Chrissy Rabe - Editor
Job title - Commercial Editor
Experience - 10+ years
“...I have worked with so many amazing female post producers! They always get stuck in the middle of difficult situations and handle it like absolute pros.”
Tell us about your job role and the kinds of projects you work on;
I’m a commercial editor working mainly in fashion, beauty, sports, and automotive. Some of the clients I have worked for include Nike, Calvin Klein, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Glossier, Under Armour, Harley Davidson, Estee Lauder, Samsung, Zara, and Sephora. I do a mix of both commercial and social media campaigns with both agencies and brands directly.
What does an average day look like in your post-production working world?
If I’m starting a new job, I’ll start going through and making selects or go through the brief with the client and director. A lot of times I like to listen to music while I’m pulling footage that gets me in the mood of the edit. When I start cutting I normally have a few ideas already in my head and I always keep in mind any notes the director or client had beforehand. Once I send in my first rough cut, then it’s all about addressing their feedback until we finally lock. This is where true collaboration starts. I like sending review links through Frame.io as clients can leave notes in it directly. Everyone is so excited to see an idea sometimes so long in the making finally come to life and it’s really thrilling to be a part of that process.
How did your career in post-production begin?
I fell into editing in a very unconventional way. My husband is a photographer and wanted to do more directing, so we started making films. We were pricing out edit houses, and they were way too expensive for our ideas, so I thought I’d give it a try. I taught myself how to edit through lots and lots of late nights. I became obsessed with it, but I didn’t even think about doing it for other people. One day a producer asked, “Who is editing all of this?” When my husband said it was me, the EP said, “You could actually do this professionally!”
So I sent my reel out to lots of places and just slowly started picking up freelance gigs. I ended up on the roster at some post houses in NYC, but I went back to freelance at the beginning of 2020. I wanted a little more flexibility and to work from home more which was always a challenge, but now it’s become the norm!
Tell us about a career highlight;
I think a career highlight was getting my first big break cutting Kanye’s “Wolves” video. The creative director and producers gave me a shot and it was a super fun experience piecing it together. I’m really proud of the end result and I still love the song after listening to it 1 million times!
Which women in post do you admire?
Obviously, Thelma Schoonmaker and Sally Menke have done so much to pave the way for women editors. I love Jennifer Lame’s work as well. I’m really inspired by women who cut male lead action films because it destroys the notion that we can only cut female-centered pieces. And of course, I have worked with so many amazing female post producers! They always get stuck in the middle of difficult situations and handle it like absolute pros.
Favourite piece of work?
It’s really really hard for me to pick just one, they are all my babies! I really love the Harley Davidson piece I just did with Jason Momoa. Some other favorites are Nike with Mo Farah, Sephora Color Campaign, Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons, Under Armour Infinity Bra, and Zara Men’s Campaign.
What advice do you have for other women wanting to start a career in post?
Keep an open mind, you never know what a project will bring. Some jobs are not necessarily reel pieces but you might learn a new skill or meet a new client. Always be organized, thorough, and nice!