Dave first started out in TV and video in 1980 in High School – where he was involved with one of the first cable access stations broadcasting in Connecticut. The facilities included a primitive studio, a camera and editing decks, and
there he created shows about the schools art museum, faculty photo exhibits, and even a cooking show.
Dave ended up getting a B.A. in Visual Media (Video & Photography) in 1986 from American University in D.C., – all the while working for a small 2-person production company, first as an intern and then as a the sole staff Production Assistant. There he worked in every aspect of production making training videos for refugees.
Next he took a job at Children’s Hospital National Medical Center in DC as a one-man video production department. A new president had just been hired and Dave pitched and built an $60,000 3/4” A/B roll edit system w/ effects – and over his year there did all sorts of videos with the kids, as well as training videos for the helicopter ambulance service MEDSTAR and other medical departments. The one part of the job – filming in the Operating Room, was not for him, so he decided to apply to Film schools.
He ended up attending Boston University from 1988 to 1990, which then had a small graduate 16mm film Master’s of Science program. The program was excellent in all aspects of film production – and especially strong in the technical areas. He also worked for the university’s in-house video department the entire time he was in film school.
Once he completed his degree he started a small production company with two friends that produced three music videos, one commercial, as well as some other corporate projects in the year they were in business in Boston.
Then economy got tight – and to make extra money Dave started teaching part time at the local 2 Year colleges, and landed a consulting job at AVID Technology – which was then a small computer editing company. At the time Avid was developing version 5.0 of their flagship Media Composer editing system, which allowed for layered effects and a finally the capability of broadcast quality resolutions out of a computer. Dave was fortunate to work on this innovative product as it developed, and has been AVID editing ever since.
Shortly thereafter, he moved to Washington D.C. and worked for a small post-production company SoundWave Post through the mid 90's. There he was one of the first Avid editors to create a series for television entirely on the Avid platform. For two seasons Dave edited a new program from the creators of America's Most Wanted, "Manhunter", which was internationally syndicated.
In 1996 Dave decided to go freelance and has never regretted it. His career has led him to a wide range of projects, and he has been able to use the latest digital video technology and high-end Avid and Final Cut Pro editing systems adopted by the major players in the D.C. market. He also has a home studio with a DV video editing system based on both Avid Express PRO and Final Cut Pro 5 HD, which he has used to created many projects including a Baltimore County 9-1-1 recruitment video.
“Then”, Dave explains, “a few days before Jan. 1st, 2000, I suddenly lost my Father to a heart attack. He had taught Philosophy at the same small liberal arts college for over 40 years. Hundreds of his former students turned out on New Years Eve -Y2K day – and I met every one of them. It was at that moment I decided I could make a bigger and more positive impact on the world as a teacher than a TV video editor.”
In 2001 Dave was accepted to the University of Baltimore's Doctor of Communications Design program, where he extended his technical skills to include web, multimedia design, and distance learning. His doctoral research and thesis explored the learning potential and effectiveness of video-based computer environments.
While in graduate school, he started teaching video production as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Documentary Center, and at American University’s School of Communication, Visual Media Department. Dave has also created and conducted customized Avid Training, Digital Workflow and Media Asset Management seminars for clients including the National Geographic Channel and NBC-4 WRC-TV.
From September 2004 to May 2005 Dave was hired as a full-time one-year appointment at American University as an Assistant Professor of Film & Media Arts at the School of Communications. Teaching the very courses he took twenty years prior when he was an undergraduate student at AU was according to Dave, “one of the best experiences and most valuable experiences I’ve ever had.”
Then in August of 2005,after completing his Doctorate from University of Baltimore, Dr. Reiss joined the faculty at Towson University's Electronic Media & Film department, where he teaches intro and advanced video and television production courses. During his time here Dave has been involved with the EMF digital video camera upgrade, move to Final Cut Pro for editing, as well as re-designing the film and video curriculum.
Dave also teaches an advanced non-profit corporate video production class – some of the projects produced his student teams include:
- Parks & People
- San Mar Children’s Home
- Recycled Love - Animal Rescue
- Movable Feast
- Mosaic Community Services
- Downtown Sailing Center
- Baltimore Curriculum Project
- SECDC: Southeast Community Development Corporation
- Baltimore Tech Prep
- College Bound
- CivicWorks
Dave is also the faculty advisor to Towson Universty’s student run television station, WMJF-TV Channel 16.
One of his latest projects he produced, directed and edited is a Recruitment Video for Baltimore County 9-1-1 Center, as well as a 30 second PSA that is currently airing on Baltimore television stations.
Check out his website which includes video samples of these projects as well as many others at www.davidreiss.com.
Also if you'd like to contact Dave, email him at dr@davidreiss.com or call 301-806-AVID.
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