Kesleigh Dougherty, Editor
Editor
Experience 10+ years
“Everyone says this, but just don’t give up... Even if you don’t think you’re getting better at it, you totally are.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
Throughout my career I’ve cut commercials, narrative short films, feature documentary, music videos, and short documentary style pieces. I’ve edited digital and social media pieces for movies and streaming services. Some of my favorite campaigns were Avatar The Way of Water; The Beatles: Get Back, Hocus Pocus 2, and Prey. I’m currently editing a feature length documentary called The Sex Worker’s Guide To Parenting. I also recently edited the short film Sugar, which had its premiere at Dances With Films NY in 2023 and has had an awesome festival run! I also work full time in the commercial advertising world, editing sizzles and social media content for brands like Ketel One, Balcones, Curaleaf, Johnny Walker.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
My days can get a little crazy! I have an almost one year old who loves wake me up at 6am and that’s when our day starts. I get her off to daycare and then hustle to my office where we begin pretty early in the day. Depending on what campaign I’m doing, I’ll check for any client feedback and make revisions. I do a lot of my own motion graphics these days too, so I like to get started on those notes first as they tend to take the most time. If I’m starting on a fresh project I like to go through and make selects sequences and start scrubbing my new footage.
For me, sound design is key (doesn’t matter what you’re cutting on, great sound design elevates everything). So if I’m beginning something new I like to build a prelim music bed and pull in my favorite sound effects (my standard go to’s like my swish hits) and then see where throughout the music a nice stop down or ring out will work. It’s important to make the music work for you, you don’t work around the music. I’ve taken a lot of my trailerized style of editing into other realms of marketing and it’s been really successful with my current clients. I really love working with deadlines because I like to know the realistic turnaround on a project and it helps me mentally split up my days. So if I have one week for a V1, I’ll split that time up into one day for selects, one day for music bed, and the rest of the time jamming on the edit. If I’m able to finish before the deadline, all the better for me!
How did your career in post production begin?
I went to film school at the University of North Caroline School of the Arts School of Filmmaking, which is where I made my focus Editing and Sound Design. I’ve loved it ever since. I spent the majority of my early career as an assistant editor at different trailer houses. I even worked in house freelance assistant editing at companies like Snapchat and Netflix.
But I think everyone’s careers and lives are so different. Life happens. I used to let a lot of silly things happen, like comparing myself to other editors and their successes and thinking of it as my own personal failure. I went through moments of despair. I ended up leaving LA to work remote from Nashville to be close to my family which was a great move for me on a personal level. I ended up meeting my husband there and being fortunate enough to continue editing full time every day.
What has been your career highlight?
I think one of my favorite career highlights was getting hired as a full time junior editor for the first time at Ammo Creative. Those were some of my favorite coworkers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work alongside and there were some awesome projects that I got to work on while I was there. I was able to be a part of some Clio-winning edits and digital campaigns.
Who are your role models in post?
Rachel Fowler is a total bad ass editor.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
Everyone says this, but just don’t give up. And no job is too small. If they need a post pa, be the best post pa you can be. And spend as much of your free time as possible utilizing the facilities and editing as much as you can. Even if you don’t think you’re getting better at it, you totally are.
Connect with Kesleigh on Instagram