Make or Break offers behind-the-scenes access and intimate deep dive into the aspirations, challenges, accomplishments and personal lives of the surfers who compete to remain on the elite 2021 Men’s and Women’s WSL CT, and takes viewers on a journey to stunning surfing locations across the globe. The series follows the 2021 competition, navigating as the league responds to the global pandemic, while exploring the dynamic surfing culture along with timely issues, including diversity, mental health and the physical impact of the sport.
We caught up with Franco who said “It was particularly enjoyable cutting all the high energy surfing sequences, it was fun editing. There were a lot of cameras and sound feeds, so it would take a bit of time to unpick all of that. There was also a lot of stuff shot, so it would take a long time to go through it to find the good bits of actuality and character stuff to cut the non action sequences. But there was a big team of assistants there to help us with that, and there was a good schedule, so it was all doable. I used to surf, so for me it was a real treat to work on”.
Charlie commented “ Really enjoyed working for Box to Box on this challenging but very rewarding series. Each episode is gripping and you get some great insights from the best surfers in the world”.
Jayesh said Make or Break was an amazing sports series to work. I didn’t know much about surfing before working on the series but it was a great learning curve! Our goal in the edit was to first and foremost tell a human story about each of the competitors and weave this with the incredible mental and physical challenges they faced on the surf. It was a really enjoyable experience and hopefully Make or Break will introduce surfing to a wider global audience. I worked on the women’s episode, featuring world champion Stephanie Gilmore. The story of Stephanie’s long term and ground breaking success was cut against new and younger women who were ready to take the world championship crown. The two approaches to surfing, old school elegance vs new aggressive power, gave this episode a unique narrative angle.
Make or Break is set to premiere on Friday 29th April on Apple TV
The lovely Jane McDonald goes on a road trip through the American state, beginning by picking up her car in Orlando and heading off for a self-kayaking excursion at Rock Springs in Kelly Park. She also heads to Walt Disney World Resort with her old pal Sara-Lee and her friend Alice, before finishing her trip by swimming with manatees in Crystal River in Citrus County.
Aidansaid “A great team have been working tirelessly to deliver the show, of which I’ve enjoyed being a part. Editing Jane McDonald is a bit of a joy, as she’s always got a solid soundbyte up her sleeve, along with her irrepressible Wakefield charm”.
Glennedited the Florida Keys episode and said it was a great team to work with and the episode is stunning.
Willsaid I’ve really enjoyed working on the Miami episode of Jane McDonald. It’s been a fast turnaround but the team have been great and the footage of Miami has been lovely to work with…. Miami Nice!”
I think we will all be booking our holidays after this one!
Can boxing turn around the lives of a group of young adults? The world-renowned actor, musician and activist Idris Elba takes on eight young Brits, each with unique challenging, personal stories and one thing in common: they want to better their future. In this life-changing and highly personal project, Idris wants this intensive course of boxing training to help arm his recruits with discipline, ambition and mental resilience, enabling them to acquire new life skills – and ultimately change their lives.
Will they be able to compete in an official amateur fight at one of the world’s most iconic boxing venues, after just 5 months of training?
Editor Steven Struthers told us that “ Working on Idris Elba’s Fight School was a great opportunity. To work on this extraordinary story, that faced delays due to pandemic restrictions and see it through to the end has been challenging and rewarding. As an editor being able to attend the final day of shooting, the fight night at York Hall was an experience in itself, and to bring that journey alive was a privilege”.
Abraham worked across the series on Ep 1, 2 and 3 and his first episode set the tone and style for the series. He really enjoyed the project and has been showing off with pictures of him and Idris together! He felt lucky that he could work on a series that was so rich in themes such as relationships, mental health and knife crime. He particularly enjoyed cutting an emotional scene which shows Idris opening up about losing his dad which in turn helped a young man then open up abut his own trauma. Ab’s said “Idris is a really nice guy, he was totally invested in the wellbeing of the young people and it was a great series to work on that ended up being about so much more then boxing”.
Episode one will air Sunday 17th April 9pm on BBC2.
Extreme Athlete and well-being coach Wim Hof has made a name for himself by accomplishing incredible feats of endurance that earned him the nickname ‘The Iceman’.
In this brand new series produced by Hungry Bear Media and presented by Wim Hof superfan Holly Willoughby and comedian Lee Mack, eight soul-searching celebrities have chose to take on jaw-dropping challenges in sub-zero temperatures under his guidance.
They will test their bodies and minds under intense conditions to reap the rewards of cold-water therapy and demonstrating the vast potential of the human mind. This series is like nothing seen before and promises genuine reality, high drama, jeopardy, and plenty of laughs along the way.
