Daniel Leonard

Daniel Leonard

Professor, Associate Dean
Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media Arts
Expertise: Technology; Editing; Film Production;
Office Location: Marion Knott Studios 318
Phone: (714) 997-6753
Education:
University of New Haven, Bachelor of Arts
Florida State University, Master of Fine Arts

Biography

Like many a young man who dreams of becoming a rock star, Dan Leonard found film a good outlet for his creative energies in tandem with his love of all things technical. A music and sound engineering student at the University of New Haven, the never-sit-still Leonard took every sound-related course and then started in on film courses when he encountered the teacher who would change his life. When that teacher moved on to Florida State, Leonard followed, first as a student and then as faculty supervisor of the post-production facility. Along the way, he worked on both student and feature films, moving up through the ranks from gaffer, boom operator, and transportation captain to first assistant director. Although young in years, Leonard is rich in experience, having worked on some 13 features, including the black comedy Rose's, which won a rave review in Variety. Most recently, he's been editing special feature material for DVDs produced by Lion's Gate/Artisan Entertainment. "I love the sense of community on film sets," says Leonard, "there's nothing better than having a whole bunch of creative people come together for a creative purpose." Not a bad way to live. It might even beat rock stardom.

Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications

University Film and Video Association Conference, Savannah GA Technological Challenges in Virtual Production
Getting Started with Virtual Production in the Classroom UFVA 2022 Fredonia NY
New York Times, Interviewed as expert for production policies and procedures New York Times Alec Baldwin Charges Spur Debate on Responsibility for Guns on Set
GTC 2021 higher education panel, Remote Learning, Changes in Media and Entertainment and Future Collaborative Workflows
Presenter Broadcast Education Association 2021, Los Vegas, Virtual Production Panel with Syracuse University, NYU, Ryerson University, LSU and Chapman University
Post Production Supervisor The Jimmy awards 2021 Hosted by Corbin Bleu, a 100 minute award show sponsored by the Broadway League, ABC, and Wells Fargo among others. This as a groundbreaking complex workflow involving remote production and post production involving 72 finalist Musical Theatre high school students. Event was livestreamed on Youtube.
Interviewed as Expert on Film Production New York Times Striving for Authenticity films often use real guns on set
Los Angeles Times Editorial: Does Hollywood need to use real guns to tell good stories? No, it doesn’t
USA TODAY Interview as expert on Production Will Halyna Hutchins' death on the set of 'Rust' be a 'breakthrough' moment for Hollywood safety?
NPR News and the program Weekend Edition in Washington, D.C. LINK https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1048790473 LINK https://www.wbur.org/npr/1048790473/what-proper-safety-protocols-on-film-sets-should-look-like-when-weapons-are-invo
Edited 50 Minute Documentary on Genetically Modified Organisms in our food called Communities Rising A story of Courage, Creativity and Contribution for Moms Across America
Guest Lectureon 4K workflow at University of Tampa
Guest Speakerat Solutionfest put on by Qlogic, on 4K and VR technology in Lake Forest, CA
Founder Institute for Creative Reality a technology incubator at Chapman University
Consultant - Cibola Systems, Consulted on the design of five audio mix and recording rooms for Thinkfactory Media
Consultant Creation of an online Media Company Hop Media
Won Bronze Telly Award for Health Matters. The Telly Awards honor the best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as video and film productions, and work created for the Web. https://chapmannews.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/panther-productions-receives-three-telly-awards/
Health Matters won an two awards of exellence.. The Communicator Awards is the leading international awards program recognizing big ideas in marketing and communications. The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and judged by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, an invitation-only group consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, communications, advertising, creative and marketing firms
Heathens and Thieves Screened nationally on Encore Networks, ewstn and esusp channels
Presentation on 4K worklflow at the CILECT International Post Production conference, at Columbia College in Chicago, IL
Founding Chief Technological Officer of Hop.Media a millennial based lifestyle web site recently acquired by Playboy
Edited 8 - 30 minute episodes of "Health Matters with Dr Larry Santora", Show won two 2014 Communicator awards, Category: Programs/News and Category: Programs/News - Talk Show/Interview:– Information:also won a bronze 2014 telly award for outstanding achievement.
Road Less Traveled, Feature Documentary screened at the Arclight Cinema in Hollywood, CA
Produced Brandman University Promo Video for Competency based video, Worldwide distribution on Brandman University's web site
Post Production Supervisor, Trigger, starring Scott Glenn produced by Chapman Filmed Entertainment
Edited 6 additional 30 minute shows of "Health Matters with Dr Larry Santora", This won a 2013 Communicator Silver Award of Distinction. Also edited the 10 minute submission reel for this juried competition.
Heathens and Thieves Achieved International distribution this year. Domestic Distribution by Phase 4 Netflix over 62,000 ratings with an average of 3.4 stars Distributed nationally in REDBOX Walmart purchased 20K dvd’s Available through, Amazon, best buy, Walmart Barnes and Noble VOD Release Cox, Comcast, and Insight, Time Warner, Verizon, Netflix, DirecTV, Brighthouse, Charter, Cinemanow, Dish, Xbox Live, You tube, Google Play, I tunes, Vudu International SchröderMedia, released film on DVD and BluRay in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in January 2013. Available in 2013 Brazil and Argentina, Australia, Yugoslavia, New Zealand, Turkey, Indonesia, Commonwealth of independent States (Soviet Union)
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film Western, Cannes Film Market,Cannes, FRANCE screened by Foreign Distributor Multivisionnaire
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western screened in competition Stony Brook International Film Festival New York, USA
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Audience Choice Award Sacramento Film & Music Festival, Sacramento CA
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Best Western Columbia Gorge International Film Festival, Washington, USA
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Special Jury Award and Best Actress for Gwendoline Yeo at Houston international Worldfest, Houston Texas
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Outstanding Dramatic Feature at the Sacramento International Film Fest, Sacramento CA
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Audience Favorite Award Downtown Film Festival, Los Angeles Ca.
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Best Narrative Feature Landlocked Film Festival Iowa City Iowa
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Best Actress for Gwendoline Yao Landlocked Film Festival Iowa City Iowa
Heathens and Thieves, Feature Film, Western, screened and won Best Narrative Feature Rome International Film Festival in Rome GA
Edited 8 additional 30 minute shows of "Health Matters with Dr Larry Santora", This won a 2011 Communicator Award and a a Bronze Award for outstanding achievement from the 31st Annual Telly Awards. Also edited the 10 minute submission for these juried competitions.

Faculty Directories by School or College