Lindsey Woodward - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 5+ years
“A great piece of advice that I was given whilst assisting was to go all out on your assemblies and that is something that always stuck with me.”
Tell us about your job role and the kinds of projects you work on;
I’m a freelance editor living in London and represented by AMPM. I recently edited episodes 2 and 7 of I May Destroy You which was a huge career highlight. It was an amazing experience getting to work closely with Michaela Coel in order to tell this amazing and incredibly important story.
What does an average day look like in your post-production working world?
At the moment, I’m editing episodes 1 to 4 of a Netflix show called The Last Bus for Wildseed Studios. A typical day in the edit suite for me always starts with a cup of tea! Since Covid, I have predominantly been working from home, so working days are a little different to usual apart from the tea which is a staple. In the morning I’ll check for notes or continuity paperwork depending on what stage the project is at. When I have a full assembly of a scene, I’ll go back through the cut and do a sound and music pass, making sure to smooth out any audio, add SFX / music to help bring the scene to life. A great piece of advice that I was given whilst assisting was to go all out on your assemblies and that is something that always stuck with me.
I absolutely loved working as an assistant editor and thrived on being in the cutting room. I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with a myriad of inspiring and talented women throughout my career in post and I’m lucky to call many of them friends. I would also like to mention my amazing mentor and good friend Jason Krasucki who sadly passed away this January. Jason was always very generous with his time and knowledge. We would watch rushes together, I would assemble scenes and then he would offer feedback on my cuts. We worked on a number of shows together and he always pushed me out of my comfort zone. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.
How did your career in post-production begin?
I started my career working at a post house in Manchester called Sumners. Whilst working there we were taught the technical aspects of the industry ranging from digitising, conforming, exporting, and syncing rushes and these skills have massively helped throughout my career. After four years I decided to take the plunge into the freelance pool. My first job was as a 2nd assistant editor on a Sky1 drama. My friend Becky Moore was the 1st assistant and she took me under her wing, training me up and I've never looked back. I then moved to London to continue my freelance career. I have been incredibly lucky to work on a wide range of shows from Big Little Lies Series 2, The Undoing, Taboo, Hunderby, and Black Earth Rising.
What’s your advice to women wanting to pursue a career in post?
My advice? It might sound like a cliche but work hard and be nice to people! It goes such a long way in our industry. You can tell if an editor or another member of your team is having a busy day and unable to leave their desk or edit suite - just making them a drink will honestly help brighten their day. I’ve also found the kitchen area in post facilities to be one of the best places to network and meet people, you get to talk to other editors and assistants about your interests and the projects they’re working on.