Alexi Rose - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 5+ years
“I had the opportunity to be flown to Orlando, Florida to create Youtube marketing videos for Amanda Saccomano, a professional WWE Athlete. From that point on, the advertising/promotional editing style stuck with me and I started doing similar work for other celebrity influencers.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I’m a video editor specializing in commercial & advertising. I've worked for a variety of post production houses and advertising agencies. The clients I have worked with in the past have been in the fashion/beauty, athletic apparel and commercial brand space. Some brands I've cut for have been Columbia, Oakley & Milan Fashion Week.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
I usually start my day by going for an hour walk around the city with my coffee and going over my tasks for the day that I need to get done. Forcing myself to get outside before I start editing is key for me- we all know how many hours we sit as soon as we get in the zone! On that note, once my head is clear and the caffeine is running through my veins, I go to my home office where my collection of hard drives awaits me. If I'm starting a new project, I make sure to organize my drive as clean as possible with my assets to make starting my workflow easier.
Getting focused is extremely important to me, so I normally put my headphones on and play some music while I am organizing. I then create my sequences with my footage as I then start to create my selects and string outs. Before I start editing the main sequence, I can't stitch ANYTHING together unless I have a song picked out. Curating selects from the raw footage helps me get a feel for how the video is going to be crafted, which then makes the process easier for finding the perfect song.
Every edit is different, therefore each one gets its own tailored version of how I attack it. But the top three things I think of before editing are:
1. What emotion do I need the audience to have when watching this?
2. Can the song + cuts keep the audience engaged to keep watching?
3. What is something unique and different I can do this time compared to the last video I made? How can I make this unique from all of the other videos out there?
4. What creative cuts can I use that compliment the chosen music?
Once I answer these questions it makes it easier for ideas to flow especially when I am adding songs, graphics, transitions and sound design. These steps help me grow by pushing my creative envelope each time I edit.
How did your career in post production begin?
Since I was young, I have always been very artistic and creative. Because Arizona summers made it impossible to play outside as a kid, we were forced to stay indoors. I would spend my summers drawing, painting taking photos and playing instruments. I was always curious about commercials and advertisements, trying to figure out the message of the commercial before it was over. It was a game my mom invited- putting the volume down on our TV and guessing what the commercial was trying to sell. This game sparked an interest for me in video editing in terms of asking myself, "If I made this commercial, what would I put in there to make it better?". I would then come up with different ideas & shots that translated into script writing. I self taught myself iMovie when it first came out, and started shooting and editing little home video skits with my sister.
Fast forward to 2013, during my freshman year of college, Instagram came out with video on their platform. Because I'm a travel bug at heart, I started following a lot of travel pages. I started watching travel videos and immediately knew I wanted to create something like that. So that summer, before going on a family trip to Europe, I self taught myself Final Cut Pro and created my first travel video. After that video was made, I was hooked completely with the process of shooting and editing. I then self taught myself Adobe Premiere Pro by the end of my senior year of college, and started creating highlight videos for the athletes at ASU. This sharped my skills to then landing my first client in 2017 post graduation. I had the opportunity to be flown to Orlando, Florida to create Youtube marketing videos for Amanda Saccomano, a professional WWE Athlete. From that point on, the advertising/promotional editing style stuck with me and I started doing similar work for other celebrity influencers. In 2018, once I felt like I had gotten the hang of editing, I decided to move to LA to work for my first post production company, Stept Studios. I dove head first into learning post production for campaigns, commercials and branded content. From that point forward, the rest is history!
What has been your career highlight?
One highlight for me was when I had the chance to edit on a project with Stept Studios. In 2018 was my first job in a production company, so I was definitely in for an experience! The client was Columbia sportswear and we had to create an entire campaign for one of their new clothing lines. I had the opportunity to assist on the directors cut and work closely with a group of talented directors and producers. Even though it was at the onset of my career, it had a profound impact on me in many ways. It shaped and sharpened my editing style as well as exposure to knowing what higher ticket clients' needs and expectations were. I was given the opportunity and responsibility to cut social ads for this campaign which were used commercially- and that was a cool moment for me!
I also got to cut a mini doc for a big foundation in NYC which was played at a charity event gala that hosted over 100 people in New York City. It was the first time I cut a mini doc, so the challenge was something that excited me, and I accepted it. For the first time, once the final was complete, they showcased my work on a big screen at the gala event. Being able to see the impact it made on the audience around me was astonishing. Knowing that something I created encouraged the philanthropic world really impacted me positively. This project changed the trajectory of my story telling skills as well as learning how to bring a human element to my videos moving forward.
Who are your role models in post?
The first name that comes to mind is Cal Laird. His work in the music video space is outrageously good. His editing work has pushed my creative skills ot become what they are today. The other role model that comes to mind is Mah Ferraz. Her story telling skills that she brings to the table helped inspire me in many ways. I admire her work tremendously and how she has made a name for herself in the post world.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
Wake up in the morning adding value. Don’t touch it or start work on it unless you can add value. No matter how many "No's" you hear, there will eventually be a "Yes." Once that "yes" comes to the table, be prepared and confident to take on the job. I would also say to constantly keep your brain engaged with creative ideas and always find ways on how you can provide value to whoever you are working for. I would advise to make sure that you’re confident in what you do and focus on perfecting what you're good at. And lastly, remember that you are doing it because your are passionate about it. Editing for me is my true passion, so I make sure to have fun with each project I tackle.