Sam Ornstein

Sam Ornstein – Biography Sam Ornstein – Writer | Film Editor Sam Ornstein is a veteran film editor and multidisciplinary storyteller whose creative journey bridges the worlds of cinema, theatre, and literature. Born and raised in New York City, Sam spent more than twenty-five years editing television commercials, industrial films, documentaries, music videos, trailers, and two feature-length movies before turning his full attention to writing. As a self-employed editor and owner of three post-production companies—Sam Ornstein & Company, Inc., Forum III Films, Inc., and The New York Film Experience, Inc.—he collaborated with leading brands and agencies, crafting memorable campaigns for Alcoa, Avis, Anheuser Busch, Burger King, IBM, Disney, Warner Bros., and many others. His editing credits include iconic trailers for films such as Flashdance, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Gallipoli, Conan the Barbarian, Cruising, and Amityville Horror II: The Possession. Among his proudest achievements is On Wings of Fire, a feature-length docudrama about the Parsis of Bombay, India, directed by Cyrus Bharucha and starring Zubin Mehta, Derek Jacobi, and Nigel Terry. The film—edited by Sam—chronicles 3,500 years of Zoroastrian history and remains a singular achievement in historical storytelling. Sam’s literary work reflects his deep fascination with time, memory, and human resilience. STOP, a full-length feature film produced by Paul Heller for Warner Brothers, directed by by Bill Gunn, and edited by Sam Ornstein, adding to his body of editing works. His catalog includes the 61,134-word novel Brooklyn Heights; Unmasked Faces and Hidden Places, a collection of fifty-three poems; and The Spaces Between the Words, a trio of short stories. He has completed the historical fiction novel, musical, play, and screenplay Peneeb Toe, the Egyptian—a body of work exploring regression to ancient Egypt. That story has drawn international attention, including a $1.4 million film-rights offer from a South Korean production company. Sam is also the creator of Scratching Posts, a vaudevillian-style collection of twenty-two one-act plays examining love, humor, and despair, now in development for an off-Broadway production. TRIAD, a science fiction thriller introducing three new super heroes protecting Earth from destruction. His current project, Jack & Jill, is a high-octane spy thriller in the spirit of Mission: Impossible and James Bond. Now residing in Woodstock, Georgia with his partner Joy Sevier, Sam continues to pursue new creative frontiers. After years of producing, editing, and writing independently, he is seeking literary and theatrical representation to bring his diverse body of work to a wider audience. Contact: 900 Paces Lane, Apt #203 Woodstock, GA 30189(678) 532-2888 samornstein@aol.com