The Cares of an Editor

July 20, 2022

Who does a doctor care for?

The obvious answer is the patient. She is a doctor and she helps a sick man get better.

But if we take a step back, we see her efforts impact more than just the sick man. He has a wife and children; the doctor also helps them.

And what of the nurses who assist the doctor? She can work in such a way that helps the people who work with her.

Editors are the same way. It’s easy to think that our only care is for the video we are editing. That is our focus.

And yet, like the doctor, we help more than just the video.

There are five areas we care for as editors. Let's look at them.

We care for ourselves

Just like the doctor can’t make the sick person healthy if she herself is sick, we also need to be healthy. We need to be well rested, inspired, physically and mentally healthy, and filled up from our relationships.

A successful editor is one who prioritizes being healthy.

We do this by:

  • Taking care of our bodies

  • Taking care of our minds

  • Looking for inspiration

  • Focusing on life-giving relationships

As editors we are the core of every project. It’s only when we are healthy that we can lift others up.

We care for our clients

When we are hired to edit a video, whether freelance or on staff, we are ultimately helping the client achieve their goals. No client ever just wanted a video—they want the result the video gets them.

A successful editor is one who helps the client achieve their goal.

We do this by:

  • Listening and understanding their problems

  • Building confidence that they are in good hands

  • Updating them on the progress of the project

  • Celebrating the finish line

  • Asking for their feedback

These things communicate that we actually care about their problems and success. This builds trust and confidence in us as editors, because they know we have their best interests at heart.

We care for the product

When we are hired to edit a video, we are given stewardship of that creation. We are hired to nurture it to be the best version it can be.

A successful editor is one stewards the video given to them.

We do this by:

  • Understanding the goals and specific needs of the video

  • Ensuring it meets the client’s needs

  • Giving it your best creative time

  • Delivering it on time and ready to go

Some videos are rushed, others are half-baked ideas that we have to make work. Regardless of how a video comes to us, we can give it our best because it’s been put in our care.

We care for the audience

Every video is made to be watched by someone. In a way, that audience is another client. Like a good chef, we want to place a well-made meal before them that exceeds their expectations.

A successful editor works with the audience in mind.

We do this by:

  • Asking what will help them in their journey

  • Looking for ways to exceed their expectations

  • Learning from their responses

  • Treating them with respect

Video has the power to change and alter the course of people’s lives. That is a responsibility we can’t be flippant about.

We care for our coworkers

Editing is not a solo effort. We work with directors, writers, producers, camera operators, colorists, composers, actors—the list goes on. All of these people’s work funnels through the editor.

Beyond that, we also work with other editors. Maybe we’re working on the same project, or the project will handed over to them, or we are taking up their work. We can set each other up for success by how we edit.

A successful editor elevates the people they work with.

We do this by:

  • Treating the work of others with respect

  • Honoring their time by being on time

  • Organizing well for the next editor

  • Working hard to make every piece look the best it can

Video is a collaborative medium. Caring for the people we work with cares for the whole project.

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We aren’t just the button-pushers. The bucket at the end of the production that everything gets dumped into.

As editors we are able to influence, inspire, and lift up our clients, the product, the audience, and our coworkers.

Let’s not let that opportunity go to waste.

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That’s it for today!

What are you doing to care for each of these areas? I’d love to hear about it.

Keep cutting,

- Jesse

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