Member Profile: David Bensman

David Bensman is a member of the Madison (Wisconsin) Chapter of MCA-I.

What do you do? Give us a little description of your job.

Iʼm a video-editor by trade. My principal role is to tell stories. My preferred tool is Final Cut Pro. I work from my home-office, and also freelance around the Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago area. I occasionally take my office on the road for on-site edits.

What types of projects do you work on?

I started working in television about 9 years ago, editing 100+ episodes of broadcast TV shows, as well as commercials and promos. I’ve cut a few documentaries ranging from 1/2 hour to feature length, and also work a lot in the corporate field these day. I’m most interested in cutting spots, and would love to get more involved in the music industry.

Iʼve provided my services to companies such as Gatorade, Comcast, NBC-5 Chicago, Apple, Target, Wal-Mart, McDonalds, Gerber, Salvation Army, The Hallmark Channel, General Mills, Kraft Foods, The Big Ten Network, American Family Insurance, as well as hospitals, hotels and resorts, and various production companies.

How did your previous jobs prepare you for your current position?

My previous position as librarian/assistant at The Filmworkers Club in Chicago taught me responsibility, problem solving skills, client-maintenance, and how to meet/exceed expectations.

What do you like best about your job/career?

I love what I do, the highs and lows, the long hours and the days off. I love being able to be part of an industry comprised of such unique, passionate, people. I love delivering a finished product knowing what it took to get there, how to overcome the obstacles, meet the deadlines, and give my clients what they need. Itʼs also neat to see something Iʼve cut on TV, embedded on a companyʼs website, or on a DVD at the store.

What was the most rewarding project you've worked on and what made it so rewarding?

The most rewarding project Iʼve ever worked on was a series for Gatorade called “Inside Endurance.” I was hired to edit this weekly web-series about endurance athletes promoting G-Series Pro products. A string of 18-hour days was not unusual, nor was consecutive 90-hour work weeks. The schedule allowed between 24-36 hours to complete the initial rough cut before several rounds of revisions, legal, finishing, and deliverables, while simultaneously managing multiple episodes (including a Trailer, spots, and bonus content). For about 5 or 6 months I saw nothing but my office, occasionally working as late as 4am to meet deadlines. The schedule was very demanding. Six months later I came up for air and the series was complete, and quite successful. Delivering the final episode was the proudest moment of my career to date.

What was the most unusual or challenging project you ever worked on? How did you handle it?

The most challenging project I ever worked on was this year at Super Bowl. I packed up my office and traveled down to Indy with a Chicago production company to produce, shoot, and edit a series of videos on-site for Gatorade. Towards the end of the week, I was given roughly 24-hours to view 23-hours of footage, and assemble a 2 1/2 minute highlight reel, outlining the ʻhappeningsʼof the Gatorade Sports Science Institute at Super Bowl. I worked for 22-hours with a 2-hour break to nap, down to the wire, but we met our deadline. Without a shower or even a change of clothes, I screened the cut to the president of Gatorade, which was met with high praise.

What do you see as important skills/character traits for people starting out in this field?

For someone starting out in this field, I would emphasize that itʼs important to recognize the ʻserviceʼside of this industry. Your communication and people skills are equally as important as how talented you are. Take care of your clients and they will take care of you. Also, networking is more important than you might realize. Donʼt hesitate to reach out, introduce yourself, get known, make referrals.

What role does/has MCA-I played in your career? Why do you remain involved?

Iʼve enjoyed being a part of MCA-I. Iʼve not only been introduced to members of the film/video community in Madison, but being involved with MCA-I has actually increased my networking skills. Itʼs a great resource to earn clients, learn a little something, stay up to date with technology, and network with people who share the same passions as you.

Anything else you’d like to address about your livelihood/career?

I love to collaborate. I also love to talk business. I just moved to a new space, and my intentions are to ultimately grow my business into a boutique post-house, so feel free to reach out with an idea, proposal, project, or just to say ‘Hello!.’ Did I mention there’s a bar in my office ;)

If you'd like to be featured in Member Profile, or would like to nominate someone else, please contact Susan Reetz at 715-355-9159.