You studied Politics and Journalism. How did those fields shape your journey towards becoming an editor, and do you find those skills influencing your work today?

I had no plans to work in TV or in editing but I studied Media Law as part of my journalism course which led me to apply for a job as Compliance Producer for The History Channel. I somehow got the job despite not knowing anything about TV (my first meeting there was about aspect ratios and it was like they were speaking a different language!)

After a couple of years of viewing shows for Ofcom compliance and attending edits to make changes, my editor let me have a go on the Avid myself – and the rest is history. I asked if I could move across to the edit department as an Edit Assistant, learnt Avid on my night shifts and eventually left History after 9 years having worked my way up to Senior Editor – all because of journalism!

Editing and journalism are both basically story-telling so I think having that background really helps when I’m looking for what the story is in the rushes and how to piece it together in an interesting way. Politics has had less of a direct impact on my career – when I asked my current Edit Producer what I should say in answer to this he said that I had an analytical way of approaching an edit so maybe that comes from writing essays on politics?

What was the turning point or project in your career that made you feel like you’d truly mastered the skills of a senior editor?

As a Senior Editor at A+E Networks (The History Channel) I mainly worked as an Online Editor and when I was asked to grade and online one of the few in-house made documentaries I knew I must be doing something right. I was used to onlining and grading promos but this was much bigger, and something that they would usually have gone out of house for. It definitely made me realise how far I’d come and that I’d earned the respect of my colleagues despite my lack of TV knowledge coming into the company.

Can you tell us about a project that pushed you outside your comfort zone and helped you grow as an editor?

Probably the project that really pushed me most was working on Undercover Girlfriends for TwoFour. It was one of my first Offline freelance jobs and I was working away from home – down in Plymouth – so there was an extra pressure that I had gone all that way, didn’t know anyone and had to prove myself. I made it through and it taught me so much about editing – through having a great team around me – and about myself – from working away from home. I still find most projects push me outside my comfort zone (there’s nowhere to hide in editing!) but that also means every project helps me grow as an Editor too.

Do you have a particular genre or type of content that you gravitate towards?

I do love Reality shows and have naturally ended up working on a lot of them because of that. I find the genre interesting and it can be more fun to work on than other shows because you can often push the boundaries to make a story work, which is great for an editor.

Sarah Caudrey for the Lifetime series The Proposers

As someone who works with fine details and long hours in front of a screen, how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?

I am very keen on keeping a good work-life balance. I know that my work will suffer if I don’t take the time to decompress and let my mind wander outside of work – some of the best ideas I’ve had for how to make a scene work have come to me at lazy weekends, rather than going over and over it on the screen. I exercise every morning before work which sets up my mental health for the day and I take a break, even if it’s a 5-minute walk around the block, at lunch. In general, I think the time away from work is as valuable to my productivity and creativity as my time in work. That’s not to say I don’t work hard when I’m at work, but the balance is key.

With so many great editors in the industry, how do you make sure your personal editing style stands out?

I love to collaborate with my Edit Producer and edit team, and really take an interest in the subject I am editing – whether it be the couples on 90 Day Fiancé UK (all of whom I still follow-on social media!) or the processes in Gold Rush: White Water. I’m happy to discuss, question and make suggestions about the narrative so that we can work together to make the best story. I also love watching TV so I bring that love to the edit. I like to understand it as a viewer, seeing what works and what doesn’t and understanding what I would want to watch as a fan as well as what I think will draw in the viewers.

Do you have any rituals or techniques that help you switch off after a long editing day and recharge your creativity?

People are always surprised that I still watch TV at home after a long day editing, but I love it! I find it recharges and inspires me. I’m a terrible sleeper though so it’s all about ending the screen time early and reading before bed to wind down, which I find is also another great way to get the creativity flowing.

What’s your go-to spot in London when you need a burst of inspiration or just want to unwind?

I mostly leave London to unwind! But in London I love to go somewhere green – I live opposite Wimbledon Common and find walking amongst the trees there clears my mind and helps me unwind.

What’s one misconception about being a freelance editor that you’d like to debunk?

That you always have to work crazy long hours to get recognised as having done a good job. I am happy to work longer hours if the project demands it, but not just because that’s what you’re “supposed to do” as a freelancer. I have never missed a deadline and on my current project we are ahead of schedule – I haven’t worked any late nights or weekends to get it done, just focused on work when I’m there. If your work is good, you care about it, take it seriously and it gets done no one should feel like they have to work long hours, which I know a lot of freelancers worry about.

Sarah Caudrey for the Lifetime series of Bonnie & Clyde

If you could edit a piece of media that changed the world, past or present, what would it be and why?

I would love to have edited the documentary Blackfish – it’s beautifully made, with great footage and very creative in its storytelling. It also drew attention to issues in keeping animals in captivity. I’ve never met anyone who’s seen it who wasn’t moved and changed by it.

If you could collaborate with your dream client or brand, who would it be, and why?

I don’t have a specific client or brand, but I have a huge love of documentaries and try to go to Sheffield Doc Fest as often as possible, as well as finding good ones at the London Film Festival, so I would love to collaborate on a ground breaking or interesting subject in a feature length documentary.

Click here to see Sarah’s showreel, and please contact a member of our team if you would like to work with him.