Contact: Name: Kathleen Kaan Phone: 212.560.3026 E-Mail: kaank@thirteen.org Contact: Name: Donald Lee Phone: 212.560.3005 E-Mail: leed@thirteen.org Copy the release to the right. Paste it into a new document (Microsoft Word) in order to Save it locally. Keyword(s): NATURE: American Eagle Production Bios NEIL RETTIG Cinematographer Neil Rettig is a naturalist and filmmaker who began his career in the mid 1970's. Over the past three decades, Rettig has contributed to the production of hundreds of films, including IMAX Productions, National Geographic Specials, and science documentaries. Rettig's work has resulted in numerous awards, including three Emmys, for outstanding cinematography. Neil has also published popular articles in National Geographic, Audubon, and other high profile magazines. His knowledge of raptors, especially the rare forest eagles, resulted in the first collaboration with NATURE in his film Raptor Force. Rettig's fieldwork has been instrumental in the conservation of rare and threatened animals, the establishment of protected ecosystems around the world, and breeding projects for endangered species. Neil's latest film for NATURE is American Eagle premiering November 16th, 2008. Neil Rettig is also a scuba diver, Master Falconer, accomplished still photographer, and animal trainer. When not traveling, he lives on a farm in rural southwestern Wisconsin. FRED KAUFMAN Executive producer, NATURE Three-time Emmy Award-winner Fred Kaufman has been executive producer of the PBS series, NATURE since 1991 and has worked on the series since its premiere in 1982. Many of NATURE's most memorable presentations have been produced under Kaufman's stewardship, including the acclaimed three-part miniseries Deep Jungle (2005); the landmark eight-part AFRICA (2001); the mini-series, Inside the Animal Mind (2000); and the two hour special Dogs That Changed The World (2007). In 2006, Kaufman won a George Foster Peabody Award for The Queen of Trees - a stunning high-definition portrait of the relationship between the tiny fig wasp and the giant fig tree. In 2008, Kaufman won a second Peabody Award for Silence of the Bees which looked at the global crises of the disappearing honeybees. In 2002, he created and executive produced an urban wildlife series for kids called Wild TV. And in 1994, he executive produced a series of wildlife specials featuring celebrities called In the Wild. Memorable shows from that series included, Dolphins with Robin Williams, In The Lions Den with Anthony Hopkins, Elephants with Goldie Hawn and Orangutans with Julia Roberts, which won a prestigious Genesis Award for best PBS documentary. To develop and fund programming, Kaufman has forged major international co-production partnerships with the BBC and National Geographic Television and he has collaborated with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. He has executive produced well over 200 documentaries and several mini-series for PBS. Under Kaufman's guidance, NATURE has won seven prime-time Emmys and over 400 industry awards. He serves on the advisory board of The Humane Society of the United States Hollywood Division and is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Writer's Guild of America.