Our Editors | IATSE Damn Good Editors

Daria Ellerman

One of the many recent achievements of multi-award nominated editor Daria Ellerman was to see her work on Mina Shum’s feature Mediation Park open the 2017 Vancouver International Film Festival. Daria brings her talent to features, television series and documentaries. Editing comedy – she really loves to laugh at work – is one of her passions and she is skilled at editing music. Editing isn’t just a day job to Daria – she is a founding member of the Canadian Cinema Editors and has been a mentor editor at the acclaimed Banff Centre. When not working, Daria loves jazz music, French food, and travelling.

See Daria's work: IMDB

Jamie Alain

Jamie Alain is a happy man. He loves his job, and has three young kids who, he says, “seem to like him”. Jamie thinks a good editor is someone who listens and absorbs what the footage is saying, what the directors and producers are asking for, and translates all that into something that “sings.” The long list of directors that he’d love to work for include Sean Baker, Denis Villeneuve, Edgar Wright, Bong Joon-Ho, and the ghost of Robert Altman.

See Jamie's work: IMDB

Lisa Robison

An acute asthma attack ended Lisa Robison’s 10-year career in the camera department, but it also meant that she discovered her true passion, editing. Lisa believes that her on-set experience is invaluable in the post world that she now works in. The film that made the most impact on Lisa is Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight. She says its originality stopped her in her tracks and helped her realize that she could edit using her instincts. That realization was spot on, and Lisa now has 4 Daytime Emmy nominations, 7 Leo Award wins, and a number of international award nominations to her credit. Her other passions are cycling, her two rescue dogs, and exploring Hawaii and Italy.

See Lisa's work: IMDB

Trevor Mirosh

When Trevor isn’t finding the magic in the film footage from other film projects, he’s filming his own. Of the five award winning short horror films he’s made, The Freeze was screened at festivals across North America in 2017 and 2018. Whatever the project, Trevor relishes his role in shaping the final product. Among his many career highlights, Trevor has worked with editor Dede Allen (The Breakfast Club, Dog Day Afternoon, Bonnie and Clyde). A huge Star Wars fan, Trevor also loves to write film scripts, play hockey, ski, enjoys food and swimming with his two daughters.

See Trevor's work: IMDB

Nicole Ratcliffe

Nicole Ratcliffe first saw the power an edit can have while attending film school. From that moment, her future was determined - she wanted to be an editor. During her almost twenty-year career, she has easily moved from genre to genre. “To me, the single most important part of my work is the story. Whether telling the story through dialogue, reactions, or both, the story has to come first,” says Nicole. While working with directors and producers to assemble exactly what they are looking for, Nicole brings a laid-back, calm and optimistic vibe to her editing suite. When she isn’t editing, Nicole fly fishes with her partner, Tony, and their dog Keegan. She can also be found making resin jewelry for family and friends, and as a lover of horror, creating dark, abstract paintings.

See Nicole's work: IMDB

James Ilecic

Falling asleep to the sounds of his father’s band practising in their basement, James always thought he was destined for a career in music. A spark of cinematic love grew quickly as a teenager watching his favourite TV host Elwy Yost, dissecting classic films each weekend on Saturday Night at the Movies. Years later, James' college cinematography instructor told him, "If you really want to know how to make films, you should learn to edit." Heeding this advice, James called fifteen editors before one took a chance on him and set him on a 25-year career as an editor in Canada and the USA working on comedy, drama and music-oriented genres. In between rainstorms on the Sunshine Coast, James married his wife Andrea and has traveled extensively through North and South America, Australia and Europe. In his down time, James plays guitar, bass, keyboards, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.

See James's work: IMDB

Luis Lam

Luis puts how he feel about his job quite simply: “Being part of the movie industry has been a dream come true.” Luis is acutely aware that editing can make or break a movie and that a great editor always elevates their material. A huge film and TV buff, Luis’ favourite viewing includes The Twilight Zone (for its strange mix of horror, science fiction, drama, comedy and superstition), The Tree of Life (because he felt like he was in someone’s dream), and Six Feet Under (for its drama, comedy, horror and beauty). Luis loves to cook and feed people. At the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, he hands out bagels, lox, and cream cheese to other revellers, just for the sake of it.

