The ol' Vermont Pivot

Huge thanks to Jeff Silverman for making the most of his tools while his business is in a brief lull...

https://svhealthcare.org/COVID-19/3DPrinter/

Interview with Jeff Silverman: 3D Printer

Jeff Silverman is a Wilmington native, a volunteer firefighter, and a business owner. From an addition to his Whitingham, Vermont, farm house, his company, Inertia Unlimited, develops camera technology for broadcast television.

"We make them out of thin air," he says.

Actually, he uses a 3D printer to make prototypes and one-of-a-kind cameras for very specific purposes, including those that sit in the dirt in front of a batter during Major League Baseball games and the ones built into NASCAR racetracks.

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeff has printed 463 face shields for first responders in the Deerfield Valley and healthcare workers at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and other places. He has delivered them free of charge.

When and how did you first become interested in printing shields for first responders?

In one day, every job we had disappeared. We went from having 20 – 30 jobs to zero in one day. Our first thought was that we would use the materials and talent we typically use to sew the pouches for our cameras to make masks. But we quickly found that the proper materials and techniques were not available to make effective masks. Plus so many other people were making them. They had it covered.

On Sunday, March 22, I read in the New York Times that a company in Syracuse, NY, had made a design to 3D print face shields available online. By noon that day I was printing. Since then the printer has not stopped.

How does it work?

The printer converts the design into a 3D object using filament that is the width of a human hair, adding layer by layer. The printer takes 2 hours to print one shield. I have produced 380 shields so far. That's 1000 hours of printing. I take from midnight to 5 a.m. off. We've done more 3D printing in the last month and a half than we had in the previous 5 years.

Describe the shields.

It was important to me to produce something that was good quality. Sometimes the ones you buy don’t clean up very well. These can survive UV light and other sterilization. They are rough and tough.

Where have you distributed them?

First I gave them to the firefighters in Wilmington and Whitingham, where I am a volunteer. Then I gave some to the Deerfield Valley Rescue. I have sent 324 to Southwestern Vermont Health Care, some to SVMC Deerfield Valley Campus; Golden Cross Ambulance Service and Sojourns Community Clinic, both in Westminster, VT; and Rescue Inc. in Brattleboro. I sent some to a dentist in Portland, ME, who asked, and 10 to North Central Bronx Hospital to a friend who works there.

What's your greatest accomplishment?

I went to Wilmington High School in the late 70s, and Dave Larson, who was the social studies teacher and former longtime VT state representative, had a video camera. He let me borrow it to film field hockey games. At the end of the season, they gave me a varsity letter for my film work. I have won Emmys since, but that varsity letter is special, because it represented the beginning.

What's next?

We look forward to reopening. For us, it's the easiest thing in the world. No client ever comes here. We didn't lay anybody off. We hired locals. All are full-time with benefits. We think Vermont is a great place for low-impact companies like ours, and we hope more companies discover Vermont and come here to provide well-paid jobs.

And I am really looking forward to turning the printer off.

On behalf of Southwestern Vermont Health Care's frontline staff, thank you to Jeff for his tireless efforts to provide vital equipment to our teams. We appreciate it!

More Great Work

If you are watching the World Series, you are once again seeing it through some of Jeff Silverman's cameras.  His company Inertia Unlimited makes the super slo mo cameras that gave us this moment last year:

What I hadn't realized at the time is that Cleveland's Lindor (red shoe) is wearing a protective ankle pad made by Evoshield...which is the company that Hardie Jackson helped start and which recently joined the Wilson brands of sporting goods...

Class of '83 starting to rule the world...as it should be.

The full video (and many more) can be found on the IU website....

Twelve years preparation led to this...

Game 6 of the World Series produced an iconic moment is sports photography (GIF here) and we have Jeff Silverman to thank.

In the Sports Illustrated recap of the media coverage of the Series - here's what they wrote:

Tony Gambino is not a sports media name you’d recognize, but he was responsible for one of the most memorable moments of Fox’s World Series coverage. A freelance camera operator who has worked the postseason for Fox since 2012, Gambino took the incredible camera shot of Chapman getting to first base before the Indians' Francisco Lindor in the seventh inning during Game 6. “Plays in baseball happen so fast, and we as cameramen try to see what’s happening on the field, react, frame it correctly, be in focus, all in a moment’s notice,” Gambino wrote via email from Cleveland. “I just saw what was happening on the field and knew the play would be at the bag. And I went for it.... Compared to other sports, baseball is the hardest to shoot because you have no idea what’s going to happen. Plays happen so fast. I knew if I could get to the bag before them, it would look great.”

