Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Haynes
Hi Carlos, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am a tv and film Editor and “Creative Producer” in the documentary space. I started as a commercial shooter and editor in Chicago, where I learned how to tell a story in 15 seconds. Commercials are actually an amazing place to learn the craft of storytelling because you are forced to boil everything down to the essentials. But I didn’t find my passion for documentary filmmaking and editing until I moved to Los Angeles and began working for Vice Media back in its hey day. It’s there I learned about the power of long form documentary filmmaking and started seeing my work affect change in the world. Say what you will about that company now, but at the time they were pushing the envelope in the digital media space and telling important and unique stories. My work takes a deeply empathetic approach, and tries to unite our shared humanity by showing how people have more in common than they do different. Today, I’ve been fortunate enough to work on documentary projects for Netflix, Paramount+, Discovery+, PBS, Meta and Youtube Originals.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Anything worth doing is hard. I’ve been lucky enough to build a community of friends and mentors over the years that have looked out for me. But the journey to LA was definitely a tough one. I naively moved during the 2008 financial crisis and the writer’s strike. The career momentum I had in my early 20s in Chicago came to a screeching halt. What’s been helpful is having a physical trade. While I continue to write and develop projects, I’ve always been able to get work as an editor and have been fortunate enough to work steady the last 15 years. But I would say the key for anybody building a career is relationships.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I often use the term “Creative Producer” because I want my clients to understand that as an Editor I am more than just a set of hands. In the documentary space, the story is largely crafted in the edit, as opposed to a scripted project which is done so much in pre-production. So as a documentary editor, I am often writing, story producing, co-directing, researching; and when leading a team in post I am hiring and managing a staff. Since non-scripted tv and film have had their streaming revolution, some traditional roles in the industry have morphed and developed. I consider editing one of these.
What makes me unique as a filmmaker and editor is that I approach my work as an empath. I genuinely enjoy stepping into other people’s shoes and seeing the world through their eyes. This perspective allows me to uncover nuance and subtext in the footage that can lead to unexpected combinations of imagery, music, and dialogue. I’ve been fortunate enough to work closely with Will Smith, Kevin Hart, Sean Penn, Alicia Keys and Barbra Streisand among others, and helped them execute their vision on deeply personal projects.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Growing up on the east coast, you can’t beat the weather. I live in Santa Monica and heat waves are my favorite time of year because the ocean breeze makes it absolutely perfect.
I could do without the cost of living though. That’ll put a damper on your day.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.carloshaynes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carloshaynes