See Luis's work: IMDB

Richard Schwadel

Richard loves getting high...soaring on thermals. As a licensed sailplane pilot, he’s flown over 250 miles in one flight and has soared to over 20,000 feet. This intrepidness matches his approach to editing. "It’s my job to bring a fresh set of eyes to every project, and it’s crucial for editors to have a keen understanding of story along with a strong point of view, considering the amount of footage and choices we’re faced with each day.” Richard prides himself on not being pigeon-holed, starting his career in US network comedies, and then moving to dramatic series, and lately, action films. "I’m comfortable moving between genres. I believe great editors have an innate sense of storytelling and can properly craft any story well.” Richard also loves exploring the outdoors, traveling, photography, live jazz, and spending time with his family.

See Richard's work: IMDB

Sabrina Pitre

Sabrina’s love of motion pictures started at a young age with the gift of a digital camera, and a youth spent guerilla filmmaking. Now an award-winning editor who, she says, works from her gut, Sabrina counts Whiplash as a movie she admires greatly: “This is one of the few films where the editing affected me both physically and emotionally – it was beautifully crafted.” Outside of editing, Sabrina loves to soak up exhibits at museums and galleries and hike in the BC wilderness. Oh, and she has a long and impressive list of credits as a voice actor for cartoons!

See Sabrina's work: IMDB

Nancy Rosenblum

Nancy started taking photos at age 7 and quickly graduated to films on her dad’s 8mm Bell and Howell. If she had an editing hero it would be Jill Bilcock, the editor of Baz Luhrmann’s Red Curtain series as well as Muriel’s Wedding, A Cry In The Dark and Elizabeth. Understanding story, character arcs, and pacing are keys to good editing, according to Nancy. When she’s not working, Nancy loves road biking, pickleball, travel, and food. Despite all of her career success, Nancy says that caring for of her mom in the last three months of her life has given her the most satisfaction, made her a more evolved person, and has enriched her editing and all that she does.

See Nancy's work: IMDB

Jacqueline (Jackie) Dzuba

What drew Jackie to editing? It’s simple – editing, she says, is the perfect vantage point for all things film: composition, direction, character, and the design of a good story. A fascination with human psychology and a desire to inject beauty into every job she does, are also hallmarks of Jackie’s work. That formula works for this Gemini award winning editor. Outside of the job Jackie lists among her pastimes, “paranormal hobbyist!”

See Jacqueline's work: IMDB

Brad Rines

This down-to-earth editor started his working life toiling in an aluminum mill. After six years he opted for an education and chose to take film studies – combining his interest in writing and photography. That was a good decision and has led to more than 200 hours of network television to Brad’s credit. Having worked with a multitude of directors, knowing what they are looking for has become second nature. In his spare time, Brad paints and enjoys capturing abstract photography.

See Brad's work: IMDB

Lisa Binkley

The link between the filmmakers that Lisa most admired when growing up was that they were all, at one time, film editors. Known for her compassion and understanding of human nature, Lisa tries to find the hidden truth behind a scene. Thinking outside the box and pinpointing the essence of the story enable Lisa to excel at her craft and her passion for editing has garnered her a Gemini and numerous other. Lisa loves the great outdoors - skiing, hiking, and gardening – where her two German Shepherds are her constant companions.

See Lisa's work: IMDB

Dan Krieger

When first introduced to editing at university, its power immediately fascinated Dan. That fascination grew into a career that he says brought him his greatest satisfaction in life. While cutting, Dan approaches each scene asking “Who’s point of view is this?” and “What is their goal and motivation?” He scours footage for reactions to enhance performances and notes alternatives to suggest while working with directors and producers. He’d loved to have worked on the original Star Wars movies or any fantasy film, like Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. When not cutting, he pursues his other artistic passions - painting and writing.

See Dan's work: IMDB

Gordon Rempel

As a teenager, Gordon was ‘that guy' who worked at the video store, devouring all the stock. As a musician, he knows all about tempo and rhythm. For Gordon, editing captures the essential elements of both those loves. While, he says, he’s the Susan Lucci of editing nominations, he’s managed to raise a firecracker of a daughter, maintained a fabulous marriage, and played in a number of pretty cool bands. Gordon clearly lives life to the full so it’s not surprising that if he had a personal motto it would be “I’ll sleep when I’m dead!”

