Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Griffin.
Shannon, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Film editing is something that I stumbled upon. I was about to graduate high school in 2011, and I was unsure about my career and my future. I happened to be taking an improv class where we had to film and edit funny sketch videos. Wanting to impress my professor Mr. Doyle, I volunteered to edit all the videos knowing that all that work would get me an ‘A’ in the class. I would spend all of my free time in the school computer lab editing videos for this class. Hours would go by, and I wouldn’t even notice. But it wasn’t until Mr. Doyle encouraged me to pursue it as a career that I started to take it really seriously.
I went to Sarah Lawrence College, a small New York liberal arts school that offered some film courses, but most of my post-production education came from the internships I did outside of school. Through internships, good and bad, I soaked up as much knowledge as I could and realized that I had to move to LA if I wanted to take my editing career to the next level. I moved out to LA with no real industry connections and no job. It was a very scary time. Fortunately, after a year or two, I met director and producer Andrew Sandler, who’s worked with artists such as Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown, Ariana Grande, and so many more. He gave me my first real editing opportunities. Ever since then I’ve been working as an editor for documentaries, music videos, and short films.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If you’re in the film industry, obstacles and challenges come with the job. There’s no easy way to become successful. One of the major obstacles I had when first starting out is just trying to get your foot in the door with the right people. After moving to LA, I reached out to hundreds of people looking for opportunities. After that 80th email, you start to feel like you’re talking to a wall. But the real work begins once you break through that wall and start working professionally. You have to be reliable, work phenomenally hard, and be confident under pressure. But if you truly love it, you’ll step up to the plate and do the work. People often get caught up in the idea of being a successful filmmaker or editor, and they forget that filmmaking actually takes a lot of work.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I’m currently a freelance film editor. I’ve edited music videos, documentaries, and I’m starting to edit more short films! Some of the artists I’ve worked with include Olivia O’Brien, Jacob Sartorius, Manuel Turizo, and T.I.P. to name a few. I’ve been told that I’m a ‘hustler’ when it comes to the way I approach my work. I like being recognized for my work ethic, but I would ultimately like to be known for the way I treat others. Working in the film industry is essentially just learning how to work with different people. And if you aren’t open to new ideas and treat people poorly, you’ll be missing out on a lot of opportunities.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I’m proud of how far I’ve come as an editor. When you’re working and grinding away, pushing out music videos and content, it’s easy to forget about all the things you’ve accomplished. I remember being in college and wishing for all the things I have now. I still have a long way to go and a lot of things I still want to accomplish. But looking back at all the skills I’ve acquired and all the people I’ve met along the way, I feel excited about my future.
Contact Info:
- Website: shannoncgriffin.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/shannoncgriffin
Image Credit:
Yumiko Fujiwara
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