Tim Fielding was part of the team of editors who brought this series to life, cutting heart-warming but bone chilling stories throughout the show. He said “Freeeze The Fear was a show I’d been looking forward to for a long time. As someone obsessed by the outdoors, I was looking forward to getting my hands on the footage from the Italian mountains and it did not disappoint. The director Josh Jacob’s did a superb job and we had lots of toys to play with like FPV drone, loads of timelapse & a Phantom 1000fps camera, which made the challenges in iced water look superb.”
Watch it every Tuesday at 9pm on BBC One or catch up on iPlayer
Directed by Sam Collins Executive Producers: Keith Haviland & Mark Stewart
Western Edge Pictures for the BBC Two
The Gazza documentary has been bubbling away as an idea since 2014 when editor Graham Taylor and director Sampson Collins first discussed the possibility of the film.
Over the next five years Graham and Sam began to find the shape for an archive film as more pieces of the puzzle fell into place and then with the BBC coming on board to provide the best possible outlet for the film, lending their journalistic integrity to the project. With pressure on public figures more intense than ever, Graham and Sam shaped the narrative into a commentary on today’s culture as much as on a previous era. What emerged is a cautionary tale of the curse of fame and the commodification of people’s lives into entertainment, or for personal gain, regardless of the consequences.
We spoke to Graham who said “editing the film was key to actually understanding the story, as the more we weaved the stories together, the more we found out what film we were making. Taking on the life of an icon is always tough, and people will bring their own expectations to the story. But in the end you have to chose what story you want to tell, and what the life of your subject tells you about the world we live in. The resulting film is bold and subversive, yet warm and nostalgic, asks more questions than it answers and was a dream project for a documentary film editor.”
Gazza airs at 9pm on Wednesday 13th April 2022 on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Produced by Quizzical Pictures (SA) and Serena Cullen Productions (UK) – originally for MNET (SA) Freemantle (UK)
Directed by Zee Nthuli and Catharine Cooke.
Channel 4
Channel 4 has acquired South African detective drama The Cane Field Killings, otherwise known as Reyka starring Kim Engelbrecht (Bullet Proof, The Flash, Eye in the Sky) and Iain Glen (Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey). The eight-episode series, which launched last year to rave reviews in South Africa, will launch on Channel 4 on 10th April 2022 at 10pm. All episodes will then be available on All 4.
The Cane Field Killings tells the story of a brilliant criminal profiler, Reyka Gama, who is struggling to comes to terms with her dark past. Having been abducted as a child by farmer Angus Speelman (Iain Glen), Reyka now channels that traumatic experience to enter into the mindset of Africa’s most notorious criminals. The series follows her investigation into a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer in the sugar cane fields of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.
Melanie Goldenedited Catharine Cookes Episodes – episodes 3, 4, 6 and 8. “Catharine and I have been an edit/director team for over 10 years now – wow!! From the first time we worked together, we clicked. She has become one of my extremely close friends on top of a director I adore editing with.As we have complete trust in each other, it allows the edit to be a place to push our story and characters to new levels. Creatively we are always on the same “vibe” and have long chats about moments, characters, music – we keep discovering as we edit”
The post production on The Cane Field Killings was a collaboration across the globe! Catharine based in Johannesburg SA, Melanie based in Weymouth UK, Zee and Matt in Cape Town SA and the producers, a mix of in SA and UK. Melanie has some interesting insights to the edit process “As Cath and I have such an established relationship, the edit was run the same as it would be if we were together. I will get a full episode cut, with sound and scratch music in place ( best way to sell any crazy ideas I may have) and then she will watch. We will go through it, make notes ( for this over Zoom) and I do the next round and so on. We all had a very clear vision for the show before filming started from characters, filming style, edit style, music – it was a solid team”.
Melanie enjoyed working on the project and explained “I loved the characters – all a bit messed up- which is real, makes for deeper characters”. I loved that we got to allow the textures of the characters and surroundings to play out within scenes- it was something discussed up front”.
The Cane Field Killings will launch on Channel 4 on 10th April 2022 at 10pm
DNA Journey’s is back for a second series! This heart-warming ITV show takes celebrities around the world on a quest to discover where they come from and unearth secrets from their past. Cutting edge DNA technology and genealogy will uncover the truth behind their bloodlines, as well as coming face to face with living relatives they never knew existed.
Editor Steve Flatt cut two episodes from this series as well working on series 1. Steve said “I always enjoy working on DNA, the challenge is trying to make it entertaining, and condensing the stories down”. He worked on the Torvill and Dean episode as well as the Anne Hegerty and Shaun Wallace (The Chase) episode.
The nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards have been announced! These awards recognise and celebrate the very best of television broadcast in the UK in 2021 and we are very proud to see numerous programmes cut by our editors have been selected on this year’s shortlist.
The Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards ceremony takes place on Sunday 8 May on BBC One and BBC One HD.
Daytime
The Chase (ITV) Andrew Wattersis an expert editor on this programme as he has worked on it for several years including the 2021 nominated series.
