Profiles

jeff erwin

Jeff Erwin began his award-winning career as a photographer at the ripe age of eight. "My Mom let me use her Kodak Brownie Hawkeye one day and that was it - I was hooked" says Jeff. "From then on I knew I was going to be a photographer."

After high school, Jeff studied at a private photo school in Indiana then moved on to Utah State University to pursue a Masters in Photography. In 1976 Jeff moved to Boise in his home state of Idaho where a friend convinced him to go into the TV news business. "I came into the business from a different route. I was the only photographer in the group who came to it with a background in contemporary fine art photography," says Jeff. "I guess it made my work stand out."

Jeff landed at KTVB - the number one news station in Boise, which unbeknownst to him would portend of things to come. During the next four years in Boise, Jeff's outstanding work paid off — gaining the attention of NBC affiliate King 5 News in Seattle — a station that owned KTVB. It was here in Boise that Jeff would also reconnect with and marry his childhood sweetheart, Sue.

In 1986, Jeff was hired by King 5 and he, Sue and their two boys moved to Seattle. For the next thirteen years Jeff would gather numerous Emmys and National Press Photographer awards as well as diverse experience in the world of broadcast news journalism. "For a time, you really photograph all the unique ways people die," says Jeff. "You see people at their worst. The flip side of that of course — is you also get to see people at their best." During this time, Jeff covered hundreds of compelling stories. He filmed an active-duty mission on the Battleship Missouri, he flew with the first female combat pilot assigned to a carrier group in the United States, he worked in the White House Press Corps and, "I shot a story about some old guy in Tacoma who restored Mac Trucks," says Jeff. "These were the stories that brought me the greatest satisfaction. There was a window, this time — a golden age of TV news. Right after converting from film to video we were able to gather news and get four to seven minutes to tell a story. Today you get one to one-and-a-half. It was a glorious time." King 5 was known nationally for its elite corps of photographers and Jeff was honored to be part of that group.

In 1995 Jeff co-founded Digital Production Services (DPS), an independent video production company based in Seattle. For the next eleven years he would travel to every continent on the planet, shooting documentary and corporate stories for a deep pool of clients — from NASA to NASCAR and everything in between. During it all Jeff would note, "I still derived my greatest sense of accomplishment from telling human stories. I love covering the work of Foundations in developing countries. It brings a resonance and meaning to the pictures I shoot."

2006 brought in a whirlwind of growth as Jeff and Sue launched their new company, red jet films. "Basically we wanted to raise the bar," Jeff says. "In addition to continuing our work with loved and loyal clients we saw an opportunity to move upward into the Hi-Def world and beyond. Part of that ascent is in the unique collaboration with August Island Pictures — creating ownership in unique storytelling products and developing film content."

Jeff and red jet films are located in the same great space on Lower Queen Anne in Seattle but now offer start to finish, standard and Hi-Def, fully equipped production with a new look and dynamic direction.

In his free time, Jeff enjoys traveling, especially to Italy — and hauling Sue around on the back of his Harley - the one with the really loud pipes.

sue feil-erwin

Sue Feil-Erwin began her professional career right after high school in Boise, Idaho. Appropriately, the City of Trees was the launching pad for her business management background in the world of floral management and design.

"You'd pull all-nighters, work crazy hours during the holidays and ultimately form deep bonds with the team you worked with because of it," Sue says. "I loved it."

This trial-by-fire business education led her to management positions in multiple floral design stores in Idaho as well as Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In 1986 Sue and her husband Jeff moved to Washington State where she finished her career in floral management and design. Sue then turned her attention to raising their two boys, Justin and Jarod.

In 1995 Sue was named the business manager of Digital Production Services, Inc. (DPS) — a Seattle video production company. She successfully managed all the productions that came through its doors until 2006.

In January of this year, DPS disbanded and Jeff and Sue formed red jet films, a new company that features standard and hi-def, fully equipped, start-to-finish production.

Sue oversees the daily operations of red jet and continues to serve as the business and production manager for each project. She has a close relationship with all of red jet's clients and works with them on a daily basis.

Two great joys of Sue's life? Out-driving Jeff on the golf course and singing on the back of the Harley. Jeff doesn't seem to mind – the bike has really loud pipes.