard”, a horror-comedy training program for Copesan Services.(bottom right)
A Matter of Life and Death
When Words Are Not Enough
In “When Words Are Not Enough”, another original drama written and directed by Neill, a well-liked small business owner fails to keep up with his paperwork and is accused of
leaving out harmful materials that resulted in the poisoning of a little boy. A trial is held, and the man finds his family threatened and his
business destroyed, as he is destroyed in the press. He realizes too late that just having the proper records could have saved him. “When Words Are Not Enough” won multiple awards of excellence for outstanding training video production.
In each of the dramas, Jeff had to work on an extremely tight schedule and a very small budget. Both were brought in on time and
within the budget. Jeff innovated his production methods, using practical locations, even small rooms in his church.Jeff continues to win awards (now, nine and counting) for his productions - he even won an award for a fishing program he directed.He also writes feature scripts - his first of three parts Whirlwinds script won the Dallas Writer’s Association Best Screenplay award
and he is now working on his first novel. He continues to create innovative TV commercials, training and promotional programming, and is even in front of the camera for his new Breakout Moments motivational series. The slogan for JN Productions is “Productions You Remember, From People You Like”. Ask virtually anyone who has worked with Jeff and they’ll tell you there is a lot to like. Writer, producer, director, innovator, talented artist - Jeff Neill is the catalyst that brings memorable, compelling productions to life.
Jeff also wrote and directed two award-winning dramas for Copesan.The use of professional drama was found to bring home the seriousness and consequences of professional
work ethics in ways that ordinary training could not touch.
Each drama touched on the tragic
consequences of not doing the job right. In A Matter of Life and Death, a popular supervisor in a breakfast food manufacturing plant is reluctant to report violations by employees, because he doesn’t want to cost anyone their job. But a food poisoning outbreak strikes and his son is one of it’s victims. With his son
near death, his wife not speaking to him, and hundreds falling ill from tainted breakfast cereal, he is forced to re-evaluate his life and choices. Todd Terry, who had recurring roles in Walker, Texas Ranger, leads an excellent cast. This gripping drama won the 2000 International Videographer Award of Excellence for professional training.
From newscasts to drama to special effects to TV ads, Jeff Neill has written and directed it.
Later, with executive producer Paul Schmidt, Jeff wrote and directed another TV pilot about the love of motorcycles and the passion riders have for them. It was called Wind ‘n Wheels, and featured segments from all across the country, including “Ride for Kids” to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, “The Great Race”, classic motorcycles, and incredible scenic sequences.
The third TV pilot Jeff wrote and directed was a skate/dance program for Karl Tucker Productions called The American Roll. Featuring 35 talented skate dancers from around the nation, a 76 ft studio set, and five cameras.
INNOVATIONS IN VIDEO TRAINING
When asked to create innovative training videos for clients, Jeff brought his creative background to the video training arena.
He wrote and directed various comedy and dramatic programs with actors he had used in his TV broadcast work.
For Nortel Networks, he brought together comic actors to show how not to program their new systems, and what could go wrong when youdidn’t follow their instructions.
For PCVN, he rented a western town, staged gunfights, dressing actors and experts up in western garb, in what is now considered to be among the best of the sixty-plus episodes in the series.
For Copesan Services, the third largest pest control company in the nation behind Orkin and Terminex, he directed a comedy program about how not to do pest control, with “Willard”, the embodiment of every bad cliche’ known about the worst pest control employees.
