Keith Jorgensen

Keith Jorgensen is an award winning film and video producer, director, and editor through his video and film production companies which are co-owned with business partners and childhood friends, Michael Leber and Ken Czechanski. Jorgensen is best known for his pioneering video production encompassing the 24p digital video technology instead of using film.

Biography and Career

Keith Jorgensen, born on August 14th, 1979, and is the oldest of two boys born to Eric and LaVerne Jorgensen. Jorgensen began creating films around the age of 10 with the family's video camera. He finished his first feature film, METAL MECH, at the age of 14. Future business partner Michael Leber was introduced to them shortly after the film's completion. The three went on to complete 3 additional feature films including HADDON COUNTY, HADDON COUNTY 2: THE RETURN, and ILLINOIS SMITH AND THE QUEST FOR THE LAST JOLT. Jorgensen had finished all four films before his 18th birthday. ILLINOIS SMITH AND THE QUEST FOR THE LAST JOLT won several awards in 1997 from the Chicago Youth Film and Video Festival including Best Feature Film and Audience Choice.
Upon graduation from Marian Catholic High School, Jorgensen entered film school with friends Ken Czechanski, and Michael Leber, at Columbia College Chicago.

In 1999, Jorgensen worked in the production department of Universal Studios’s THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE as a production asistant at the age of 19. The film did not fair well in it’s release and was deemed a bust. In 2000, Jorgensen worked again in the production department of Paramount’s WHAT WOMEN WANT starring Academy Award Winners, Mel Gibson and Marisa Tomei. The film grossed over 180 million. In 2001, Jorgensen worked on the CBS Studio Lot, now owned by Viacom, as a floating production assistant. With an impending SAG strike, Jorgensen decided to leave Los Angeles and returned to Chicago to start his own full service production company.

Upon his return in 2001, Jorgensen completed his fifth feature film entitled BREAKERS INCORPORATED. Breakers Inc. which was recognized for its marketing technique of creating a single film “tour”. The tour included several major universities in the Midwest, including Indiana University, Northwestern University, and Marquette University.

In 2003, Jorgensen and director Michael Leber officially formed VIDEOWORKS CHICAGO LLC, a full production house located in the heart of Chicago. The company split into three divisions later that year. The first being VIDEOWORKS CHICAGO LLC who’s main focus is corporate video work. The second, Poetic Productions, is considered the top special event videography company in Chicago and has been featured on VH1’s MY BIG FAT FABOULOUS WEDDING, The Knot Magazine, Brides.com, Bride’s Magazine, and WGN. The third division is the creative company STOCK YARD FILMS, focusing mainly on creative film and video works, as well as industrial and commercial work. They are most recognized for their music video work as well as several press awards and honors with their work in exercise video production.

Feature Films

Metal Mech – Fantasy Productions
Haddon County – Fantasy Productions
Illinois Smith and the Quest for the Jolt – Flyte Entertainment
Haddon County 2 – Flyte Entertainment
Breakers Incorporated – Flyte Entertainment
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle - Universal Studios
What Women Want - Paramount

Music Videos

"Black & White" - Dick Prall (2007) Authentic Records / Paperwork Media
"Audio & Murder" - The Frantic (2007) Sinister Muse Records
"Day Two And Counting..." - The Hallow (2007) Window Licker Records
"Bela (Lugosi) Ain't Got Sh*t On Me" - The Hallow (2007) Window Licker Records
"Rain" - Dead Town Revival (2007) Sinister Muse Records
"Trees" - Marty Casey & The Lovehammers (2006) Stock Yard Films
"Thrown Away" - Undercast (2005)
"Any More Lonely" - First Class (2004) Johann's Face Records

Commercials

GAP – Artistic Interlude / Commercial For Stock Yard Films
Fogo De Chao- Commercial For CityExplorer.TV
BodyWedge 21+ / Commercial & Series of DVD’s For Stock Yard Films & Home Shopping Network
Patrick Goudeau – Series of Exercise DVD’s For Stock Yard Films
Allstate & Leo Burnett 50th Anniversary – For Poetic Productions

Awards & Honors

1997 BEST FEATURE FILM (2nd place) - Chicago Youth Film Festival
1997 AUDIENCE CHOICE - Chicago Youth Film Festival
2004 BEST WORKOUT VIDEO (Honorable Mention)- REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE, October 2004 issue
2005 MOST INNOVATIVE WORKOUT VIDEO – HEALTH MAGAZINE, January 2005 issue
2006 BEST MUSIC VIDEO (nominee) – MIDWEST INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
2007 NATIONAL CREDIT - VH1’s MY BIG FAT FABULOUS WEDDING
2007 BEST FAT BURNING VIDEO – FITNESS MAGAZINE, January 2007 issue

--Kejsport 19:31, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

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