Edit. Write. Teach. Learn.

There’s a quote by T. S. Eliot, “Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.” And after getting dropped from my first TV writing job, I spent a while thinking that I was a failed writer. Where do ideas come from? How do you tell a story and give it surprises, twists and climaxes?... Read More

Edit. Write. Teach. Learn.

There’s a quote by T. S. Eliot, “Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.” And after getting dropped from my first TV writing job, I spent a while thinking that I was a failed writer. Where do ideas come from? How do you tell a story and give it surprises, twists and climaxes? For a while, I was lost. So I decided to improve my storytelling in any way I could. 

My journey took me to the Royal Court Theatre where I learned writing for the stage. In Brighton, I went to monthly workshops to write scripts for film and TV. I wrote a feature script and borrowed from Dogme 95 to shoot it with friends on a digital video camera. And that is when I discovered editing.

My first try at editing was when I cut my feature. I couldn’t afford to hire an editor so had to do it myself. If it took me two weeks to shoot the film, it took over a year to edit. 

But working in post-production taught me many things about storytelling, and writing too, that gave me excitement again. I cut TV shows for the Discovery Channel, pilots for Australian Broadcasting Corporation, corporate promos and showreels. Later, I worked freelance as a self-shooting director and editor, working with clients Sony BMG and BAFTA, plus film directors Alan Parker and Hugh Hudson.

And then came teaching. First, with 12-15 year olds in a scheme run by the UK Film Council and later, as a visiting lecturer at Solent University. I already had a passion for learning and found the same for teaching. Part-timing at Solent became a full time role, and I was soon promoted to course leader for the BA (Hons) Television Production and BA (Hons) Post Production for Film & TV degrees. 

Now, after 14 years of teaching and nearly 25 years of post production, I wish to return to full time editing. I have a storytelling itch I need to scratch.

Find out more at https://kieronbutler.myportfolio.com Read Less