Karen Schmeer
Encyclopedia
Karen Schmeer was a film editor who frequently collaborated with filmmaker Errol Morris
.
, on February 20, 1970. She was the daughter of Michael Schmeer and Eleanor DuBois, as well as the granddaughter of photographer Ray Atkeson
. She graduated from Portland's Lincoln High School in 1988 and then attended Boston University
where she graduated in 1992 after studying anthropology.
, a 2004 portrait of Robert S. McNamara that was nominated for an Eddie award and Fast, Cheap and Out of Control
. She also edited Sergio, a 2009 film by Greg Barker
about Sergio Vieira de Mello
. Schmeer won the award for best documentary film editing at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
for Sergio. Other work included editing Sydney Pollack
's 2005 documentary, Sketches of Frank Gehry
.
as she was crossing Broadway at 90th Street. The car that struck her was the getaway car for the robbery of a nearby pharmacy.
Errol Morris
Errol Mark Morris is an American director. In 2003, The Guardian put him seventh in its list of the world's 40 best directors. Also in 2003, his film The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.-Early life and...
.
Early life
Schmeer was born in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, on February 20, 1970. She was the daughter of Michael Schmeer and Eleanor DuBois, as well as the granddaughter of photographer Ray Atkeson
Ray Atkeson
Ray Atkeson was a U.S. photographer best known for his landscape images, particularly of the American West....
. She graduated from Portland's Lincoln High School in 1988 and then attended Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
where she graduated in 1992 after studying anthropology.
Films
The year she graduated from college she was hired for an unpaid internship with Errol Morris. Schmeer edited a number of his films, including The Fog of WarThe Fog of War
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara is a 2003 American documentary film about the life and times of former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara as well as illustrating his observations of the nature of modern warfare...
, a 2004 portrait of Robert S. McNamara that was nominated for an Eddie award and Fast, Cheap and Out of Control
Fast, Cheap and Out of Control
Fast, Cheap and Out of Control is a 1997 film by documentary filmmaker Errol Morris. It profiles four subjects with extraordinary careers: a lion trainer, a topiary sculptor, a mole rat specialist, and a robot scientist....
. She also edited Sergio, a 2009 film by Greg Barker
Greg Barker
Greg Barker is director and producer of the documentary feature Sergio, which was shortlisted for a 2010 Academy Award. LA Times critic Kenneth Turan described Sergio as “a documentary of exceptional power,” and Variety said “Barker turns his biopic into a thriller...and creates riveting cinema.”A...
about Sergio Vieira de Mello
Sérgio Vieira de Mello
Sérgio Vieira de Mello was a Brazilian United Nations employee who worked for the UN for more than 34 years, earning respect and praise around the world for his efforts in the humanitarian and political programs of the UN...
. Schmeer won the award for best documentary film editing at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
for Sergio. Other work included editing Sydney Pollack
Sydney Pollack
Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
's 2005 documentary, Sketches of Frank Gehry
Sketches of Frank Gehry
Sketches of Frank Gehry is a 2005 American documentary film directed by Sydney Pollack and produced by Ultan Guilfoyle, about the life and work of the Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. The film was screened out of competition at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Pollack and Gehry had been...
.
Death
Karen Schmeer was killed on the evening of January 29, 2010, in a hit-and-runHit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
as she was crossing Broadway at 90th Street. The car that struck her was the getaway car for the robbery of a nearby pharmacy.