See Gordon's work: IMDB

David Richardson

You could say that editing is in David’s blood – his father was an Academy nominated editor. With four award wins (Golden Horse x2, Hong Kong Film Award, Asian Film Award) and 20 nominations for feature film and sound design to his name, David has done his father proud. Based in both Vancouver and Thailand, David has worked extensively on North American as well as Asian productions. Not surprisingly, he loves travelling throughout Asia. Creativity, technical knowledge and diplomacy are, says David, the key factors to editing success.

See David's work: IMDB

Jason Pielak

Jason is a happy man. He has a job he loves, a wonderful partner, two awesome kids, and he loves living in Vancouver. Jason is such an admirer of Scorsese – he’d love to see the original footage of Goodfellas so he can see how the masterpiece was crafted – that “Goodfella” is part of his email address! An avid sports fan, Jason actually won tickets to Superbowl 32 via a radio trivia contest – a great payoff for what he describes as all the trivia floating around in his brain.

See Jason's work: IMDB

Eric Hill

Super 8mm Claymation and home movie production introduced Eric to the power of editing. Perseverance, humility, and a willingness to try new things are what makes an accomplished editor says Eric. Eric says that raising a son while working full time in our wacky business is one of his biggest achievements. He has a Shitzu/Poodle/Pomeranian called JD who, apparently, can destroy your self esteem with a glance.

See Eric's work: IMDB

Charles Robichaud

Charles – nominated for two Emmy Awards - took mastering the art of editing so seriously he took acting lessons to learn performance from the other side of the screen. Charles recently edited two series of a TV sit-com and said the experience was so fantastic he’d “do comedy again and again.” Regardless of genre, for Charles, storytelling is a “vast world of insane riches” and he relishes every chance to work with talented crew and directors. Charles lives in the country, keeps chickens and bees, has planted a fair sized and thriving orchard, and gets enormous satisfaction from keeping his wood shed fully stocked and all his tools sharp.

See Charles's work: IMDB

Mark Shearer

Finding the best possible story in any project is Mark’s passion. The technical skills he’s honed and his sociable nature help bridge creative differences to produce the best possible story for a given project. Mark has worked on features, television and short form projects and he’s equally comfortable working in all genres – he just loves exercising his craft. When he’s not in the editing suite, Mark skis, mountain bikes, sails, windsurfs, travels and watches movies. His greatest satisfaction in life? Raising his kids.

See Mark's work: IMDB

Michael Bateman

A farm boy at heart, Michael has strayed a long way from the home range when it comes to his work and life. An accomplished editor and musician, Michael has worked for major film studios in the US and the UK for over 25 years. He's particularly proud of the work he did to help Marcel Ophuls complete his documentary, The Memory of Justice, about the Nuremburg Trials, the Vietnam War and the nature of war atrocity. Michael manages to combine his perfectionism with a huge sense of fun and a wide range of interests. He makes his own films, restores cars, is an accomplished finish carpenter, sings baritone in a charity show choir and has an amazing collection of Cooke, Leica and Switar lenses.

See Michael's work: IMDB

Garry MB Smith

Garry is an explorer; he spent a year walking the west to the east coast of Africa including traversing the Sahara Desert. This adventurousness can be seen in his editing. A lover of literature and storytelling of all kinds with a gift for sound and music design, Garry has an amazing ability to see aspects of footage that others don’t notice. This gift helps him weave dynamic and seamless storylines. His most recent favourite feature is Dunkirk for its poetic style, scant dialogue, and great sound design.

See Garry's work: IMDB

Stein Myhrstad

With a resume including merchant marine seaman, paragliding instructor, and Cessna pilot, you’d be correct to expect Stein to be a high achiever in everything he undertakes. This award-winning editor combines an inspired technical knowledge – he’s on his seventh editing system – with confidence and humility; the confidence to know he is on the right path and the humility to explore all the options available. Stein says that this formula, coupled with a working speed that allows extra time for creativity, produces diamonds from rough dailies. Stein also plays guitar, is fluent in Norwegian, and can get by in Spanish.

See Stein's work: IMDB

Kelly Herron

Ever since he was a child, Kelly loved movies and knew he wanted to be involved in making them. Not many people realize their childhood dream, but Kelly, with features ranging from a number of Disney products to adult crime and drama on his resume, certainly has. Outside of work, Kelly is a huge sports fan, is addicted to social media, has two small children, and a cat called Lily.

See Kelly's work: IMDB