Resume/Professional Statement

 

• 20+ years experience editing everything from feature length documentaries to :05 cutdowns for mass transit video screens.

• Passionate storytelling skills. Can find a way to tell a compelling story even with no guidance and just a kernel of an idea.

• Expert technical and project problem solving skills. Love finding ways to streamline process and progress. “I don’t know how to do that” is not a credible response, especially in a post-production crisis.

• Can execute all stages of post-production from media hand-off to delivery. Can color grade, design and mix audio and compress to any specs for delivery.

• Have worked on all size projects remotely, way before the pandemic. Regularly have directors drop media off with instructions to screen, organize, log and “call me” when you have an assembly. And no outline provided.

• Committed, long standing professional who understands the value of creative input until it stops being productive. Always have a point of view and a direction forward, but clear about when to yield and move on. 

 

I’ve always loved my work. I’d say that films are truly created in the edit room, and the directors I’ve worked with might scratch their heads for a moment, but then smile and agree. The challenges of professional digital filmmaking are daunting and rigorous, but the creative freedom that comes with it is liberating.  Steven Soderbergh shot an entire feature using iPhones. “Searching for Sugar Man” director Malik Bendjelloul ran out of money and was forced to use his iPhone to finish shooting. And he won an Oscar. Nothing is more challenging than being told ,”It can’t be done.” Filmmakers are just magicians coming up with better ways to a pull rabbits out of their hats. And they’re usually generous sharing information about their tricks.

 

I’ve worked on long form theatrical and series docs for Nat Geo, The History Channel, Smithsonian Channel, National PBS, Discovery and with independent filmmakers for 20+ years. I’ve produced, directed and edited my own films, won lots of awards, screened in prominent film festivals and have led teams editing multi-episode doc series. I’ve cut every program format imaginable, and even made some up that don’t have names: Pre-trailer short. Corpudoc, :91 second Frankenmercial. I’ve created political ads for the entire state of Michigan’s state legislature and for Barack Obama. I’ve worked on fashion films that made absolutely no narrative sense and were viewed online 2 million times. I’ve sat at an airport Starbucks, cutting a TV spot, mixed and color graded it, created the deliverables and uploaded them for broadcast later that day. Now that’s magic.