Nico Frank - Editor
Editor
Experience 7+ years
“It’s important to remember that the Director, Producer and other creatives have been developing the story, characters, and creative vision for weeks, months, or even years before you begin. My advice is to be open to their ideas, listen carefully, and approach the process with patience and kindness. It’s the best way to earn the trust and respect of your team and set the tone for the collaboration.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I am a documentary editor with experience across various project types including commercials, branded films, indie shorts, TV shows and feature films. I am particularly passionate about character-driven stories that are lighthearted and emotional, combining both humor and sincerity. I love collaborating with filmmakers, agencies and brands who are excited about their vision and give me the freedom to fully commit to bringing it to life!
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
When an edit comes in, my first step is to work with the client or director to make sure the hard drive and project are properly organized before any actual editing happens. This can involve having an Assistant Editor (AE) handle the ingestion and set up or, if the project is already organized and synced, I might spend a day familiarizing myself with it. Regardless, it’s important for me to have any technical elements sorted out before I jump into the creative. Depending on where I am at in the process, I either continue where I left off or, if there are notes, hop on a call with the Director or Producer.
For documentaries especially, I spend a lot of time alone with the footage, keeping lists of potential scenes, themes and motifs. I use a Miro board to mix and match scenes and lines, creating a theoretical structure for the first cut, which I then present to the Director. If everyone agrees that it aligns with the overall vision, I use this as a roadmap to start building scenes. I prefer to edit the first rough cut on my own so we have a solid foundation for discussions as we hone in on the story. Presenting the full film to the Director or Producer for the first time always makes me both excited and nervous!
How did your career in post production begin?
A Director friend was starting a documentary series about creatives working on projects outside of their comfort zone. When he heard I was interested in directing a music video, he asked to feature me in the series. At the time, I was working full-time as a Graphic Designer in Brooklyn. Although I hadn’t been super exposed to film or video in Art School, I had always been interested in exploring different mediums.
What has been your career highlight?
Traveling to London with my husband to edit on site was truly magical! It was also our wedding anniversary ;)
Who are your role models in post?
About a year into my career, I went to a panel at DOC NYC where editor Erin Casper (Fire of Love) said something along the lines of interviews often reveal more through the subject’s behavior than their actual words. This totally shifted my perspective and approach to working with interview footage and I think has had the most impact on my editing process. On a daily basis, I draw inspiration from my friends who are making art and have a practice that is disciplined and always evolving. Being around that pushes me to do the same both in both my editing career and my other creative endeavors.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
As an editor, you are typically coming into the project at a later stage. It’s important to remember that the Director, Producer and other creatives have been developing the story, characters, and creative vision for weeks, months, or even years before you begin. My advice is to be open to their ideas, listen carefully, and approach the process with patience and kindness. It’s the best way to earn the trust and respect of your team and set the tone for the collaboration. Always create a contract, set deadlines, and limit revisions - always - even with friends and passion projects.
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