User:Eastfork/David G. Conover

David G. Conover is an American documentary film and television director. His production company, Compass Light, based in Camden, Maine, produces Sunrise Earth for HD Theater.

Biography

David Conover was born and raised in a New England family with strong ties to the sea and a tradition of active storytelling. Both grandfathers were amateur filmmakers in the 1920's and 30's. Upon graduating with a degree in comparative religious studies from Bowdoin College, David worked as a professional seaman—he has extensive experience in the Atlantic and Pacific, which includes two transatlantic crossings in small boats. He spent five years designing and teaching sea courses for kids age 14-18 at the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Maine and in Florida. This was followed by a Master's Degree in Education at Harvard, where David studied moral development and then a second year as a Kennedy School teaching fellow in leadership studies.

Film Career

In 1987, Conover directed and produced his first documentary, OUTWARD BOUND, which aired on National Geographic Explorer. David's subsequent early film experiences took him to a river in Kamchatka on a project for Channel 4/PBS, and he also worked on a film about measuring Mt. Everest for the PBS series NOVA. An additional early project for NOVA introduced him to the changing commercial fisheries, an interest he maintains to this day. His relationship with PBS programming continued with a six-show stint as a producer on the outdoor how-to series TRAILSIDE.

Compass Light grew out of Conover's early work, and the studios were moved to the seaport of Camden, Maine in 1994 in order to be closer to the ocean and the stories being produced. The company has produced over 80 films for broadcast and educational clients. Awards include the National Outdoor Production Award, a Blue Ribbon by the National Educational Media Competition, and a nomination for a National Emmy as Outstanding Director. Beginning in 1997, Compass Light expanded upon its production services to distribute marine stock footage, featuring the underwater stock collection of famed cinematographer Nick Caloyianis. For several years David has also taught documentary film courses at the International Film and Television Workshops in Rockport, Maine.

Experiential TV

After the success of Sunrise Earth, Conover decided to focus on creating more productions in the same format, which he dubbed "Experiential TV". In 2007, Conover co-founded BlueMarvel, an aggregator and distributor of the EXPERIENTIAL TV format, in Rockland, Maine.

Films by David Conover

The Secret History of Fish (in production)
Behold The Earth (in production)
Life v2.0 (in production)
Sunrise Earth (Series)
Cracking the Ocean Code 2005
Toad Warriors 2005
Live from the ISS 2002-3
Mid-Water Mysteries 2002
Quest for Captain Kidd 2001
Fishing for the Future 2001
The Vikings 2001
Uncovering a Pirate’s Graveyard 2000
Search for the Giant Lobster 2000
Coral Heaven 1999
The Viking Saga: L’Anse aux Meadows 1998

Awards

National Outdoor Production Award
Blue Ribbon - National Educational Media Competition
Nominated for a National Emmy as Outstanding Director