4 elements to be a Servant Editor

Attitude as an editor is crucial. 

With long hours, tight deadlines, and creative opinions flying, there is a lot to emotionally respond to. How an editor handles these emotions is a defining factor in a long-term career.

A key attitude in my 14 years as an editor has been a short, controversial word:

Servant.

What does that mean? More importantly, what does being a servant editor look like? 

We look into it after the break.

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Let’s start with a definition. 

What do I mean by “servant editor”? 

It could mean “subservient” (subordinate, obeys unquestioningly). Or it could be just the same as “slave”. 

Servants are also often taken advantage of by their employers. Editing has enough overstepped boundaries—we don’t need clients also seeing us as servants. 

Personally, this is my working definition of being a servant:

Let’s unpack this. 

To work toward the success of another’s vision

Projects don’t start with editors. 

We don’t originate the idea; we don’t write the script; we don’t shoot the footage; we don’t direct the creative elements; we don’t decide the music; we don’t design the graphics.

There are exceptions to all of these, but usually editors are at the end of the journey. We take assets created by other creatives and assemble them based on the vision of the lead creative. 

At its most basic, editing is pressing the buttons for someone who can’t. 

We are the extension of the director. We take up someone’s creative vision and bring it to life.

At the heart of that work is to bring success to their vision. 

Ahead of your own

Has this ever happened to you? 

You have a brilliant idea of an edit. You work hard, getting it just right so the director can see what you envisioned. 

Then you play it for him, and he says, “Meh. Let’s do it this way.” 

We might push back, but the director is leading the project. We aren’t there to bring our vision to life. 

Creatively leading a project is satisfying and worth doing. But we need to know when that time is—and when it’s not that time. 

On most projects, we offer creative ideas, but at the end of the day we put the vision of the director or client ahead of our own. 

With humility

Two years into my editing career, this thought struck me:

“If I do my job well, no one will notice me.”

People rave about actors. They praise the story or script. They play the soundtrack for years. (Looking at you, Lord of the Rings.) 

But people only talk about the editing if it’s distracting. 

If that’s the case, we’re not there to be flashy or draw attention to ourselves. We are there to be so good that we disappear.

To do that well, we need to be free of pride or arrogance. We need to be willing to put the project’s success ahead of our own recognition. 

And a happy heart.

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid and I had to do something I didn’t like, I would hang my head, mutter “Fine”, and slowly shuffle over to do it—probably kicking something on the way out. 

When the director says no to an idea, how do you respond?

Do you mutter “Fine”, maybe jab back about how the project sucks, and then follow orders?

Or do you let the lead creative make the decision and work toward making her idea the best it can be? 

I struggle with this response every time. I like my ideas! I truly believe they will make the project better. 

But at the end of the day, I need to put on a smile and work toward the success of another’s vision without resentment.

The importance of boundaries

I know what you’re thinking—won’t this attitude be taken advantage of?

Being a servant editor doesn’t mean being a yes-man or woman. Offering ideas and pushback are crucial parts of being an editor. (How to do that well is a topic for another day.)

It also doesn’t mean letting someone run you like a slave. (Again, a topic for another day, but check out Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend. It’ll change your life.)

Having good boundaries is vital to not letting this attitude be taken advantage of. 

The key is this: you aren’t there to serve the director’s every whim. You are there to serve her vision for the project. 

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Being a servant editor has been key to my editing career. 

Doing this with humility and a happy heart hasn’t always been easy. Most review sessions end with me going for a walk to process my frustration 😆

But this attitude has protected my heart and creativity, and enabled me to be a full-time editor for 14 years. 

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That’s it for this week’s deep dive! 

What attitude do you approach your work with? Hit reply and let me know.

Keep cutting,

- Jesse

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