Why Eden Read Loves the Challenge of a Great Edit

Eden Read is a London-based film editor, represented by The Assembly Rooms. With a background in music videos, her trademark rhythm and sense of storytelling have opened up doors to collaborations with many high-profile artists, including Sampha, Mura Masa, and The Last Dinner Party for directors Caleb Femi, The Reids, and Harv Frost.

Since winning the coveted Young Arrow award for editing and being recognised as a New Talent finalist at this year’s Creative Circle, her portfolio of advertising work continues to grow alongside close collaborators such as Priya Ahluwalia, Freddie Paxton, and Loona Riia Kasemets.

Her latest work for Nike and Spotify is the culmination of her craft so far; a testament to her ongoing interest in branded stories that celebrate and explore womanhood.

Eden sat down with LBB to discuss her recent work for Nike and Spotify, the value in bringing emotions to the edit, and her experience working with Mura Masa…

LBB> The first cut is the deepest: how do you like to start an editing project?

Eden> I think each project is different. It depends on the project's format, but it typically begins with reading a treatment/storyboards/script and holding a call with the director to create a game plan.

Every director works differently, so it's essential to have an initial chat to get the ideas flowing. Then I’ll usually watch references – anything mentioned by the director or something that pops into my head that I think is similar. I often make notes so I can see if there's anything I can take from the references to apply to the edit.

Then once I have the rushes, I like to over prep. I watch everything, using markers and labels to make notes of what I like or dislike, any issues, or anything that can be useful. Usually, I start assembling a cut in my head at that point.

I take another peek at the project outline and any references, then I begin selecting with those in mind. I refer back to any notes I've made throughout the process and usually assemble a cut pretty quickly from there.

LBB> Non-editors often think of editing just in technical terms, but it’s integral to the emotion and mood of a film. How did you develop that side of your craft?

Eden> I think anyone who knows me would say I'm quite an emotional person – editors usually are. I think it's key to spotting things or carving out a story that maybe another person wouldn't. I would say that part comes a bit more naturally to me. I think my job is about 70% talking – sometimes my clients and I have really deep chats about our lives, and we bond over that. Safety is so important when you are working on someone's project (often it's their baby), so having a space where you can talk freely about anything only benefits the work, really. Communication and trust are part of what make a really good edit.

LBB> How important is an understanding of story and the mechanics of story?

Eden> It's so important! Understanding what story you are trying to tell is vital to editing.

How you get there is something you work out in the editing process, but you need to understand your end goal, which is the narrative and how it conveys feelings.

I think if you ever feel stuck, research and references are your best friends to help you understand a story and push a narrative.

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?

Eden> I love cutting to music. For someone whose movement and rhythm don't come naturally to them, I've found rhythm when editing by looking at it more as a feeling.

Music often makes us feel a certain type of way, and anytime I look at rushes, I always feel a strong sense of which visuals match up to which bit of music. It's more of a feeling for and something that improves with practice.

I also love looking at the waveform of a track and studying the different dips in it. That's always a good place to start when working out where to cut, but sometimes it's more of creating a sense of emotion, and a track and visuals go hand in hand when doing that. Other times, you just have to fiddle around and see what lands!

Cutting to a track is fun and should be treated as such; it's experimental, really!

LBB> Tell us about a recent editing project that involved some interesting creative challenges.

Eden> Recently, I cut a music video directed by The Reids at Anonymous content for their long-time collaborator Mura Masa.

I met Will and Ed Reid over a year ago, and we became friends first before collaborators. Often, you become friends with your directors after working together, so it was a first for me to work this way round!

I've always loved their work, and I'm a big Mura fan, so it was a dream come true. It was a VERY quick turnaround edit, about three days, which always puts the pressure on.

I spent the first day alone assembling a cut; the takes were for the full length of the track, and they weren't choreographed with the idea to cut in a non-linear style. When reviewing the footage, which was shot by the twins (who had no camera operator experience), I had to find moments of clarity in what was quite spontaneous footage with no tightly edited sequence to follow.

