Craft Editor for Hire!
As a single shooter filmmaker, I spend the majority of my time in the process of editing. Cutting media into parts and arranging them to tell a story.
Editing is a craft insofar as it relates to the manipulation of a tool and a raw material to reach an end outcome. Editing as a function is process driven and linear, everyone is doing it, I can do it on my phone, there’s an app for that, a filter, a lut… Why would I even need to think about having someone edit for me…
Whilst I use professional editing software, my REAL job is storytelling: developing the most appropriate narrative from the material available, controlling delivery and pace. Just as some people are good at telling jokes or scary stories, storytelling through video is the intangible but critical ‘secret sauce’ part of editing. It is that which ultimately causes our audience to engage and respond to our films.
Just as a painting is only paint and canvas, when given the same footage, each editor will create a different film: different pace, sequencing and colour grading; different narrative arc, reveal, closing… each project requires a different approach and many paths are possible from the same source material.
I will be delighted to discuss
- Re-editing existing footage for you
- Collating a documentary / timeline from multiple sources
- Use existing and add newly shot footage
- Making a multicam from several shots of the same event
There are many applications for this skillset in media manipulation; please talk to me.
About the Video:
Client: Craft NI / Ulster University
Making it is an entrepreneurship initiative sponsored by Invest NI, the Arts Council and Ulster University, and executed through Sectoral Body CraftNI.
The programme ran from 2005 until 2017 and the client invited me to undertake a review to reflect on the 10+years of the programme, it’s reasons for creation, the experience of participants and to highlight its successes and relevance to N Ireland commerce.
It was considered that there was valuable promotional value in creating a short films on each of the 6 final programme participants as well as a review piece.
For the review film, the narrative has a foundation structure
- ‘why’ the programme came into being,
- ‘what’ it aimed to achieve
- It highlights the input from each of the stake holders
- practical benefit received by current participant
- benefits of strategic business help
- alumni participants highlight export outcomes
- Changing markets and competition
- Measuring success
- Review and looking forward
Multicam Editing
If you have the same moment shot from several cameras, I can combine those into a multi-cam where the clips are synchronised. As producer I “cut to camera 1, slow fade to camera 2” etc. Your phone videos can become camera positions in a professionally edited short film.
e.g. You are in a band or in a play: ask the audience to film a performance. Send me those clips and I will create a multicam edit of that performance. If you can get a cam or two on stage so much the better, audio from the desk really helps…
Possible uses:
- Your band’s performances
- Plays and theatre events
- First dance at wedding
- Your social event
- Speeches, Interviews
- News events
About the video:
Communion. Trinity Irish Dance Company
Built from two main performances: Professional footage from Orchard Hall Tokyo and Sapporo, plus multi-cam GoPro and other camera footage from 9 shows on the tour.
Each of the hundreds of edits was individually retimed every 8 or 4 bars to conform to the master track.
- Choreography: Mark Howard
- Body Percussion: Sandy Silva
- Hardanger Fiddle: Cleek Schrey
Maker: Wendy Ward
Maker: Malcolm Murchison