Dan Hertzog graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in May 1991 with a BA in Cinema-Television Production. From there, he rapidly worked his way up from a production assistant in LA to an ad agency producer in New York City. He moved back to Los Angeles in January 1996 only to find himself crisscrossing the country countless times to freelance at a handful of ad agencies, including FCB, Bates USA, Grey, and Ogilvy.
Then, after more than ten years in the ad industry, Dan returned to the world-renowned AFI Conservatory to immerse himself in the study of more narrative, visual storytelling. He went on to receive his MFA in Cinematography from the American Film Institute in December 2004. His AFI thesis film, THE PASSAGE OF MRS. CALABASH, was later honored for Artistic Achievement in Cinematography at the 2006 Emerging Cinematographer Awards.
After graduating, Dan continued to occasionally freelance as a senior and then executive producer at Ogilvy & Mather in LA. His many years of hands-on experience in both production and post-production eventually led to stints consulting for ad agencies interested in building out their in-house production capabilities; shooting tv commercials and web content for dozens of brands along the way.
Passionate about visual storytelling, he continued to seek out opportunities to further his ventures in more narrative work. In 2014, Dan traveled to Indonesia to lens the dramatic short EARTHBOUND for writer/director Robin Shou. He was recognized again by the International Cinematographers Guild for his work on that collaboration at the 2016 Emerging Cinematographer Awards.
Some of his more recent work includes the award-winning It's On Us "Illogcial" PSA campaign, the music video for Peche's "Fool", the 1950s family drama LIFE IN KODACHROME, and the holiday romance 12 DAYS OF GIVING.
CAMGIRL
RIDE SHARE
THE WOODS
LUMPIA: WITH A VENGEANCE
EMERSON HEIGHTS
THE LANDLADY (short)
PIÑATA MAN (short)
12 DAYS OF GIVING
THE LAST TIME (short)
LIFE IN KODACHROME (pilot)
PAINTING WITH BULLETS (short)
EARTHBOUND (short)
Winner, International Gold Award, Special Jury Award – International Film Competition Festival
SHAYNA'S PLACE (pilot)
THE SETTLING (short)
BLACK TIGER: HUNTER HUNTED (short)
TORONTO (short)
SUGAR (short)
ROADSIDE
NICO'S SAMPAGUITA (short)
GOOD GIRL (short)
IMPLANTED (short)
DISPOSABLE (short)
THE PASSAGE OF MRS. CALABASH (short)
JILL (short)
TERRITORIO (short)
David Kotkin
Christine Conradt
Nicholas Danko
Patricio Ginelsa
Jennifer Hook
Scotty Weil
Clayton Root
Christine Conradt
Guido Orio
Dan Hertzog
Karl Ford
Robin Shou
Tara Miele
Eric England
Patricio Ginelsa
Matt Costa
Jasmine Johnson
Eric England
Aaron Woolfolk
Joy Gohring
Raphael Gorboua
Anthony Buncio
Scott Tuft
Xavier Janghoon Lee
James Gray
Glenn Cutler, David Kotkin / Cutkin Films
David Boyles, Doug Shaffer / Hollyware
Nicholas Danko, Bets Danko / On Beat Productions
Patricio Ginelsa, AJ Calomay / Kid Heroes Productions
Wendi Green, Dan Golden / Jeenyus Entertainment
Scotty Weil, Jeff LeBeau / Carpe Fin de Semana Pictures
Clayton Root / Phoenix Filmz
Boris Isaac, Chris Goodman / Expression Entertainment
Dan Duarte / South Baywatch
Dan Hertzog, Todd Kniss / In the Wee hours
Ashley Harsen, Karl Ford / Karl Ford Productions
Andry Gana, Robin Shou / Earthbound Films
Arthur Gradstein, Shayna Rose / Stolen Duck Productions
Mark Baird, Brad Douglas / Barbed Wire Films
John Hervey II, Priscilla Hervey, Lisa Chong, Lawrence Iriarte / Kid Heroes Productions
Brad Davis, Kan Dong / Costa/Davis Productions
Whitney Fuller, Jasmine Johnson / Whitful Productions
Eric England, Ace Marrero, Daniel Dunn / Southern Fried Films
Peter Quartaroli, Lewis Campbell, Esperanza Catubig, Lisa Chong / Sacred Fire Film Productions
Joy Gohring / Gohring Productions
Raphael Gorboua / New York Film Academy
Roger Chong, Anthony Buncio / The Art Institute of California
Carl Hampe / American Film Institute
Xavier Janghoon Lee / Chapman University
James Gray / University of Southern California
Hope Pyx Global, Calix ConneXions, Lowe's, Sugarfina CandyGram, It's On Us, JAKKS Pacific Groot, Lee Jeans, Brilliant Earth, WD My Passport, WD My Book, Splendid, MVSC Vitu, Thermador, Island Hotel Newport Beach, Goodshop, Wilson Pro Staff RF97, Euro-Pro Shark Steam & Spray, Mendeleev Vodka, Poses Family Foundation, Riviana Foods Minute Rice, Brother Business Smart Series, Transamerica Life Insurance, Armor All Extreme Shield, Cisco umi, OrthoSynetics, Sony PSP, United Healthcare
Shayna, Peche, Two Friends, Alicia Blue, The Moonbeams, Abi Ann, Courtney Ariel, Otis
American Film Institute MFA in Cinematography
University of Southern California BA in Cinema-Television Production