Ameya Gupta - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 5+ years
“It’s not about the most cinematic shot, or the best crafted piece, it all boils down to how the piece makes you feel. Never lose sight of your story.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
Hey Edit Girls! I find that growing up in India, UAE, Cyprus and the UK has helped me connect with people around the world and has driven the desire to work on a culturally diverse mix of projects. My work ranges from commercials and once in a while jump on short films and documentaries. On the commercial side I work with a great mix of brands such as Sephora, Audi, Nissan, Farfetch, Adidas and Bloomingdales. I usually pick projects depending on the creative and whether my vision aligns with the end goal. For me, I try to choose projects, which are creatively more engaging, as I find working on smaller creative projects, challenges my thinking and allows me to get outside my comfort zone. I also try to take myself on ‘Artist dates’ as much as possible (Thanks Julia Cameron). This is usually finding a new place or source of inspiration once a week. I’ve found that being surrounded by creativity - whether it is in the form of music, architecture or even writing, can have a huge impact on my work!
What does an average day look like in your post-production working world?
I always start any project with research. Research the director, the type of work they do, research within the project. I find this gives me a great base to start thinking of ideas and things I’d like to try. In some cases, I’m even involved with some directors in the pre production stage, offering them ideas for post, in case they’d like to incorporate my ideas into the production.
I used to work on Avid when I was at the post house, but have been cutting on Premiere Pro (with my Avid keyboard HA!) Once I’ve seen the footage, I create a few rounds of selections and then I’ll start to create my assembly cut. I find the selects are the most important, as this is where you find those magic moments. Then I begin my rough cut. This is really where the fun begins and allows me to create my vision. Working with sound effects are also extremely significant, as they are essential to crafting the story. I then show my cut to the director and we bounce ideas off each other until we’re satisfied with our cut. We then present the cut to the agency and client and take the comments onward from there.
What has been your career highlight?
I would say winning the UAE young lions and in-turn attending Cannes Lions festival, really helped me gain confidence in my craft and understand the integral function of editing to tell a powerful story. When I’m lost in an edit, I always go back to what I learnt at the Cannes Lions. It’s not about the most cinematic shot, or the best crafted piece, it all boils down to how the piece makes you feel. Never lose sight of your story.
Additionally, I recently worked with Hollywood acclaimed director, Harald Zwart on a commercial which was incredible. Working alongside a director with such a wide array of knowledge and experience was such a highlight for me. The film was beautifully shot and I really wanted to do it justice, and feel proud that I have had that experience.
How did your career in post-production begin?
From a young age, I was heavily involved with dance and music. I play piano and I'm now learning the ukulele and see a huge correlation between rhythm in music and rhythm in cuts. I actually think this is when it all (subconsciously) began!
When I was in high school, I took a film course and fell in love with editing right away. I then studied film and specialized in editing at the Arts University Bournemouth. Though I didn’t have any connections to the film industry, especially having come from abroad. I would knock on doors at post houses and landed a few different gigs until I eventually interned at Discovery Communications in London. This experience gave me a huge insight into the corporate and media industry, though as it was mainly TV based, made me realize that I wanted to do something which had more creative freedom.
I then headed off to the UAE and worked on documentaries until I landed at Serena, a post house based in the UAE and in Spain, where I was mentored by Alvaro Del Val (now at Cabin). Having him around was pivotal to my career and teaching me the ins and outs of the advertising industry and what it takes to be a good editor. I was later mentored by Roberto Bradley, who gave me the confidence and helped me take the plunge into creating my own style.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career;
From working with really cool and interesting directors from around the world in new locations, to working on documentaries that make a difference, the highlight has been about all the fun I’ve been having and knowledge I’ve gained from all these different experiences. Though if I had to pick just one, I would say taking the plunge to freelance was most pivotal for me. It gave me the confidence to grow into my own style and pick and choose the types of edits I’d like to work on. I also love to challenge myself, as I can take on multiple projects at a time. As a freelancer, you end up being a brand in addition to your actual work, which can be crazy at times. Though I wouldn’t take it back, I’ve learnt things I never would have had I stayed at the same post house. Sometimes it does get tough as I still haven’t fully learnt how to balance being a business and creating edits, though the constant challenge keeps me going.
Women in post you admire?
I wouldn’t know where to begin. I admire women not only in post but from a diverse portfolio of careers. From where I sit it's incredible to see companies such as Vimeo, who now have people like Anjali Sud, as their CEO. I try to celebrate women who break the glass ceiling and pave the way for many other females to follow in their lead.
In this field of work, I’m constantly surrounded by so many inspiring women, whether they’re directors, producers or post producers and I think it’s super important to be there and support each other especially in an industry like ours. I’m a huge fan of Michelle Tesoro’s edit in ’The Queen's Gambit.’ I truly love how she turned a game of chess into such a nail biting cinematic event. For me, it felt like she turned it into an action piece with the tension surrounding the show.
What advice do you have for other women wanting to start a career in post?
Let your passion speak for itself. Don’t be scared to voice your opinion and tell others what works. Apply for internships, knock on doors, start cutting, make your own music videos or even birthday videos for friends. Cut your own reel and brand yourself. Don’t be afraid and go for it. Also be prepared to work long hours. And always be nice - it goes a long way in this industry. Also, being organized will help you be quick.