Dr. Dave Reiss is an Award-Winning Filmmaker, Avid & Final Cut Pro Video Editor, and an Associate Professor of Digital Media Production and Design at Towson University.

His latest documentary film is Swirl for a Girl, about an extraordinary 7-year old girl at the Maryland School for the Blind who achieved what her doctors deemed impossible, and the foundation her parents started in her memory, The Carman Lay Foundation.

Dave started working in video back in the early 80's, then went on to film school in the late 80's. In the early 90's he happened to get a consulting job at what was then a small computer video editing company, Avid Technology. At the time Avid was introducing version 5.0 of their Media Composer editing system that allowed for layered effects and the FIRST broadcast quality resolutions.

In 1993, he moved back to Washington D.C. after earning a Master's degree in Film Production at Boston University, and worked for a small post production company through the mid 90's. Dave was one of the first Avid editors to create a series for television entirely on Avid software and hardware. For two seasons he edited a new hour-long series from the creators of America's Most Wanted, "Manhunter", which was internationally syndicated.

In 1996 started his freelance business as both a Producer and Video Editor, which led him to a wide range of projects from commercials to long form documentaries for Poltical Consulting firms, National Geographic, Discovery, the Newseum, NBC-4, MCI, Macneil/Lehrer Productions and Maryland Pubic Television.

In 2001-2005 he attended the University of Baltimore's Doctor of Communications Design (D.C.D.) program, where he extended his media creation skills to include web design, multimedia design, and distance learning. His doctoral thesis explores the learning potential and effectiveness of video-based computer environments.

His previous teaching experience includes video production as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University Documentary Center, and a year as a visiting Assistant Professor of Film and Video production at the American University School of Communication.

Dr. Reiss has also taught customized Avid Training, Digital Workflow and Media Management seminars for clients including the Newseum, National Geographic Channel, and NBC-4.

In August of 2005 he joined the faculty at Towson University's Electronic Media & Film department, where he teaches HD video production in Narrative, Documentary and Community Outreach courses. He is also the EMF Department Internship Coordinator and General Manager of the Student-run Television Station WMJF-TV.

BLOG at: http://davidreiss.com/blog.html

(c) Copyright 2012, David Reiss.