Chinwe Chong - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 10+ years
“Stick to it and see it through. Don’t be afraid to start from the beginning. Being an assistant is difficult and daunting, but your experience is immeasurable.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I’m a video editor at Consulate in NYC. One of the best parts of the gig here is the range and caliber of work I get to partake in. I mainly work in advertising but get to dip into all sorts of things. I'm surrounded by immensely talented folks working on anything from fashion films to commercials, music videos, features, animation, and short films. At the moment, I'm loving my work with car commercials.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
Invariably each day starts with me legging it to the subway, praying that the train God(desses)s love me for an hour. I then caffeinate, panic, and jump in. Depending on how many projects I have going on, and where I'm at with them, I spend my day either screening/selecting, assembling an edit, or making revisions to previous edits based on feedback. Then there are many "will you take a look and tell me your thoughts?" to wandering coworkers in between. Eventually, I post to director/agency/client and head back out to plead again with the subway.
How did your career in post production begin?
I was dancing between school and working in the hospitality industry, serving and bartending. My then boss and forever mentor, Martine, introduced me to her dear friend, Lisa, the managing director at Consulate. Lisa hired me as a receptionist, and I was immediately hooked. I began to learn from everyone, clambering through the beautiful beast that is post-production — from client services to vault, to night apprentice, to assistant editor, then, eventually, to editor. I basically grew up at Consulate, and I'm proud of that.
What has been your career highlight?
Every job is truly unique in its own right, and I believe I have many career "highlights" yet to come. That said, one thus far was making "An Ode to Black Women." It was a sort of guerilla project, one for no other reason than to pay homage. I had the unique freedom to create something out of sheer gratitude, without parameters, during a globally painful time. It was overnight, off the clock, and tremendously intense, but driven by something other than the usual impetuses. It could've gone on forever, yet it was fine for the brief moment it existed.
Who are your role models in post?
I've been fortunate in that most of my mentors double as role models. Chad Sipkin, Jen Dean, Ryan McCally, Stephanie West, Leonardo Aponte, Alan Lopez, Peter Johnson, Lisa Binassarie (the list goes on) have all had an indelible impact on my growth as an editor. I admire many that I've never worked with, but I can't deny the influence of my quotidian creative community. When I started at Consulate, digging through the archives of all the editors' work was awe-inspiring. I realized that I was surrounded by the people who made some of my favorite music videos and fashion films.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
Stick to it and see it through. Don't be afraid to start from the beginning. Being an assistant is difficult and daunting, but your experience is immeasurable. The more people you work with, the more you learn and develop your own point of view. And when you're trying to break through, say yes to every and anything, it's how you begin to build a reel. Trust the process.