Elizabeth Clutterbuck - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 4+ years
“Set boundaries early on and don’t feel pressured into sacrificing your health for your work. Trust yourself and remember it’s all a fun experiment!”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I am an offline Avid editor at Blazing Griffin Post Production, working across both factual and drama television as well as short films. Company clients range from independent production houses, to broadcasters and streamers such as the BBC and Amazon Prime.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
My day usually starts by making a cup of tea and having a quick chat with the lovely people at my office who keep me sane. If I'm beginning a project, I then check in with our lab team who will have ingested the rushes and set up the Avid project and workspaces for me, they will be able to tell me if any material is still outstanding or if there is anything to take note of with the rushes/archive (such as aspect ratio conversions in the proxies, or bin structure). After this, I will have a call or meeting with the director to receive brief and potentially script. From here, as I tend to move around different edit suites, I will make sure my user settings are in place and that all Nexis workspaces are mounted before I get stuck into the rushes. I look through the material available and start constructing a timeline, whether drama or factual, it's good to start chucking things down. Everything begins messy and I have to let the mess happen first. If I am further into the project, I can be joined by the director who will sit in and either actively contribute as I'm cutting or be present for check-ins on fixes/new sections. By the end of the day, I will normally have a new version of the cut that can be sent for review. For this, I pass the timeline to our lab team who will export and upload to our frame.io for distribution. The day ends with either passing on review files or giving updates on progress to the director/team.
Elizabeth worked as assembly editor on ‘The Last Glaciers’
How did your career in post production begin?
I first got an interest in editing through the film society at my university, where I got the chance to experiment with fun projects created with friends. I realised I loved how a film came together in offline, it suited both the creative and problem-solving parts of my brain in the perfect way. I entered the industry as an office runner for a production company, making sure to tell everyone and anyone who would listen that I wanted to edit. I then moved into running at my first post-production facility. Throughout this time, I kept doing small edits in my spare time. I had some wonderful mentors as I began, who advised me on how to progress, encouraged me to apply to positions I was scared to, and guided me through the world of editing as a woman in particular. If it wasn't for these amazing people, I don't think I'd be where I am today.
What has been your career highlight?
There have been many moments in my short career so far that I am grateful for, it's very hard to pick one highlight. But one that meant a lot to me was getting the chance to cut a short comedy film which starred Tanya Reynolds, an actress I loved watching in her role in Sex Education. I had worked with the director, Niamh McKeown, previously on different comedy pilots for the BBC and we clicked right away. It's an amazing experience to be on the same wavelength, and to create content together that is so joyous. Seeing our previous edits broadcast on BBC One was incredible, but being able to bring her passion project to life was a huge privilege. Women are still under-represented in the comedy genre, so I love getting the chance to work with Niamh as well as other hilarious women.
Who are your role models in post?
I really look up to the staff editors at my facility, Berny McGurk and Jonathan Seal. They have helped me enormously since I joined initially as an edit assistant there. Whether it's giving me the chance to assemble on their projects and taking the time to give feedback on edits, or revealing miraculous Avid shortcuts. They never hesitate to donate their time and experience to helping out someone just entering the field. I also learn a great deal from watching their edit styles, and how they interact with clients. They work on the type of content I one day aspire to, feature documentaries and high-end drama television. I also see role models in my peers who are out there succeeding and learning alongside me. Another offline editor, Imara Lenders, has been a great role model as we figure out this world of editing. She has always been there for support and inspiration. I admire every choice she's made and watching her career unfold gives me motivation to continue on my journey. Her editing skills are top notch and I often steal advice from her.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
I'm just at the beginning myself but these are a few of the things I've learnt along the way. Be communicative and collaborative, you might be alone in the suite sometimes but you're always part of a team working on a vision so make use of collective knowledge and support. Speak to other editors, you'll have a good laugh and cry over joint experiences. Find good people to work with, and keep working with them if you can. There's nothing like a healthy atmosphere and good collaborators. Set boundaries early on and don't feel pressured into sacrificing your health for your work. Trust yourself and remember it's all a fun experiment!