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Construction of interiors, scenery, displays and props as a staff designer and coordinator for PBS, Univision Networks in New York, Washington and Miami. I have done set and effect design work for Discovery Network. Over thirty commercials with Johnson Burnett, Backyard, Feldot Productions and others. Credits include effects and table top product work for Pepsi, Planters Peanuts, Hebrew National Hot Dogs and Miller Beer. Set Construction and Scenic Painter USA Networks "Burn Notice" Season Five 2011

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Joe Saitta
(954) 961-7743
Email j_saitta@hotmail.com
Download construction drawings for easy to build workstation and bookcase.
Drawings for rack mount and control room console workstation
Drawings for bookcase - 80" plasma monitor stand and av center

"Death by Chocolate" Discovery Networks The Learning Channel

Produced at WPBT 2 in Miami, "Death by Chocolate" and it's companion "The Burgermeisters" aired on The Learning Channel for two seasons in Prime Time and on AM Saturdays. Host is C.I.A. Chef Marcel Desaulniers of the Trellis of Williamsburg, VA.


 

 

The popularity of "Death by Chocolate" and other cooking shows at that time was a fact not lost on the creators of the Food Network, launched in that same year.

A ratings hit from the start, "Death by Chocolate" was featured on a four and a half hour special with world premier episodes on Thanksgiving Day. Next was "The Burgermeisters", also a hit, featuring the best burgers from a "who's who" of the greatest Chefs in the world.

TLC producers Michael Dingley and Mary Ellen Iwata wanted the set for their new cooking shows to break the mold of the conventional cooking show. They specifically requested that the set not look like a working kitchen, but a sleek, ultra modern showcase for the talents of chef Marcel Desaulniers. With this in mind, I created the set using rich black marble faux treatments on curvilinear walls. Charcoal gray granite countertops with birch wood grain cabinets provide some warmer accents to a predominantly "cool" color palette. Recessed lighting adds texture and illuminates the props and set dressing. Colored backlight on the glass block wall allowed for changing background color to match the show's content.

"Death by Chocolate" and "The Burgermeisters" were difficult to produce, even for cooking shows. The shooting schedule began with morning prep, after which a straight run through, live on tape. After pickups, the production moved to product shots of the finished dishes. This required elaborate "vignettes" consisting of decorations, lighting effects, smoke effects, props and table settings on a swept light table top, all in an attempt to match the quality beauty shots from Marcel's wonderful books.

These cooking shows required working appliances, including gas piped in from external tanks and practical sinks and faucets in studios with no existing drains or water. Waste water was collected in holding tanks under the sink, filtered and pumped out. Hot water heaters were also in the center island counter as well as a practical sink and cook top. Behind the set is a full prep kitchen with refrigerators, stoves, prep tables, automatic dish and clothes washers. Hot water heaters are also needed for prep area and waste water was collected in holding tanks under the sink, filtered and pumped out.

To the right is a TV Guide ad for "Death By Chocolate" Show on TLC.

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Joe Saitta
(954) 961-7743
email j_saitta@hotmail.com

Resume
• Set Construction and Scenic Painter USA Networks "Burn Notice" Season Five since 2011.
Construction of Signs, Scenery, Props and Set Painter.
• Staff Designer for Univision Networks 1997- 2007
 Creation of Floor plans, Elevations, construction drawings and 3D modeling with fly-over animated presentations. Graphics on VizRT, Vis Artist live on-air 3D rendering system. Construction of Scenery, Props, Special Effects, cabinets, furniture and displays including carpentry and painting. Drafting for in house renovations in Miami corporate office.
• Set Design and Construction Coordinator Discovery Networks TLC 1993-1994
Art direction including props table top Product Shots and Special Effects for top rated prime time cooking shows "Death by Chocolate" and "The Burgermeisters".
• Staff Scenic Designer and Construction Coordinator for WPBT Miami PBS Network from 1984-1996
Staff Designer and coordinator for PBS affiliate WPBT in Miami. Responsibilities include design, drafting and construction for in house renovations in Miami, New York, Washington DC, Delray Beach and many other locations. Duties included creation of Floor plans, Elevations, construction drawings. Graphics, 3-D design, Props, Special Effects and Scenery. Supervision of full-time production staff, subcontractors, warehouse, shop and studio. Procurement of materials and supplies, including coordination of capital budgets and requests, purchase orders, check requisitions, expense reports. Production of computer generated designs and graphics using industry-standard software. Construction supervisor for in-house renovations including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, plastering, painting and HVAC.
• Propmasters Miami, Florida 1985-86 1997-2000
Prop Builder, Carpenter and Scenic Painter. Credits include Pepsi "Whale's Tail", Wendy's Commercials with Dave Thomas, Miami Vice - Glenn Frey Grammy Night Pepsi Commercial and Don Jonhson HBO special.
• Six Flags Amusement Parks "Atlantis" Florida 1985-1986
Theater Manager, Electrician, Follow Spot for daily performances and concerts Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Molly Hatchet and others for two seasons.
• Coconut Grove Children's Theater "Little Shop of Horrors" Florida 1985
Design and construction of Audrey II puppet. Puppet was a human size plant that eats people and was operated by two puppeteers. Actors could pass through the mouth and exit behind the six foot puppet.
• South Florida Shakespeare Festival at Viscaya Miami, Florida 1985
Prop Master, Prop Builder and Special Effects for full four month run of three outdoor shows in repertory including daily matinees and a school tour. Romeo and Juliet, Two Gentleman of Verona and The Tempest, which included over twenty Pyrotechnic Effects Cues. Design and construction of custom Flash Pots, Controller and Prospero's Staff. The Staff featured eight mini Flash Pots, electrically ignited Loads with different Effects and could be fired together or individually. The same Staff could simultaneously produce an electrically ignited torch, all operated by actor Jim Finnegan via Micro Switches on the Staff. The Pyrotechnics on stage had to sync to the Effects created by Prospero's Staff, Sound and Lighting Cues.

Other Props and Scenic References
 IATSE 477 Movie Set Dresser and Props. Member since 1997
IASTE 500 Theater Technician
Galavision, Telefutura, Florida Grand Opera, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Propmasters Miami, Miami Beach TOPA, On Location Props, Great Southern Studios.
Commercials - Florida Lotto, Kraft, Planters, KMart, Sears, Hebrew National Hotdogs, Pepsi, Goya Foods, Isotoner gloves, Toyota and Miami Herald.
• Performing Resume
Jim Henson Productions - Art of the Muppets, Puppeteer.
Six Flags Amusement Parks - Flagship Follies Puppet stage show, Perthy Pelican puppet improv show. Puppet Master, with over 2000 performances in two seasons.
Norton Gallery Theater - The Algonquin Set and Scapino.
Barry University Theater, lead roles in The Lark, Bullshot Crummond, King Stag.
Barry University Puppet Theater, Master Puppeteer starring in The Monkey King, Atlantis Rising and Everyman.
• Software
AutoCAD, 3D Studio, Vectorworks, Cinema 4D, Photoshop, Illustrator, VizRT, Filemaker, After Effects, Premiere, MS Word, Excel, Access and Visio.

Computer hardware, systems and network support specialist
CompTIA A+ and Network+ Certifications

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email j_saitta@hotmail.com