Mike Hopkins – Film and TV Editor

Mobile: 07790 962 876

Professional Summary:
An experienced Film and TV Editorwith an extensive track record of driving the delivery of creative and quality productionswhich fulfil narrative requirements across drama ,documentaries and commercials. Spearheading the full editing lifecycle from conception, storyboarding and post-production to enable delivery, often within challenging schedules; shaping and developing soundtracks, adding an artistic viewpoint to mould vital emotional content and enhance overall productions; managing people, processes and systems to drive at-pace delivery of small and large editing projects; and collaborating with stakeholders, including world renowned Directors and Producers, to produce BAFTA award winning content with global distribution.
Key Expertise:
  • Narrative Creation & Storytelling
  • Avid Systems
  • Digital Effects
  • Pre-Production Reviews
  • Delivery Focused
/
  • Drama / Documentaries
  • Commercials
  • Feature Films
  • Sound Effects and Music
  • Project and Stakeholder Management

Career Highlights:
  • The BBC commissioned a new series of the award winning programme, Doctor Who. Engaged as Editor to deliver a dynamic and engaging edit. Liaised with special effects (gained CGI experience) to understand planning preparation of technical requirements managed diverse stakeholders with varying agendas; supervised Assistant Editor; compiled footage to BBC broadcast technical standards: assisted with music selection; and succeeded in delivering an enthralling final edit to exacting standards and strict budget.
  • An independent production company, Jolene Productions were producing a comedy feature film set in Wales (‘Black Mountain Poets’). Tasked as Editor to edit high volume of improvised footage. Utilised creative skills & storytelling to build engaging narrative; demonstrated close attention to detail to accurately manage timings;worked closely with Director to hone the film for pacing and comedy in long format: and shaped material into cohesive film. Succeeded in delivering final edit to budget, enabling film to achieve ‘Critic’s Choice Award’ at Edinburgh ,Dublin and Luxembourg BIFS Film Festivals
  • Fiction Factory, an independent company was producing a documentary / drama about the search for the poetic soul of Wales(‘Dal Yma/Nawr’). Engaged as Editor to create layered visual and sound interpretation of poetry both historical and contemporary. Worked alongside 7 Creative Directors; demonstrated patience and precision; communicated diplomatically with range of stakeholders; and created eye-catching edit encapsulating message of the company and product. Succeeded in achieving BAFTA Wales Best Editor Award.

Current Role:
1995 to date: Freelance Film and TV Editor
  • Extensive experience operating as a Freelance Film and TV Editor, delivering assignments for a number of high profile clients including BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Sky as well as independent companies including Touchpaper, Tidy, Indus , Boom Pictures and Fiction Factory.
  • Assignments focus on a variety of projects delivering highly crafted programme content with engaging narratives. Below is a list of notable assignments completed during this period (in no particular order and not all are listed).

Notable Assignments:
  • Feature Length Drama: Engaged to edit a number of feature length one-off drama’s including, ‘The Flint Street Nativity’ a 75 minute Film Drama with ITV Network Director, Marcus Mortimer and ‘Wall Of Tyranny’ a 105 minute action adventure. Columbia Pictures Worldwide Distribution Director, Desmond Davies. “To Each His Own” ITV Network. Director: Moira Armstrong. “On the Tracks” Ruth Jones, Tidy Productions.
  • Black Comedy Drama: Edited the BAFTA award winning, ‘Being Human’ written by Toby Whitehouse for BBC3. Worked alongside Drama Director: Colin Teague and Producer Matthew Bouch.
  • Sci-Fi Drama: Initially engaged as Editor on the “Torchwood series, further engaged to edit Doctor Who and ‘Sarah Jane Adventures’ Special and Series. Producers: Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner Phil Collinson
  • Comedy Drama: Main Editor on ‘Stella’ Sky’s top billing Comedy. Directors: Tony Dow Ashley Way and Simon Deleaney. Producers: Spencer Campbell , Ruth Jones
  • Observational Documentaries: Engaged to work on a number of observational documentaries including ‘Posh Pawn’, ‘GT Academy’ and ‘Summer in Wales’. Handled large volumes of footage to creatively produce powerful narrative, intuitively selecting moments, comments and actions to build storyline. Worked alongside award winning ProducersCeri Roberts.
  • One-Off Documentaries: include BBC4 series, ‘Legends’ utilising archive footage and interviews to deliver ‘Roll over Beethoven’ –Chess Records, “The Life of James Last”. Other BBC 4 features include “The Most Incredible thing about Contemporary Dance’ “Young Musician of the Year “ 2012 and 2014
  • Commercials: Edited commercials and promotional films for leading brands including Photobox, Glasses Direct, Hungry House,Moonpig,National Botanic Gardens of Wales, Learning Direct, Nationwide Swalec etc. Demonstrated ability to create a story in short-form format with strict and demanding criteria.

1981 to 1995: ITV: Editor
  • Initially hired as Assistant Editor to work across a wide genre including news, current affairs, magazine, events ,arts ,sport and music .
  • Promoted in 1984 to Editor with progression to one off documentaries and drama series.

1980 to 1981: BBC: Trainee Assistant Editor
  • Hired as Trainee Assistant Editor, worked on a number of high profile programmes including ‘Wildlife on One’, ‘Omnibus’ and ‘Horizon.

Qualifications and Training
  • Newport Film School: Diploma in Documentary Film-making

Credits / Awards
2016: ‘Black Mountain Poets’: Official Selection at SXSW Texas
2015: ‘Black Mountain Poets’: Best Feature Film Edinburgh Festival Critics Award,
Best Feature Film, Dublin Critics Award,
Best Feature Film, BIFS Luxembourg Critics Award
2014: ‘Homing Bird’: BAFTA UK nomination, Best Short
2013: ‘Three Days’: BAFTA Wales nomination, Best Short
2012: ‘Gwaith Cartref’: BAFTA Wales nomination, Best Editor
2010: ‘Drowning of a Village’: BAFTA Wales nomination, Best Drama/Documentary
2010: ‘Being Human’: Broadcasting Press Guild Award nomination, Best Drama Series
2010: ‘Being Human’: BAFTA UK nomination, Best Drama Series
2009: ‘Doctor Who’: BAFTA Wales nomination, Best Drama Series
2009: ‘Sarah Jane Adventures’: BAFTA Wales nomination, Best Children’s Drama Series
2008: ‘Sarah Jane Adventures’, RTS nomination, Best Children’s Drama Series
2007: ‘Torchwood’: BAFTA Wales nomination, Best Drama Series
2005: ‘Texteral Attraction’: BAFTA UK nomination, Best Interactive Short
2003: ‘Dal Yma/Nawr’ - Here/ Now: BAFTA Wales nomination: Best Editor
2003: ‘Dal Yma/Nawr’ - Here/ Now: BAFTA Wales nomination, Best Drama/Documentary
Qualifications and Training
  • Newport Film School: Diploma in Documentary Film-making

Personal Details:
  • Location: Cardiff, Wales
  • Website and portfolio:
  • Driving Licence: Full UK clean