Specialist factual
The Missing Children (ITV) Ella Newtonedited this poignant and important feature length documentary about the scandal of Ireland’s Missing Children at the Tuam mother and baby home.
Reality and constructed factual
Married at First Sight UK (E4) Jack Brown,Chris Naggs, Ian Smith and Mike Kerr all worked on this series where singletons, matched by a panel of experts, marry a total stranger who they meet for the very first time on their wedding day.
Comedy entertainment programme
Race Around Britain (Munz Made It/YouTube) Hettie Griffiths worked on this comedy travelogue which follows Munya Chawawa as he travels the UK and uses his quick-witted comedy to have real conversations with different communities about race in Britain.
Features
Sort Your Life Out (BBC One) Ben Burgess edited an episode from this life-style series which is presented by Stacey Solomon.
The Great British Sewing Bee (BBC One) Belle Borgeaud and Tom Savage were editors on this beloved series where amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain’s best home sewer.
Live event
The Brit Awards 2021 (ITV) James Cheetham has worked on several of The Brit Awards including the 2021 awards.
Congratulations to all the nominees! Tune in on the 8th May to see the ceremony.
Ever kept a toy in its box to make sure it’s pristine? Or looked for that vintage doll you had when you were a tot, that doesn’t exist anymore? In this new 10-part observational doc series, BBC Studios goes behind the scenes at Vectis Toys Auctioneers in County Durham where buyers and sellers from all over the world come to trade vintage and limited edition toys.
In collaboration with UKTV, the series discovers how toys are valued and catalogued ahead of their weekly auctions, taking viewers on a nostalgic journey back to their favourite childhood toys, from Sindy dolls and Thunderbirds figures, to Matchbox cars and treasured teddies and meeting the passionate people selling the treasured collections they’ve amassed over decades.
Andreas Torner commented: ‘it was a great programme to work on, with editors and producers logging in remotely from all over the UK and Europe. The world of Vectis auction house, which the series revolves around, is a real treasure trove of extraordinary toys and people. Part social history and part human interest, it’s a fascinating look into the age-old human urge to collect.’
The first episode, recommended by to watch by The Times is on tonight on Yesterday Channel at 9pm.
We are delighted to report that ‘Blair & Brown: The New Labour Revolution’ has won best documentary series at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards on Friday.
Jen Hampson edited episode one in which we witness the start of the young MPs’ careers and the inception of the idea for the New Labour party.
A huge congratulations to Jen and all those involved in making this insightful series!
Editor: Jake Lofdahl Exec Producers: Benjamin Turner & Leo Pearlman Fulwell 73 for Netflix Picture: Netflix Confirmed to be the final season with just three episodes, Sunderland Til I Die returns to Netflix on 13th February. Jake Lofdahl was co-editor on Episode 1. The returning sports ob… Read More
Editor: James Sheldon Exec Producer: Sam Rees-Jones Studio Lambert for Peacock and BBC 12th Jan 2024 The Traitors USA Series 2: Peacock. Official Trailer This immensely popular show was a real viewings winner and is back for a second series. It’s hosted by Alan Cumming and the US cast… Read More
Nutopia for Netflix Premieres: 29th November Editor: Franco Bogino Director: Ben Steele This documentary series explores the rise and then dramatic downfall of the ‘superstar surgeon’ Paolo Macchiarini. In 2011, Macchiarini was heralded for revolutionizing transplant medicine with his groundbreaking alternative to organ donation , plastic windpipes that seemed… Read More
RSA Films for Netflix Exec Producer: Asif Kapadia & Dominic Crossley-Holland Dir. Joe Pearlman Editor: Jamie Williams Eps 1 & 2 Released 8th November Netflix are calling this this four-part documentary series raw, honest and real. This biopic docuseries looks at British pop superstar, Robbie Williams. One of… Read More
North One for Disney+ 15th November 2023 Exec Producers: Neil Duncanson and Keanu Reeves Editors Matt Lowe, Jayesh Lathia Felix Black and Bahader Mattu This filmic four-part documentary series with Keanu Reeves uses interviews and archive to tell the incredible story of Ross Brawn who led a… Read More
Empress Films for Netflix Director: Marcus Plowright Executive Producer: Emma Cooper Editor: Abraham Teweldebrhan In 1999 BBC presenter Jill Dando was sadly shot dead outside her home in west London, her murder led to a high profile and complex investigation. A suspect, Barry George was convicted and imprisoned for… Read More
Passion Pictures for Amazon Prime Exec Producer: Amy Foster Series Director: Jay Ahmed, Editor: Sarjit Bains Premieres 18th August This four part fly on the wall docuseries delves into the life of Amritpal Singh Dhillon, the self-made superstar known globally as AP Dhillon. He is known for his tracks… Read More
