Burt Kempner
Writer-producer of documentary, environmental and educational
programming.
Scriptwriter with global client base.
Highly experienced, award-winning scriptwriter specializing in documentary, environmental, educational and travel programming.
Works have appeared on PBS, the Discovery Channel, CNBC, the History Channel and European television.
Interesting in creating, either independently or in association with like-minded groups or individuals, projects of the highest integrity, quality and value to the viewing public.
Credits
The Fall and Rise of Germany (PBS) (DO)
Chincoteague (PBS) (DO)
The Spirit of Punxsutawney (Discovery Channel) (DO)
Writer-producer Burt Kempner, has worked professionally in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and, most recently, Tampa, Florida. His work has won numerous major industry awards, and has been seen by groups ranging in size from a national television audience in the United States to a half dozen Maori chieftains in New Zealand. Among his broadcast credits are: for PBS: The Fall and Rise of Germany, a two-hour exploration of the German nation since the end of the Second World War. Chincoteague, a celebration of the wild ponies and human inhabitants of this island off the coast of Virginia; for The Discovery Channel: The Spirit of Punxsutawney: Groundhog Day, a documentary about the western Pennsylvania town made world famous by a weather-predicting rodent; for CNBC: numerous episodes of Today's Environment, a survey of ecological success stories hosted by actor Ed Begley, Jr.; for IWeimar: A Modern-Day Renaissance City, an historic look at the one-time home of Goethe and Schiller and its latter-day efforts to become a cultural center once more.
In his 25 years as a writer, reporter, director and producer, Kempner has worked for many government agencies and non-profit organizations. Among the former are the Smithsonian Institution, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts; in the latter category are the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Sierra Club, the Jane Goodall Institute and the American Institute of Architects. He served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Washington Independent Writers, the country’s largest writers’ group, and was twice elected president of the organization. He has also been a volunteer outreach counselor for Metropolitan Ministries, a homeless shelter in Tampa, and a founding member of the Institute for Ethics and Meaning
Burt J. Kempner
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND
Experienced as an independent writer, producer, director and
reporter, with thorough grounding in both electronic and print media.
EDUCATION
B.A. Journalism, Pennsylvania State University. Graduated Cum
Laude.
EXPERIENCE
SCRIPTWRITER of motion picture, video and multi-image presentations
ranging from documentary and news to entertainment to education.
National credits include The Fall and Rise of Germany and Chincoteague
on PBS; The Spirit of Punxsutawney on Discovery Channel; Weimar on
European television; and Today's Environment on CNBC. Founded
Earth to Tampa Productions in 1993.
NEWSWRITER - WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C.
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR - South Jersey Monthly magazine, specializing
in feature stories and reviews.
REPORTER - Associate news director and on-air reporter for WAEB
Radio, Allentown, PA. Duties included live interviews and editorial
writing.
AWARDS & HONORS
• CINE Golden Eagle, Council on International
Non Theatrical Events
• Finalist Award, International Film & TV Festival of New
York
• Bronze Medal, International Film & TV Festival of
New York
• Bronze Cindy, Association of Visual Communicators
• Silver and Bronze Apple, National Educational Film & Video Festival
• Crystal Reel, Florida Motion Picture & Television Association
Gold, Silver and Bronze medals