On Documentary

J. Christian Jensen on the Nuts and Bolts of Documentary Editing

August 21, 2023 Adam James Smith Season 1 Episode 11
J. Christian Jensen on the Nuts and Bolts of Documentary Editing
On Documentary
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On Documentary
J. Christian Jensen on the Nuts and Bolts of Documentary Editing
Aug 21, 2023 Season 1 Episode 11
Adam James Smith

On this last episode of season one, I talk with professional documentary editor and filmmaker J. Christian Jensen. In 2015, after graduating from the documentary program at Stanford, Christian was nominated for an Academy Award for his film “White Earth." Since then, he has built a distinguished career as a documentary editor working on an array of films for various leading directors. In this episode, Christian gets into the nuts and bolts of editing and what work as an editor looks like today. 

 White Earth website: www.whiteearthmovie.com 

Scenes from the Glittering World: www.www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/scenes-from-the-glittering-world

Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to keep up to date with new episodes. If you enjoy this podcast, please leave a review.

“On Documentary” podcast page: www.adamjamessmithfilm.com/on-documentary
Adam James Smith’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/ajsfilm
Contact: ajsfilm@alumni.stanford.edu

Show Notes Chapter Markers

On this last episode of season one, I talk with professional documentary editor and filmmaker J. Christian Jensen. In 2015, after graduating from the documentary program at Stanford, Christian was nominated for an Academy Award for his film “White Earth." Since then, he has built a distinguished career as a documentary editor working on an array of films for various leading directors. In this episode, Christian gets into the nuts and bolts of editing and what work as an editor looks like today. 

 White Earth website: www.whiteearthmovie.com 

Scenes from the Glittering World: www.www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/scenes-from-the-glittering-world

Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to keep up to date with new episodes. If you enjoy this podcast, please leave a review.

“On Documentary” podcast page: www.adamjamessmithfilm.com/on-documentary
Adam James Smith’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/ajsfilm
Contact: ajsfilm@alumni.stanford.edu

Introduction
Why Christian decided to become an editor
How Christian made a start in his career
How Christian decides what films to edit
Christian's editing setup
Christian daily and weekly editing routines
Taking breaks from the edit
Editing flow state
How Christian organizes a project
Making a start on an edit
Planning out the edit
Working through various cuts
How to know when to stop editing
Advice for directors from an editor's p.o.v.
Christian's advice for new editors
Christian's favorite editors
Christian's favorite films he has edited
Christian may return to directing
Links