Shannon Griffin - Freelance Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 7+ years
“It’s so easy to become a “button-pusher” and just do what the director or agency says. But as an editor you are bringing your own perspective to the filmmaking process. Don’t be afraid to challenge your peers, have opinions and share them respectfully.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I’m a freelance film editor originally from Hawaii and now living in Los Angeles. My editing career spans narrative films, branded work, commercials, and music videos. Because I’m freelance, all of the filmmakers and clients that I collaborate with come from cold outreach or word of mouth. Some of the brands I’ve worked with include Intel, LG, Samsung, Disney, and On. I’ve also worked with musical artists such as Doja Cat, blink-182, Kelsea Ballerini, and Noah Cyrus.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
As a freelancer, I handle all aspects of post-production by myself. I am the editor, post supervisor, online editor, and assistant editor all in one. This means everyday is different for me. If I’m starting a new project, I’ll begin with syncing and prepping my project. This can take a couple hours or several weeks depending on if it’s a music video or a feature film. Once prepping is done, I'll start watching dailies or cutting right away depending on the turnaround time for the project. For a narrative film, I’ll spend at least several days watching dailies to wrap my head around the material and actors’ performances. Then I spend a lot of time getting the first rough cut as close to perfect as possible. That way my time with the director is spent exploring new ideas and being creative together, rather than fixing and tidying up continuity. Sometimes directors come over to my apartment for edit sessions and we work out of my second bedroom turned edit bay. If I’m finishing up a project I correspond with VFX supervisors, color producers, and any other stakeholders to make sure I’m getting them the assets they need so we are on schedule for final delivery.
How did your career in post production begin?
I cut sketch comedy videos in high school and did post-production internships while in college. But my career really began when I met Andrew Sandler, a director and friend of mine. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, I landed in Los Angeles with no idea how to get my foot in the film industry. I was scrolling through Instagram one day and saw that Andrew was looking for an assistant editor. I sent him my small editing reel and he hired me. Andrew gave me some of my first music videos and introduced me to a lot of other really talented filmmakers. I really appreciate and owe a lot to him because he could have easily kept me as his assistant editor. But he pushed me to grow into an editor and threw me head first into the industry. Then over time my network and portfolio grew into what it is today.
What has been your career highlight?
I am immensely proud of how far I’ve come in my editing journey. Initially, envisioning a career as a film editor seemed like a pipe dream. I started out as an intern with no connections and there were many times where I felt like I was making a mistake trying to get my foot into such a competitive industry. Now I have clients and filmmakers that I love collaborating with. I still have so many goals that I have yet to achieve but I feel very lucky to be able to pursue my passion and earn a living from it. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in a goal or a dream and forget to celebrate the little milestones along the way. This is especially true if the goal-posts keep changing or if you’re comparing yourself to “the greats” in the industry. I urge everyone in the film industry to pause, reflect on their path, and remember how far they’ve come.
Who are your role models in post?
My biggest role model is editor Anne V. Coates. Not only is her work incredible but a quote from her really struck me that is a major influence in the way that I approach editing. “… if something’s not working, people will put more cuts or shots in and it’s almost always better to take shots out… If something doesn’t seem quite right… simplify.” Her words play in my mind anytime I’m editing. It reminds me to remain focused on storytelling and challenges me to think more deeply about why I’m cutting.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
When you’re starting out it can be easy to second guess your ideas especially if you’re the youngest in the room, which has been the case for me many times. But don’t be afraid to get into (healthy) debates with a director. It’s so easy to become a “button-pusher” and just do what the director or agency says. But as an editor you are bringing your own perspective to the filmmaking process. Don’t be afraid to challenge your peers, have opinions and share them respectfully.
Tell us about one of your favourite pieces of work;
One of my favorite pieces I did has to be the Happy Days music video for blink-182, directed by Andrew Sandler. During the early days of the COVID pandemic when we were all quarantining at home, Andrew had an idea of taking fan submissions and using them for a blink-182 music video. We had thousands of submissions and the challenge was to make sense of them and create something cohesive. The first draft of the cut felt really random and just wasn’t working well. Then I realized that the clips weren’t talking to each other or telling a story. Once I focused on what story we wanted to tell, the music video started coming together. We ended up receiving two VMA nominations, which was really cool.