Biography of mr. Gérard H.M.J. Bueters

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Mr. Gérard Bueters started 1979 his study of Sociology at the University of Nijmegen and in 1984 he received his degree in Mass-Communication and Cinematography at the University of Amsterdam. Before and during this study he worked already as an independent journalist/filmmaker. Therefore besides the methodology his focus during these studies was the communication among people, societies and organizations by different means and objectives.

In 1981 he founded the Video Press Association Amsterdam in which he and other young people produced video reports and documentaries on social, human and cultural issues. Till 1990 he was the chairman and coach of the foundation.

In 1983 he started the independent film- and television production company Multi World Pictures. In the period 1984- '86 he was the twinning-coordinator Amsterdam-Managua for the council of Amsterdam, for whom he coordinated the twinning, developed educational material together with schools, exhibitions, audiovisual productions and news output about the twinning.

After the twinning project he continued and extended his international work as an independent producer/director with film- en television projects all over the world. Besides his film work he wrote articles as a journalist for Dutch newspapers and several magazines and realized the photography. He worked often in co-production with NGO's like Unicef, Novib, Medicines sans Frontières, Pilots without Frontiers and international and local UN officials. He regularly writes columns and articles in professional magazines and for the website DierenNieuws.nl

During his studies at the university he already completed his first documentaries, ¨Semillas de una Nueva Sociedad¨ (1983) and ¨Exigimos Nuestra Libertad¨ (1983/84) in Nicaragua and the by civilian war disrupted Latin American country El Salvador.
The last 20 years he made special reports and documentaries as producer/director and TV-journalist for different Dutch broadcasting companies, on television and radio, e.g. NOS, IKON, KRO, NCRV, RVU, HOS a.o. in Soedan, Chad, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Burma, Thailand, South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Russia/Siberia, Ukraine, the former countries of Eastern Europe, a.o., as well as in Holland and other European countries. Various subjects, from war related issues, independence struggle, hunger and disabled people, street kids, peace processes to European issues like 'the price of illegal workers', 'black and white schools', youth theatre and other social, cultural and political events, such as elections. For instance ¨Diamonds of the future¨, about the anti-conscription campaign in South Africa 1988; ¨Namibia on the road to independence¨ 1988 just before the elections (NOS) and ¨Our Future, Our Desire¨ (UN/EC) about youngsters in Namibia.

Since 1989 he specialized more on longer documentaries such as ¨Abandona-dos¨, about street kids in Ecuador (2x40' IKON- TV); ¨Why do you leave¨, on an Algerian theatre maker (50' RVU); ¨Punk-against the grain 1976-1991¨ (50' NOS-TV); ¨A grandpa as hero¨, a youth documentary in Czechoslovakia; and a series of ten drawn columns for RVU-TV. He made a docu- series (6x) portraits about people with a certain passion, a series about 'Youth and believes' for KRO-television, a TV-series (6x28') about 'Working at sea' (RVU-TV), an educational series (8x25') (1996-'97) with the painter/artist Peter Klashorst and the documentary ¨Vogelvrij¨ (45') (1998, HOS), 'De Oranjeroute' (52'), about the historical roots of the Dutch Royal Family in Germany (EO 1999) and other TV-productions.

Besides some dedicated commercial films in de medical and technical sphere he wrote scenario's for the feature films ¨Silent Witnesses¨ and ¨Dead End¨ and has co-produced an international feature film called Plan B. For a drama series he wrote the scenario ¨Appearances are deceptive¨. In 1998 he wrote the manuscript for a book about his experiences as a director/producer in 1988 in Angola, Namibia and South Africa.

During the years he produced more than hundred film- and television productions, many times to be produced under quite difficult local conditions. Therefore the strength as a producer and manager of this process can be found in a creative way and never giving up to make ends meet. This work is normally been done in a team of 10-15 film- and tv- professionals who regularly work for the company Multi World Pictures.

On the educational level from 1989-1992 he was the tutor of the several courses 'How to make television' for students of the University of Utrecht, faculty of television journalism. For that course he wrote an extended reader. He stopped this commission after three years because of difficulties in combination with a lot of international traveling.

As his experience is also in the field of radio, he made for Dutch radio broadcasters more than 50 running commentaries, features and documentaries, all over the world. As a writing journalist and columnist he published in newspapers and magazines on a regular basis.

In 1996 Mr. Gérard Bueters is initiator of the organization of producers in Holland, called SKOP and the chairman of the organization. SKOP is one of the two main organizations in which producing companies for film- and television in Holland are organized. For SKOP Mr. Bueters is the spokesman and representative in various consultancy cases dealing with television media in Holland and the effects and relations with the European Market. In this responsibility he has regular contact with decision makers like politicians, officials and civil servants of the national government and representatives of other affiliated organizations. He is the editor in chief of SKOP-Info a periodical about issues in the branch. As a chairman he wrote a 'policy paper' about the future of independent production companies and short and long term suggestions for politicians and people involved.

Besides the activities mentioned during the years he was also secretary and member of foundations and organizations like 'Omroep for Radio Freedom' (South Africa); 'Foundation of Street kids'; delegate of Videma, group television;
Foundation 'Saia', artists, writers, a.o. concerned about Algeria; SFO a regular national chairman meeting, member of the board of The National Federation of Film interests, member of the National Council of Journalism and contributions to many other temporal commissions like for the Dutch Council of Culture and others.

Because of his international experience for years he has a knowledge of a broad variety of areas at a social, political, economic and cultural level. As an international film producer and director he learned to deal with improvisation on the spot, consider local feelings and complexes, besides keeping a clear view on the general issues, without neglecting the necessary details. Familiar with writing reports, articles and column's it's easy for him to realize reports and facts on complex issues in a clear and comprehensive way, besides managing a process of professional working people.

At media consultancy and training level he worked for projects in South Africa, Ukraine and the Ural and Vietnam. For the Dutch National Media Academy he is a main trainer in media knowledge and the ENG television production process. The same he developed for Forum, a post graduate course of the University of Utrecht. In 2002 he published the book:
Handboek voor televisiemakers, an introduction in the television making process.

With his company MEDIATEAM for training, coaching and communication he regularly takes care of the media trainings of organizations like WNF, Vereniging Eigen Huis, Stichting de Ombudsman Unilever, van Hulzen PR, CNV, Verenigde Betonmortel Bedrijven and others.

Together with two partners he initiated in 2001 the animal information website www.DierenNieuws.nl , which is now the main website on animal issues in the Netherlands and Belgium with already more than a million unique visitors annual.

Amsterdam, May 2002.

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