Finely Sliced: Jeff Watterson on Editing's Essential Qualities
Jeff Watterson is a Latino video editor based out of Los Angeles. He loves working in different genres, weaving through the post process with an intense knowledge of pipeline and workflow.
Whether it be a Vampire Weekend music video made almost entirely out of archival footage, a doc series on immigrant-owned restaurants in Los Angeles, or a celebrity driven fashion campaign for BOSS during Milan Fashion week, he thrives in any creative environment. Besides video editing, he likes long strolls on the beach and listening to emo music.
LBB> The first cut is the deepest: how do you like to start an editing project?
Jeff> I like to begin by taking on the role of my own assistant editor. There is no better way to familiarise yourself with the footage than personally handling the ingestion and organisation process.
LBB> How important is an understanding of story and the mechanics of story?
Jeff> I think it’s incredibly important. The job of editing is just a cog in the machine and comprehending the creative vision and narrative that needs to be told informs every step of the process.
LBB> Rhythm and a sense of musicality seem to be intrinsic to good editing (even when it’s a film without actual music) – how do you think about the rhythm side of editing, how do you feel out the beats of a scene or a spot? And do you like to cut to music?
Jeff> I feel very strongly about rhythm in editing. Even without music, everything has a tempo. Whenever I edit, I count out the beats or bars to ensure precise cuts. Even a single frame off can significantly change the scene's emotional impact. We cut when it feels instinctively correct regarding the rhythm and story.
LBB> Tell us about a recent editing project that involved some interesting creative challenges.
Jeff> A creative challenge I've faced recently is working with very limited archival footage to create multiple longform pieces (visualisers for an album). Being forced into a bind can be stressful, especially when you're not given enough time to figure it out, but I was able to create some meaningful pieces and meet deadlines. I relied on instincts and tone in a narrative type way for these musical pieces.
Instead of creating something that magically evoked feelings, I tried to create a story with repetition. starting somewhere and returning to it when the music inspired me to do so. That way, the audience could feel the story, thus feeling the emotion we wanted to convey versus watching a visual piece without anything to grab onto and hoping they were able to project a feeling on top of it. Treating it like a story/narrative helped us succeed.
LBB> What’s harder to cut around – too much material or not enough? (And why?)
Jeff> Cutting around too much material is more challenging because of the endless possibilities that come along with it. Excessive material increases the likelihood of being asked to explore every potential cutting angle by the agency, client or director. It becomes less creative quickly since you’re exhausting yourself by spreading yourself too thin. When working with limited footage, you are forced to problem solve and understanding the limitations of the footage really sparks the creative aspect.
LBB> Which commercial projects are you proudest of and why?
Jeff> I'm most proud of the PGA TOUR Superstore commercial I edited with Carlyn Hudson starring the late Carl Weathers. The agency, Tombras, granted us the creative freedom to be wacky and zany and throughout the editing process, their creatives fully embraced and supported our vision.
Typically, agencies focus on product shots based on financial statistics but for this project, the priority was creating the weirdest and best spot possible to highlight Carl Weathers’ performance. The client completely approved our approach.
LBB> There are so many different platforms for film content now, and even in advertising something can last anything from a few seconds to a couple of hours. As an editor, are you seeing a change in the kind of projects you’re getting from brands and agencies?
Jeff> The biggest change I've seen in the last several years is a strong push towards branded content. Many companies are now investing in in-house creative teams dedicated to content creation. Whether it's a web series spotlighting a shoe store exclusively selling Nike footwear or a short mockumentary featuring a fictional spokesperson for the Ford Bronco, there’s a current trend of experimentation and attempting to cut out external agencies (or at least relying on their internal agency to avoid too many cooks in the kitchen).
LBB> Who are your editing heroes and why? What films or spots epitomise good editing for you?
Jeff> My editing heroes are people that I've actually met and/or worked with. Isaac Hagy, Andrew Fitzgerald and Andy Young to name a few. Witnessing the joy and bliss these people have while editing a project is beautiful. Love and compassion are essential qualities that make a good editor. Without those, you can feel the distaste and annoyance through the deliverables.
