Ithaca College

Professional in Residence: October 7 - 12   Open Q&A Session Park Auditorium Friday, 10/11 11am – 11:50am  

Dan Heffner attended Ithaca College School of Communications and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications in 1978. Upon graduating, Mr. Heffner worked as a Stage Manager and Production Assistant on the Academy Award winning film "Kramer vs. Kramer”, and then as a Research Assistant to Milos Forman on "Ragtime".

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

Mr. Heffner's Executive career began in August of 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, Mr. Heffner oversaw the production of the following projects:

"The Color of Money", directed by Martin Scorcese starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise, filmed on location in Chicago; "Tough Guys", which was the final collaboration of Kirk Douglas and the late Burt Lancaster; "Adventures in Babysitting", the directorial debut of Chris Columbus, starring Elizabeth Shue, filmed on location in Toronto and Chicago; "Three Men and a Baby", directed by Leonard Nimoy starring Tom Selleck, Ted Danson and Steve Guttenberg, filmed on location in Toronto and New York City.

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

Since then he has served as Co-Producer on Walt Disney Pictures “George Of The Jungle 2”, filmed in Queensland, Australia; Co-Producer and First Assistant Director on Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate Films “Saw”; Co-Producer on Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate “Saw II”; Executive Producer on Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate “Saw III”; Co-Producer on “P2” for Summit Entertainment; Executive Producer on Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate “Saw IV”; Producer on Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate “REPO! The Genetic Opera”; Executive Producer on Twisted Pictures/Lionsgate “Saw V”, “Saw VI” and “Saw 3D”, and Executive Producer on “Make Your Move”, “Knights of Badassdom”, “The Pin”, “Grace Unplugged” and “Jigsaw”.

Mr. Heffner is currently serving as Executive Producer on “The Organ Donor” (working title) and is in development for Serendipity Productions, Inc. as Producer on “The Prince Test”, “The Lie” and with Warner Bros Television on “The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats”.