Gambino said he was positioned next to the first camera operator on the first-base side of the field—Low 1st. According to Michael Davies, ‎the senior vice president of field and technical operations for the Fox Sports Media Group, Gambino used a Vision Research “Phantom” v64 camera that shoots at 2,100 frames a second. Davies said the camera is from a small company in Jacksonville, Vermont, that provides specialty cameras for companies. He said he believed Fox is the only sports network to use the camera.

“Tony is the kind of guy who has really taken to the technology,” Davies said. “He is there at the right place at the right time. One of the things that you miss when you see a replay slowed down as much as that is that it really happens in the blink of an eye. Someone like him needs to be on the mark and in focus. [Former Fox Sports chairman] David Hill used to say the best live events look post-produced, and I think we have definitely gotten closer to that mark.”

Gambino said he heard from people on the crew after the game about his shot, which was gratifying. “As a cameraman, it’s always great to see your hard work pay off,” Gambino said. “Especially for key moments in sports. We try and give the viewer the best look possible. The umpires to a great job, but it’s gratifying knowing that call is correct because of our camera work.

Jeff says be on the lookout for more premium shots since "There's going be stuff coming from Supercross, X-games, Superbowl and Westminster dog show coming up"

Why Class Notes Matter

If you caught the email version of the redesigned "Deerfield Today" alumni newsletter you may have already seen the piece on Jeff Silverman's company. Of course, it was old news to those who have watched (or better yet subscribed) to this blog. But the good thing is that rather than 65 people knowing about Jeff's talent it's more like 9,000. We all have talents or tidbits and classnotes shows that they are relevant to more than just a few of us. Please keep them coming and encourage your classmates to subscribe to this blog.

Adam Feiges read the newsletter and commented that the new Ashley Award will be for "young alumni", which is defined as the less than 20 years since graduation. That fact makes Adam feel increeeeeeedibly old!!!!

NFL Commercial - footage by Silverman's Inertia Unlimited

This is worth linking to - an amazing NFL "ad" based solely on footage from one of Jeff's cameras. Nice work jeff!!!

http://files.coloribus.com/?DLFILE=/files/paedia/reel/part_56/567001/file/nfl.mp4

and the youtube version of same at

So good you don't even realize it...Thanks Jeff!

Ever wonder what it takes to see Nick Swisher of the Yankees blink as he hits a single to the opposite field? Ever amazed at how much a well placed camera can make an event fun to watch (can you say World Series of Poker) or how high resolution slow motion cameras can really give you a sense of skill in an athlete?

Don't forget to thank Jeff Silverman's company Inertia Unlimited.

From the LA Daily News' Tom Hoffarth on October 15th...

== There is a new X-Mo super slo-mo camera stationed on the low first-base side that will shoot 1,000 frames a second -- one step better than the X-Mo you've seen on an FSN telecast or even a Fox MLB game. It's a camera usually reserved for NFL A-game broadcasts and will only be available to TBS on Games 1 and 2 (but not on Sunday's Game 3 because of the NFL use)."It's something that NFL Films loves to use, and they'll have it tied up Sunday and Monday," said Diamond. "You can really see the ball come out the pitcher's hand and the seems of the ball like nothing else you've ever been able to see." http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/archives/2009/10/what-to-watch-f.html

Jeff answered my query about what he's up to: "We’re in the midst of shooting the NFL League commercials right now with NFL Films. We’re getting a lot of buzz about it. They are the commercials with the exceptionally slow motion (1000fps) shot at actual games. We will also have slow motion cameras on TNT’s and Fox’s baseball playoff coverage (LCS and WS) in the next few weeks (and NBC Sunday Night Football and NFL Network and CBS and Fox and HBO live boxing events and 24/7 and Hard Knocks)….) and the Superbowl. Don’t forget poker, High Stakes Poker, Face the Ace, Million Dollar Challenge, WSOP Europe, US Poker Championship, Poker After Dark and a few others. But nothing too big really."

Pretty impressive for three people in Southern Vermont! THANKS JEFF!!!

