Northern Virginia DistrictThe Northern Virginia District is the newest region of the state to hold official district designation, however it's quickly become a strong outpost for VPA members. Northern Virginia is often considered to be part of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, but it has a long and rich history in the production of film, television, news, cable series, and educational videos in its own right. Anyone filming in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) will find that Northern Virginia is well-supplied with crew, production companies, studios, equipment suppliers, and talent and casting companies. The proximity of Discovery Communications (The Discovery and Learning Channels), PBS and the National Geographic Television has helped to elevate the local production industry. Located in Fairfax, George Mason University is home to an exceptional film & video studies program with many filmmakers and production professionals that contribute to the region’s creative community. | DISTRICT CHAIRLARS SANDVIKLars is President and co-owner of ThunderShot Studios. Starting out in the industry on national automotive advertising projects, Lars learned the value of working for different types of directors and experimented with a broad range of visual techniques. He is now a multiple Emmy Award-winning cinematographer and his expertise as a director of photography, lighting designer and jib operator keep him in demand with producers from HBO, Discovery Communications, Bravo, PBS, and the History Channel. Lars is a founding member of the Northern Virginia District where he serves as Chair and has served on the VPA's Executive Board of Trustees since 2017. |