BIO

Neal Bennett has worked in the film, television, and video production industry for over twenty-five years and continues to freelance for various production companies and create unique media solutions for his clients. He has struck a balance between teaching and staying active in the field, allowing him to share with his students the latest updates in technology, workflows, and industry trends.

Bennett began his career in the mid-90s as a television writer and producer for WPHL 17 in Philadelphia. During that time he also worked freelance as a camera operator for Comcast's News Makers with Lynn Doyle and Sports Talk with Bruce Beck. Within a year of graduating college, he secured a full-time position at Cablevision working as a producer and editor for community programming and sports.

After spending a few years at local cable stations, Bennett moved on to working in reality television traveling with the TLC crew as a locations coordinator/unit manager for Trading Spaces.

In 2003 Bennett took a break from being on the road, started his own production company, and began teaching digital filmmaking, animation, and editing at Communications High School in Wall Township, NJ, one of the career academy high schools in Monmouth County. His courses focused on studio television production, digital media, and 3D animation. Bennett's students received Telly Awards for their production of Local's Only which aired on FOX's Fuel Channel.

Bennett later founded Industry Media Arts, an after school and summer filmmaking academy focusing on developing college admission portfolios for high school-aged students. In 2015 Bennett sold Industry Media Arts and developed a partnership with the Rutgers Extension Division developing new filmmaking and certification programs for their Digital Filmmaking Academy.

Bennett is currently working for the Rutgers School of Communication and Information as an Instructor of Professional Practice in the Journalism and Media Studies department. He is also working with Rutgers Mason Gross School of Arts teaching online video editing.

Bennett has worked on various productions including ESPN’s World Series of Poker, MLB Network’s ALDS and Third Team documentary, various NHL Productions, NFL Films projects, YES Network’s Yankees on Deck, HBO’s Real Sports, Discovery’s Modern Marvels & Assignment Discovery, and WEtv’s Bridezillas to name a few. Neal was also a co-producer and editor of Dream Camp TV with Executive Producer Joe Patane (Real World on MTV) featuring the talent of Drew Carey (The Price is Right), James Cameron & Vince Pace (Avatar, Transformers), The Miz (WWE), Jeff Marx (Avenue Q), Erin Gruwell (The Freedom Writers Diary) and Pauley Perrette (NCIS).

Neal Bennett is currently teaching the following courses at Rutgers University:

Journalism & Media Studies Undergraduate Courses
Digital Media Production 04:567:212 (Fall & Spring)

Non-Linear Video Editing 04:567:478 (Fall & Spring)

Media Field Production 04:567:476 (Fall)

Non-Scripted Television 04:567:476 (Spring)

Journalism & Media Studies Workshops in Journalism

Non-Linear Editing 04:567:484 (Fall & Spring)

Specialty Camera Studio 04:567:485 (Fall & Spring)

Communication and Media Graduate Courses

Digital Media Production 17:194:507 (Fall & Spring)

Rutgers Online

Introduction to Video Editing 07:211:130