Sam Ruesink
Post Production
I'm very experienced working in Post Production and editorial. I've cut 2 feature films, (one which received streaming distribution after playing 15 festivals and another that is still in-progress), I've cut many shorts, and I also worked as an assistant editor and later as the Post Production Manager on long-running CNBC Docuseires American Greed at Kurtis Productions. There, I oversaw 36 new episodes of the show, as well as 18 re-packagings and various other specials and projects while coordinating between producers, editors, and network employees/clients-- on up to 12 simultaneous episodes at a time..
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Through my professional experience as a Post Production Manager, I am well-versed in deliverables management, archival digitization and restoration, rights and clearances, and QC & conform editing/master delivery. I am great at organizing very large amounts of footage and managing metadata and workflows. I can set up and maintain networked storage servers and LTO/LTFS archival tape archives and catalogs.
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I am very well-versed in media management, creating motion graphics, VFX, sound design, and general editorial workflows. I know Adobe CC inside-and-out, and am always trying out new ways to better optimize and organize post projects. I first began using After Effects and Premiere at age 11, when I started interning at a local community access TV channel in my hometown, filming and editing local events such as concerts, parades, and sporting events. As of 2025, I have nearly 15 years of experience editing across many different positions. I also have experience working in Avid Media Composer, Resolve, Blender, Sony Vegas, and other programs as well (although admittedly Adobe is still where my comfort zone is).
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Whatever the project, I have the experience and technical know-how to problem-solve and get it done... Even when it requires the much-dreaded "fix-it-in-post."
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In an edit bay at Kurtis Productions Offices, 2022, working on American Greed.
My first feature documentary as a Producer/Editor, Minnesota Tiger Man
Relevant Select Post Production Experience:
(Many more credits are listed on StaffMeUp)
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Post Production Manager & Technical Manager 2020-Present
(Started as Assitant Editor, & before that I was an Intern)
American Greed on CNBC (Cable TV Docuseries)
-Season 14 & 15, 36 New Episodes - Post Prod. Manager (2020-2023, show is currently on hiatus)
American Greed: Bonus Edition (Spinoff/Repackaging) - Post Prod. Manager/Editor
Better Caul Saul Season 6 Promo- "American Greed James McGill". Web Special- Post Prod. Manager & Travel PA
American Greed: Biggest Cons. (Spinoff Special) , 2 Episodes - Assistant Editor
As of early 2023, I have managed post-production and technical support for 36 new episodes of "American Greed" to CNBC, among other various side projects.
-Created new version of company website www.kurtis.com.
-Responsible for coordinating various operations tasks for "American Greed." Includes footage ingest, managing archival media and stock, creating deliverables, preparing/sending out and receiving equipment for location shoots across the country, preparing projects for edit, cutting web content, and working with producers and editors to online and deliver finished shows to network.
-Also responsible for company IT, managing and maintaining all gear, software, and equipment.
-Often functioned as an editor, creating string outs before the actual show editors' scheduled start dates, and also often addressed producer and network edit notes during finishing, after editors had moved on to other projects.
-Occasionally created original motion graphics to assist editors when they were weighed down with other tasks.
-Digitized and backed up over 35TB of old Betacam SP, HDCam, and 3/4" tape masters so that the originals could be recycled, freeing up a huge amount of office space.
-Worked on numerous side projects for Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra, and for local organizations such as the Millenium Park Foundation and The Field Museum.
-Engineered several of Bill Kurtis' VO sessions for A&E's "Cold Case Files" 2021 reboot.
-Post Production Manager and travel PA on "American Greed: Saul Goodman" mini web episode created for AMC in 2022.
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Editor & Motion Graphics
Crossing the Divide (Work-in-Progress Feature Documentary) 2022-Present
Previous Working Title of Troublesome
Proof of Concept Short Film Version viewable Here
-Narrated by Bill Kurtis
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Producer , Editor, & Motion Graphics
Minnesota Tiger Man (Feature Documentary, Distributed by Questar) 2019-2022
Website w/ streaming options here
-Winner of multiple awards. Screened at 15 Film Festivals and was picked up for Streaming Distribution by Questar in 2023.
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Editor
American Greed, Bonus Edition (Cable TV Docuseries) 2021-2022
-Repackaged 18 previously-completed episodes of American Greed, updating show graphics and music/sound, bump ins/outs, show open, etc. as well as adding in pop-up text bubbles throughout with added information and updates to cases.
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Editor & Motion Graphics (Also DP & Location Sound)
Wisconsin Skydiving Center - Why Buy a Video? Sizzle (Corporate/Commercial) 2024
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Editor, Recording Engineer & Producer
Illinois State Police Podcast Hosted by ISP Director Brendan Kelly & Bill Kurtis (Podcast) 2024-2025
(Work-in-Progress, Ongoing)
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Assistant Editor
(Also did production sound)
Illinois State Police Docuseries (Title TBD) 2024
(Work-in-Progress)
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Editor & Motion Graphics (Also DP & Location Sound)
Wisconsin Skydiving Center - Commonly-Asked Safety Questions (Corporate/Commercial) 2024
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VFX Artist, Assistant Editor Late 2024-Early 2025
(Also did production sound)
Going the Distatance (Short Film)
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VFX Artist
(Also did production sound)
Realize by Viti (Music Video) 2024
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Motion Graphics
2008 (Short Film) 2024
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Editor, Recording Engineer & Producer
Starstruck by Michael Kutza (Founder of Chicago Int. Film Festival) (Audiobook) 2023
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Editor (Also DP & Location Sound)
Illinois Holocaust Museum
I'll Have What She's Having Jewish Restaurant Panel Discussion
Hosted by WGN's Bob Sirott (Nonprofit/Commercial) 2023
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Assistant Editor
Northwestern Medical School Institute of Global Health 2023 Recap Video (Nonprofit/Commercial) 2023
-Sorted through 30+ Terrabytes of footage shot for previous years' videos dating 2008-2023, consolidating old project files and creating master Premiere "production" with sorted bins and searchable metadata and proxies for Editor to use on 2023 video, as well as future projects for Client.
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Editor & Motion Graphics
Field Museum 2022 "Because Earth Campaign Sizzle) (Corporate/Commercial) 2022
-Re-edited sizzle created previously for the Chicago Field Museum to include updated imagery and new graphics, for their 2022 Donor Gala.
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Editor
Bill Kurtis "We Interrupt This Broadcast" Pre-taped Speech (Corporate/Commercial) 2021-2022
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Editor
Bill Kurtis "Midewin Prarie Restoration" Pre-taped Speech (Corporate/Commercial) 2021-2022
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Segment Editor, Intern
WGN 9 Chicago/Tribune Media
Man of the People With Pat Tomasulo (TV Late Night Comedy Talk Show) 2019
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Editor
Kith (Short Film) 2018
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Editor
Unsentimental (Short Film) 2018
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Editor
Mr. Christmas (Short Film) 2018
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Editor
The Shoes (Short Film) 2017
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Editor
Hall Monitors (Short Film) 2017
-Winner of Lake Country Film Festival "Best Short Film"
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Editor
Guy Vs Wild (Short Film) 2016
-Winner of Lake Country Film Festival "Best Scene"
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Editor, Camera Operator
Watertown Cable 13 (TV/Broadcast) 2011-2017
-Filmed/edited various community events such as concerts, parades, city council meetings, as well as mulitcam setup shows taped in-studio.
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In-House Editor
Wisconsin Skydiving Center Tandem Video/Stills Packages (Corporate/Commercial) 2015-2021
-Edited over 3,000+ customer tandem video & still packages. Completed in-house same day, within an hour after jump is completed.
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