NEWS
INTERVIEW: Meet Trailer Editor Becci Jones at The Editpool
In this installment of our Academy Interview Series we are getting a peek into a typical day of a trailer editor, courtesy of Becci Jones at The Editpool.
After studying and gaining TV experience working for the BBC and ITV film, Becci landed her first trailer editor job and is now using her creative flair on TV promos and film trailers such as the UK trailer for Studio Ghibli’s animation film ‘The Tale of Princess Kaguya’, which was nominated for a Golden Trailer Award 2015 in the category Best Foreign Animation/Family Trailer.
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What does a trailer editor do and what’s your typical day like?
I take a film and cut it down by 90% whilst still trying to tell the same story! Actually it’s more complicated than that. You have to work with the client (director/producer/distributor) to create something that will entice the audience to watch the film.On a typical day I start with the priorities, so obviously…make a cup of tea as soon as I walk in the door. I usually check out the latest trailers & film news and then we have a staff meeting to discuss the daily & weekly tasks. From there my day is dependent on where I’m at with a project. If it’s a new campaign I’ll watch the film, and sit down with the creative director or producer to discuss the brief from the client. Then I’ll get to work on cutting down the film, finding the right music and begin moulding the trailer. It’s about constant communication with the production team, and organisation to ensure I’m making the best use of my time. So some days I’ll be editing all day, and some days it’ll be based around the stages of preparing or finishing a trailer, which can include film viewing, production meetings or going to sound mixes.
How did you become a trailer editor?
I knew from quite a young age that I wanted to work in film, and discovered my love of editing through media studies at school. Everyone wanted to direct or film during projects and hated the editing, which was great because I had less competition! I studied film at uni, which gave me great insight into the history and theory of film, and after some entry-level work for the BBC & ITV I sent my CV to any film job that appeared across the country until one came up for a trainee trailer editor. Trailer production wasn’t something I’d thought much about, but it sounded incredible. So I made a trailer for the interview process and eventually won the role,and haven’t looked back. I’m still very, very thankful, and a little surprised that I get to do it every day!
How do you craft a winning trailer?
There’s no textbook answer, thankfully! You have to understand your product and your audience. You have to correctly interpret the client’s brief, but also use your creative instinct. The client comes to us because they trust our instincts & processes, so it’s as much about my input as it is theirs. It’s such a collaborative process and I work with a fabulous team who are always on hand to offer advice and support. It’s about knowing what resources to tap into (such as music, FX, techniques) and where to find them. Trailers rarely just fall into place, but sometimes being spontaneous can create something magical that planning can’t do. It’s about leaving your audience wanting that little bit more, and finding a balance between edgy cutting techniques and allowing the film to speak for itself. I also try to remember that I’m an audience, and if I don’t like watching it, chances are others won’t. The nature of the internet and social media now means that trends can be so fleeting, so it’s really important to try and create something memorable, to bring out the film’s unique selling point and to be forward thinking.
How do you source music for your trailers?
There are some amazing composers who create bespoke trailer music, and we have access to them and other music labels. I’ll either search through our own catalogue, or contact lovely people such as Imagem with a brief. They know their music so well, so they’re a brill asset to have. I also have a playlist of my favourite tracks that I’m obsessed with and am waiting for the right project to come along so I can use them!
Do you follow any trends when you choose music for a trailer?
The music should enhance and compliment the trailer, and that differs for every project. Certain types of music often work with certain genres, but it’s good to try and think outside the box and use something new and different. It’s important to be active in the choice, and not use a track just because it has worked on similar titles in the past. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn’t!
Where do you get your sound design from?
Similarly to the music sourcing, there are some amazing sound design composers out there. So sometimes I’ll turn to them, sometimes it’s taken directly from the film, and sometimes I create my own.
What is the most enjoyable project you’ve worked on so far?
It’s so hard to pick one because there’s a few that stand out for different reasons! I recently worked on a horror promo, which is probably the most challenging trailer of my career so far. Horror lends itself so well to detailed sound design as you build tension and scares, and whilst this can be quite demanding, it’s also fun because it’s so intricate. I love anything like action, horror or thriller because of that.