It took a lot of trial and error at this point. Even though the movements didn't need to match, they still needed to have some kind of flow, which was tricky but something that just kept taking shape as the days went on.

Will and Ed came in for a first initial session, and we worked together to build on top of that first assembly cut. In our second and final session, Mura came in, and we just kept chipping away at it. It really transformed in that final session.

The track was so great to cut to. Mura really brought a sense of sweaty, sexy energy to it, which we wanted to get across in the edit, being hot for yourself! Working with the Reids was so fun; their energy is infectious. It was a fast turn and a couple of late nights, but I'm very happy with the outcome, so worth it!

LBB> How important is your relationship with the director, and how do you approach difficult conversations when there is a creative difference of opinion?

Eden> Having a good relationship with your director is SO important. Often, they are the person who brought you onto the project, so you need to honour that by working to the best of your ability and making sure you communicate at all times.

When it comes to a creative difference of opinion, it's about knowing what hill to die on. You might think from your editing perspective it's not the best idea, but it's your job to explain that in a way that doesn't offend anyone.

I think learning that often these creative differences don't affect the project that much overall, and that the relationship is more important, vital to a good editing experience. Be honest and voice your opinion for sure, but don't be too upset if it gets shot down. It's not personal!

LBB> What’s harder to cut around – too much material or not enough?

Eden> Ooh, each comes with its own challenges, and a challenge I love!

I think there are always clever ways to use less footage, particularly in the promo world. You can flip it, reverse it, crop in, etc. Sometimes projects like that are the ones that force you to be more creative.

That being said, too much footage can be so fun to cut with; the possibilities are endless.

However, it can sometimes feel like you are doing a disservice when you can't fit everything in.

LBB> Which commercial projects are you proudest of and why?

Eden> My latest spot for Nike and Spotify is the hardest edit I've done to date and the one I'm most proud of.

The project is designed to get girls moving to the soundtrack of a Nike x Spotify ‘Make Moves’ playlist, helping them find their own sense of enjoyment and belonging in sport while unlocking confidence, joy, and self-expression, which is proven to have a profound and positive impact on mental wellbeing.

It's a montage piece with three shoot days, endless cuts and versions, and a final edit that I feel really pleased with. Editing anything that has a strong meaning behind it is always so special, but the fact that this was led by a team of mostly women made it even more special!

I worked closely with the director, Loona Riia Kasemets, over a month-long period, alongside the producers and agency, to really get the edits in a sharp place where both Nike and Spotify were happy. It was such an interesting process, I really learnt so much, and I feel like I really pushed the boundaries of my editing skills.

I look forward to hopefully working with that whole team again.

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?

Eden> One thing I'm noticing is that often people want Instagram and TikTok-friendly edits, even if it's just a shorter edit that lives on a story, it's almost always in a deliverables list nowadays.

It makes sense as it's the most used social media platform, so lots of different eyes will be on it.

LBB> Who are your editing heroes and why? What films or spots epitomise good editing for you?

Eden> What initially drew me to The Assembly Rooms was the partners and their work. It varied from short form to long form, and I was fascinated that their individual style and flair came across in their work, so when I joined three years ago, I couldn't believe my luck, really.

I've always been more of a short-form editor. Outside of The Assembly Rooms, I've always loved Carla Luff and Ellie Johnson’s work. It's always inspiring to see women kill it in the editing world. I also love Paul Watts’ work; his ability to go between long and short form is incredible (‘The Zone Of Interest’ blew me away). It's funny, even though all the work he does is different, I feel like you always know when he's edited a bit of work. I think that's the same with all really good editors; they bring individuality to it.

Film-wise, ‘Requiem for a Dream’ is one of the best edited films of all time! I also just watched ‘Knight of Cups’, and I thought that was very well edited, even though I'm not sure I 100% understood it lol.

LBB> Have you noticed any trends or changes in commercial editing over recent years?

Eden> Going back a bit to what I touched on earlier, is that everyone wants short, snappy social media edits now. The way we digest content and advertising has changed, and our attention span is dwindling. I have noticed some social media trends seep into advertising, so I’m intrigued what the future holds.