Editor Available + Tips on Personal Documentaries

First a little business news, then some tips! We’re currently working on four documentaries, and one will wrap in two weeks. Email me if you need an experienced editor soon!

Of the four, three films came to us at Assembly or Rough Cut stage, requiring 4-9 weeks of editing rather than our usual 10-week Accelerated Post schedule. I mention this because it’s one way for directors to save money.

And now…since some of the films are personal docs, I’m passing on two important tips for directors who bravely put themselves in front of the camera.

First, show your face as soon as possible. This is a bit of a challenge for one of our directors, since she’s naturally self-effacing (and didn’t shoot herself). We’ll solve this problem by leveraging photos and every scrap of video we can.

Second tip: bypass the usual Hollywood rule, which holds that the first person the viewer sees should be the film’s protagonist. While this “imprinting” works well to create a bond between the main character and audience, in personal docs it can back-fire, coming off as self-indulgent.

I learned this last tip from Basil Tsiokos, Documentary Programming Director for the Sundance Film Festival. Better to start a personal doc with footage that showcases the issue that the film explores. Follow with the title sequence; then start the filmmaker’s personal journey.

Email me if you are interested in talking with me and our talented editor!