As you may have noticed in the introduction on the Home Page, I bring a long history and a great deal of experience to this venture.  I have been involved in the ‘biz’ all of my life as my father, Harry Ackerman, was one of the pioneers in television and one of the early ‘kings of sitcom’ with a string of hits including LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, HAZEL, THE DONNA REED SHOW, DENNIS THE MENACE, THE FLYING NUN, and BEWITCHED.  To say I grew up on the sets of these shows would not be an exaggeration.

   After graduating from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, I tried to make a go of it as a writer, with minimum success.  Colorful assortments of part-time gigs lead me to an entry level job as a Stage Manager for a commercial production company in Hollywood. Finally, and perhaps inevitably, and despite the wishes of my father to avoid the industry at all costs, I had come full circle.  I was in and this time for good.

   I worked my way up through the electrical/lighting department, having discovered a real curiosity for film lighting, something I found unusually challenging.  With a desire to paint, and no accompanying skills, I found that I could achieve something just as satisfying with ‘light’, its absence and its infinite variety of shades and colors. I spent the next ten years honing my lighting skills on projects in every state and in several countries, usually solving problems in practical locations.  I loved the process, the challenge of finding solutions in difficult circumstances, the camaraderie and the chance to visit, and work, around the world.

   Once confident of my lighting skills, the logical move upward was camera.
I have been a working Director of Photography for 20 years.  Besides the many commercials, I have shot a blizzard of industrials, probably 50 music videos, several short films and three features.  In television I have been the DP for two critically acclaimed Improv series, and a number of pilots.  I am also responsible for two pilot presentations that my partners and I hope to get into production.