Daniel Heffner

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Daniel Jason Heffner attended Ithaca College School of Communications and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications in 1978. Upon graduating, he worked as a Stage Manager and Production Assistant on the Academy Award winning film Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), and then as a Research Assistant to Miloš Forman on Ragtime (1981).

In January 1980, Heffner moved to Los Angeles and became a member of the Directors Guild of America as a Second Assistant Director. He has worked in this capacity on such films as Personal Best (1982), the Academy Award winning An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip, and the critically acclaimed The Big Chill (1983). In 1982, he went to work for Columbia Pictures, working on various projects as a Production Manager and a First Assistant Director.

His Executive career began in August 1985, when he was selected to be the first Production Executive for the newly restructured film division of the Walt Disney Studios. In this capacity, he was instrumental in the rebuilding of the studios feature production division, serving on the studios New Technologies and Facilities Expansion committees. As a Production Executive, he oversaw the production of the following projects:

During his tenure at Disney, Heffner was called upon to Line Produce Cocktail (1988), directed by Roger Donaldson starring Tom Cruise, Elisabeth Shue and Brian Brown, filmed on location in New York City, Jamaica, and Toronto. As well as The Good Mother (1988), directed by Leonard Nimoy starring Diane Keaton and Liam Neeson, filmed on location in Toronto and Boston, he also served as the 1st Assistant Director on this film.

In 1988, promoted to Vice President of Production, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, a division of The Walt Disney Company, Heffner was charged with the creation and operation of the Buena Vista Pictures Production Division. Including both production and finance personnel, this division started with 5 employees in 1988 and grew to over 35 employees by the end of 1991. During this period he was responsible for the production of over 25 pictures, including the highly successful Ernest series as well as:

In November 1991, Heffner left The Walt Disney Company in order to pursue a career as an independent producer. Since then, he has served as:

  • Co-Executive Producer and Production Manager of Holy Matrimony directed by Leonard Nimoy, starring Patricia Arquette, filmed on location in Great Falls, Montana
  • First Assistant Director on The Baby Blues
  • First Assistant Director and Second Unit Director on Heron International Pictures production Seventh Veil
  • Co-Producer and First Assistant Director on Fred Dryer's Highway 395
  • First Assistant Director on Face The Music
  • First Assistant Director on Candlelight Pictures Winter Break, filmed on location in Aspen, Colorado
  • First Assistant Director on ACI/American Cinema International Killer Buzz filmed entirely in Brazil
  • Co-Producer on Walt Disney Pictures George Of The Jungle 2, filmed in Queensland, Australia
  • Co-Producer and First Assistant Director on Twisted Pictures/Lions Gate Films Saw
  • Producer for Fox Television Studios MOW/Pilot Anonymous Rex for the Sci Fi Channel

Line Producer on Checking Out for Full Circle Productions, LP

  • Co-Producer on Twisted Pictures/Lions Gate Films Saw II
  • Executive Producer on both Saw III and Saw IV for Twisted Pictures/Lions Gate Films
  • Co-Producer for Summit Entertainment/P2 Production's P2

Currently, Heffner is serving as Executive Producer on Saw V and as Producer on Repo! The Genetic Opera!, both for Twisted Pictures/Lions Gate Films. Both films are to be released in 2008.