Since 1998 the folks at Calamari Productions have been creating, producing and directing worldwide programming in many genres and across all media. What began as a small office in a spare bedroom has now grown into a multifaceted television and new media production company. Calamari Productions is headquartered in Indianapolis and now has satellite offices in New York City and Austin, Texas.
Karen Grau
Calamari Productions President and Executive Producer Karen Grau brings over 20 years of broadcast experience to all Calamari projects. Karen directs and manages the creative vision that has put the company on the cutting edge of news, documentary and series programming. Karen founded Calamari Productions in 1995. Today, she continues to take a hands-on approach to all Calamari programming, from show conception to development to executive producing to final production.
Karen began her broadcast career in radio news and quickly moved into television. Karen created, produced and hosted syndicated PBS talk shows that gained national attention and awards. Karen’s professional career also includes three years as Deputy Legislative Director to Indiana Governor (now U.S. Senator) Evan Bayh. Her responsibilities included preparing and managing all legislation proposed by the Governor. Her work included analyzing the content and fiscal impact of legislation drafted by over 40 state agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor’s office. Karen prepared legislative briefings for statewide and national speeches and assisted in writing three, State of the State addresses.
In 1998, Karen made history by becoming the first television director/producer to gain state Supreme Court access allowing cameras inside child welfare juvenile courts, venues that are—by law—closed to the media and the public. Since that time, numerous states have opened their juvenile courtrooms to Karen and the Calamari team. Calamari has turned that trust and precious access into unprecedented, award-winning documentary and series production that continues today…programs for networks such as NBC, MSNBC, A&E, MTV, Court TV, Dateline NBC, PBS and more.
After more than a decade of ratings success and critical acclaim, Calamari Productions continues to create, produce and direct worldwide programming in all genres across all mediums.
Chip Warren
Chip Warren began working with Calamari Productions in 2006 as a development partner, helping to shape educational media based from Calamari’s vast video library. He formally joined the company in 2008 as the Vice President of Production and Educational Development.
Chip now takes part in Calamari’s documentary productions as a producer and he heads up the development of Calamari Educational Media, a role that draws on his work in new media development and traditional video production. Chip worked for two years as the lead developer of educational media, creating supplemental video content for educational publisher Pearson/Prentice Hall, as well as for several projects at a digital media institute at Ball State University. One of his video series garnered both a ragional Emmy nomination as well as a nod from the Webbies.
Formal educated as an classical archaeologist at the University of Arizona, his professional path has meandered through the music business, IT Consulting with New York City's social services agency, winery management as well as a continuous thread of freelance writing.
His position at Calamari draws on his experiences in these many different fields and his willingness to pursue challenges that force him outside of his comfort zone.