I’m a massive Studio Ghibli fan as well, so it’s been great to work on the UK Trailers for ‘The Wind Rises‘ and ‘The Tale of The Princess Kaguya.’ They’re just so inspiring and beautiful. We’ve also collaborated with HBO on several of their TV campaigns, such as Game of Thrones, True Blood and Boardwalk Empire. To be part of some of the biggest and best quality TV in the world right now is such a privilege.
And then there was a montage trailer of Sam Mendes’ films that I created for a charity event, where Prince Edward was interviewing Sam about his work. It was both a surreal and proud moment to sit behind them as they watched it! Sam said that his favourite part of the film making process is the editing, which was lush to hear. That’s just a few – I’m sure there’s more!
What’s the most exciting part of your role?
Getting to view and work on great films. Collaborating with great talent – colleagues, musicians and filmmakers. Creating something that although you know is going to be fleeting, for a moment captivates its audience. I love the entrancing, escapist nature of cinema; it’s so powerful. To know that someone has gone to see and enjoyed a film based on your hard work is also a good reward!
What’s the worst part of being a trailer editor?
That’s a hard question! Like most professions deadlines can be both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes the time pressure brings out the best of my work, and sometimes you wish you could do just a little more. Sometimes being constantly creative is exciting and energising, and sometimes it can be draining. It can also be difficult when you have incredible footage to work with, but have to be ruthless in what you put in and what you don’t. The latter is just as important as the former. And it’s the same with music, when there’s so much choice but you can’t choose it all! But, on the whole, it’s a really rewarding job.
How much has trailer production changed since you started?
I think sound design is probably the biggest thing to me that’s evolved. There are a lot of trailers that are reusing well-known tracks (like Avengers: Age of Ultron, for example, which used the ‘got no strings’ track from Pinocchio). It’s great to be able to take something so familiar and reimagine it for a new generation. Many trailers are creating rhythms just from the sounds within the film, and the intricacy and craftsmanship involved is genius. One of the most common complaints about trailers is that they give too much away, and whilst that can be true, I think many trailers today actually make the audience work harder. There’s less chronological storytelling, and the omniscient voiceover that guides the audience through the trailer is not a popular choice anymore. People know so much more about a film thanks to social media. They know about the actors, they know how and where it was made, how much money has been spent. There’s less mystery involved in a film’s production so trailer editors have to work to try and retain a little of that mystery! With the rise in standard of TV and domestic viewing and filmmaking, it’ll be interesting to see where cinema goes in the next 10 years.
Why do you think there aren’t a lot of female trailer editors?
I have no idea! It’s probably the same discussion as with any male or female- dominated
industry. I guess it’s not a job that females tend to go for, but there’s absolutely no reason why not.
If you could go back in time, would you have done anything differently?
Not. A. Thing. I believe that everything happens for a reason, good or bad, so there is nothing worth changing.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a trailer editor?
• Start watching film trailers?! Discover the genres, the eras, the directors, the editors, the music that you love and the reasons why you love them.
• Keep an archive of your favourite trailers & music tracks.
• Start making your own trailers from existing films. Let yourself be influenced by what’s happening around you – you’d be amazed where my influences come from sometimes!
• Think about what makes you unique and adopt pester power to get your foot in the door.
• Try and get some industry experience – there is no comparison to actually working in film.
• Work hard. You cannot be lazy in this industry; it’s so transparent.
• Stay humble. It goes a long way. Everyone has a story or an experience to tell that can enhance yours, and as long as films keep getting made, you will never stop learning. It can be a harsh industry sometimes, but my motto is to kill them with kindness! Or a cup of tea…
Have you got any plans for the future you wish to share with us?
I’d like to learn to sew – does that count? And play the guitar. Actually editing has been
likened to the sewing together of images (apparently), so maybe I’m already half way there! I’m just going to keep working my way up in this job and see where it leads. I’d love to be able to use this skill to help those with little or no opportunities in life. I’m not sure what that looks like yet, but I’m working on it!