2006 - January - DA 83 E News

DA Class of 1983 E-Newsletter
January 2006


Dear 83er,

FEEDBACK:
Always great to know Jim Wareck is reading the newsletter: “Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to the latest email, but a few thoughts came to mind. One, it appears you must be very busy and successful in your new development post because the November 05 DA 83 newsletter was definitely a paste and cut job. I mean a word for word recitation of an Adam Weinberg PR press release? And Weinberg, are you going to try and convince us that this World Learning Center is NOT a North Korean front operation? Two, since when is it news that Eric Suher is controlling more means of production and avenues of commerce? Couldn't that be in the newsletter every month? And finally, I want to thank you and the newsletter for clearing up a potentially ground-breaking discovery. Around the time I received it, I was out walking at night and thought I had witnessed an unmistakable UFO. But now with the news that DA has appointed a female head of school, I realize the unidentified flying object shooting past the planet Venus was just PB Weymouth when he heard the news. Still in DC, all DA 83ers should call, I make an excellent tour guide and Craig Pattee has offered to pick up lunch.”

(PB gets much positive pub later in this issue…)

November 30 Beer and Burger Social at PJ Clarke’s was well attended and provided many good laughs. Thanks to Doug Schmidt for getting it organized. Knight drove down from DA and brought Andy Blau ’81 with him to the event. Ian Murray ’82 attended and wondered who all the youngsters from ’83 were. Geoff Siefert ’84 stopped by as well, just in from South Africa via London! Dominating the scene was ’83 with Will Piersol, Whit Armstrong, John Kikoski, Schmidt, Knight, Al Compagno, Chris Lynch, Drew Schiff, PB Weymouth and hopefully I didn’t forget anyone. Pete Pauley was sad to miss it, and Dave Madden from CA lamented he had been in NYC only a day before!

Nate Blain complained from DC that nothing fun ever happens there with the class of ‘83. Sadly, I had to inform Nate that a DA sponsored young alumni event was taking place in DC in December…but he didn’t qualify!!! Maybe Nate can find a way to actually get Wareck and Pattee in the same room for a social occasion…

Johannes “Yogi” Mortier apologized from Germany that he could not attend. (Fifty bucks says he is coming to our 25th reunion in June 2008!!!) “Thanks for the note. Sorry, I cannot make it. I left the university of Frankfurt / Main and went into private practice (orthopedics). Home address is still the same.”

Jamie Robinson’s art has really taken off in Athens, Ohio. Look for his “Athens Block” reproductions at this art gallery site: http://www.lamborns.com/athensblock.html

This just blew in: Don Hindman (dhindman@clarknational.com) is living in Chicago with his wife, Maron, and their four children, ages 9, 7, 5, and 7 mos.! Don's most recent (surprise) baby, Trudy, will inevitably prompt a visit to the Urologist for Don at his earliest opportunity. As a "recovering lawyer", Don is running his family's distribution business, Clark National, Inc. Lastly, Don relates that he sees fellow alum Eddie Opler '89 on a regular basis in Chicago, where they meet to discuss the benefits of coeducation at Deerfield.

Eduardo Blohm is Deerfield’s Admission Representative in Venezuela and reports all is well with him…


NEW ALUMNI WEBSITE!
Having you been to the http://www.deerfieldalumni.org/ site lately? (You can get there from http://www.deerfield.edu/ too). It is all NEW – and hosted by a new company – so you will need to register again ONCE then you can create your own username and password. The 9 digit ID # required is being included on address labels in all major school mailings: it starts with “D00”. Contact Doug dschmidt2@nyc.rr.com or John jknight@deerfield.edu if you would like your ID# sooner than the Annual Report 2005 which is in the mail…

Upgrades include:

Automated registration and password retrieval process.
MyPage feature that will contain that information of most relevance and interest to the alumnus/a.
Easy to use and manage permanent email forwarding system.
Regular changes in photographs, content and layout.
The ability to create and edit class and club pages.
An ‘auto generator’ process for alumni to create their own class notes and allows them to upload related photos.
The ability to register online for events in addition to Reunion.
The alumni directory makes it possible for us to use virtually any field in the database for searches.
When updating records, alumni will be able to personally select which pieces of information are viewable and which are hidden.

