Yasmine Almosawi - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 10+ years
“As an editor I had to face a few experiences early on that really knocked my confidence, and really made me question whether I should even be doing this job or if this industry had space for someone like me.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I am a freelance offline editor born and bred in London Town and I mainly work in the documentary space but I do dabble in a bit of Fact Ent and Reality from time to time. I love working on projects that help lift voices from underrepresented groups, sharing stories that we all can relate to. I have worked with a number to different clients, from in house at the BBC to smaller indie production companies.
What does an average day look like in your post-production working world?
Every project and every day is different, so it never gets boring. Sometimes it's me and the Edit Producer or Director sitting in the room untangling rushes and building a narrative, or sometimes I am left to my own devices, just me and the rushes building a story with them. Other times there is a viewing with all the execs, and I feel every single cut as they are watching, and sometimes there are days that can be a real laugh. Editing is a bit like doing a collage, you have all these pieces of material and you have to make something out of them, it’s up to you and whoever you’re working with to create something that works. Sometimes you create things that work, sometimes you create things that don’t work, but the fun is all in the process.
What has been your career highlight?
The absolute highlight of my career so far has been winning an Emmy for The Day I Picked My Parents for A&E. Networks. We were a small team crafting something that was a difficult subject matter, but it had a lot of soul, heart and love in it, which culminated in at first an Emmy nomination that none of us were expecting. We had just gone into lockdown, so it was a bit of light breaking through the doom of the first days of the pandemic and then we won! Although we didn’t get to celebrate it together, winning was just awesome and I was so proud of the project.
How did your career in post-production begin?
I always wanted to tell stories, I used to write stories and reading but I’m also dyslexic. So I got it into my head that telling stories was just something I couldn't do (which I know now is rubbish). But as a teenager I started cutting music videos on Adobe Premiere for friends and in my media studies class and it was like a eureka moment. This is how I can be a storyteller, and that was it for me. So, I had my goal in mind and went for it.
I went to university in Portsmouth doing a Television course and got my hands on as much experience as possible, I worked at a local television station, I did internships, worked as a runner, a production assistant, even a PA for a burlesque dancer at one point, I literally did anything and everything to get a foothold in the industry. Once I graduated, I started working at Objective Productions as a Post Runner and from there I just kept pushing from Runner to Junior Edit Assistant to Edit assistant, I was eventually cutting on shows, teasers, tasters, doing small onlines and online fixes. As well as that I was also moonlighting as an editor on small low budget productions and films while working full time. I eventually reached a ceiling working at Objective and took the jump into becoming a freelance junior editor with The Independent Post company. They have been the most incredible group of people and my career really wouldn't be where it is without them.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career;
As an editor I had to face a few experiences early on that really knocked my confidence, and really made me question whether I should even be doing this job or if this industry had space for someone like me. I was at a point where I was thinking about doing something else until one day I got a call from my agents about a project with a company called AFL Films, They've Gotta Have Us. It sounded like the most amazing project and I wanted to work on it badly, so I had an interview with the director and he hired me on the spot. I remember leaving that interview calling my agents and literally being on cloud 9, I may have had a little cry about it too. The project was just incredible, it was hard work and like nothing I had ever done before, but also incredibly rewarding. Once the series was locked and it aired, I realised that actually, I am good at this and I do have a place in this industry. Since then, I have worked with AFL again on The Outsiders? (Currently on Youtube Originals, Watch it!), but They've Gotta Have Us is a project that will stick with me I think for the rest of my career. (it’s currently on Netflix, watch it)
Women in post you admire?
I admire all post Women!! Sometimes it is like we are unicorns in a forest of men! There are so many women that I think are incredible in this industry, like the women in my agency who have been my absolute rocks and without them I wouldn’t have made it this far, the female editors, edit producers, assistants, post producers, producers and directors some of whom I count amongst dearest friends. But one person in particular is Phillippa Swanson, one of my best friends, and an awesome Onliner. We were on the same course at university and when we graduated, we moved into a flat together. We were both runners at first working hard and playing hard with little to no money. But as time went on, we both started to progress in our careers, and progressing with your best mate is awesome, you cheer each other on when you see each other’s names in credits or when one of you gets a promotion, when you end up working on the same project or at the same facility you get super excited and seeing Phil absolutely smashing it is just awesome.
What advice do you have for other women wanting to start a career in post?
You might meet some real pieces of work along the way to getting where you need to go, but you will also meet awesome folks who will bring you up and help you realise your potential.
An Edit Producer friend once told me that there are two types of people in the world, drains and radiators, drains will drain the life, drive and ambition out of you, but radiators will radiate everything that’s good about you.
So, surround yourself with radiators, work hard, be kind, be patient and most of all have fun! To have a job where you can create can be stressful and it can be hard work but above all it's creative so have fun with it! And if you are like I was, thinking that your chance may never come, trust me opportunity is just round the corner just keep going and keep pushing.