Further Upgrades Coming:

Message Boards and Chat module
Polls and Quick Survey Module
Career and College Mentoring Modules

83 ON CAMPUS


Recently an alumni swim meet was held to honor the memories of former faculty Larry Boyle (recently deceased) and Bill Tyler (still very much kicking). Team ‘83 was well represented by Dean Singewald, Dave McNeil, Dave Morley and Sean Nottage. John Knight jumped in when the photographer appeared…Nottage and Morley are clearly benefiting from living in the Bahamas and it was fantastic they made the effort to attend the event. Dave McNeils’s father swam in the meet also…Great job!

Tim Ehrhart called from campus on January 6th to see if John Knight was getting any sleep (see below). Tim was in town to help with some family matters. Still working at Chubb (18 years) and living near Clinton NJ with a great wife and a great family of three kids 8,5 and 4!

As for John Knight, he is on a brief break from work at DA to help his wife Martha cope with the Christmas Day arrival of Eleanor Noelle Knight! He says it was still fun opening the gifts 10 days later! JK is taking any advice from Christmas babies on when to celebrate birthdays! Jim Wareck on Nora’s birthdate: “John many congrats to you and Martha. But god it sucks for Eleanor. Now she will only get one set of gifts, unless the Vatican acknowledges that Jesus was actually born in May.”

Making it happen at DA:
PB Weymouth was on hand for the new boathouse dedication, partly to honor his father. Here he is with his dad and his own two rugrats followed by the “press release” about the opening! PB is in his sixth year on the Executive Committee of the alumni association. THANKS PB!
November 15, 2005 Last Saturday on a crisp, blue sky morning, friends of Deerfield crew gathered to recognize donors and to dedicate the newly opened Hammerschlag Family Boathouse. A first-class facility that provides more convenient access to the Connecticut River for rowers, the Hammerschlag Family Boathouse is named in honor of Lynne and Mark Hammerschlag, P'93, P'04 and features three bays of shell storage space, training and strength conditioning rooms, and generous rigging areas.
Evoking a traditional New England barn, the post & beam wooden structure fits in comfortably with its natural surroundings, overlooking a grassy meadow above a quiet stretch of the river. Guests at the dedication ranged in age from 8 to 98 years and traveled from as far as the rowing Mecca of Henley-on-Thames, England -- a testament to the long and proud tradition of Deerfield graduates in the rowing world as well as the prospect of more enthusiastic rowers to come!
NOTHING NORMAL EVER HAPPENS TO:
Brian Steward
This is a picture which was taken (against my pleading) after I fell into the Nueces River near Montell, Texas (20 miles from Rocksprings) last Friday (in November). While the air temp was 70 degrees, the water was approximately 45. That did not prevent me from spending the next 2 hours in and around the river. Beautiful country. The comments about throwing a dog into the river were exaggerated. I was simply trying to ease her transition into the water…unsuccessfully. Fortunately, she eased my transition into the water on two occasions. Also note that I had changed clothes immediately before this spill which made it even more pleasurable.

AND THIS ONE IS FOR BEAUBIEN, SILVERMAN AND SUHER and any other WGAJ founders…an email sent the students 1/11/06 by the faculty rep for the radio station:

“Over the years Deerfield Academy's very own Radio Station WGAJ 91.7 FM THE VOICE has been under-recognized by our beloved community. Year after year DJs have come and gone and the greater community has neither embraced nor directly rejected these beautiful souls. Instead they have been given the cold shoulder of apathy. The poor radio station began to slowly fall and decay.
Luckily for the world, 6 brave Radio Warriors have arisen and taken up the challenge of getting everyone to tune into 91.7 FM, the place to be on the Franklin County dial. These 6 have decided that the station's black and white colors are too boring and out dated. After much debate, coffee and a scuffle or two they came up with the greatest idea imaginable. Give the station back to the people.
In order to do so these great wave warriors have decided to challenge you, O mighty Deerfield, to give the station a new image. There will be a T-shirt contest so everyone can proudly wear the WGAJ logo, which will be displayed on both our new banner and stickers. The logo, the sticker the banner and the T-shirt will all be made by you and contested over. All these will be submitted to the ITS box in the switchboard under the name Mr. Terwilliger.
Then the best 3 of each catogory will be picked and you will vote on the new image of WGAJ. Our job is done. Now it's your turn to let THE VOICE be heard.” The Mighty 6

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL and keep those stories coming…

P.S. 25th reunion is June 6-8, 2008

Please let me know if there is a better email address for this missive…New email for newsletter contributions is jknight01038@comcast.net – or you could always use classnotes@deerfield.edu. Hope to hear from you…