Rising Stars: Meet Nick Pomeroy of South Pasadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Pomeroy

Hi Nick, 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?
In my teens I started taking photos of my friends for fun. I got into the habit of meticulously documenting drunken nights out in London; secret raves and messy house parties on 35mm film which I would develop in my bathtub. Myspace and Facebook gave me a place to show my images and seeing them be shared gave me the impetus to keep going.

Eventually some friends working in the music industry reached out because they liked the candid and chaotic vibes. This opened the doors to going to gigs or on tour and shooting spontaneous moments with some amazing artists including Mike Skinner, David Byrne, Anna Calvi, PC Music, Alex Cameron, King Krule and Mount Kimbie.

From here, a few bands asked if I could also help on their music videos. It wasn’t the most graceful experience, sometimes pouring days of work into no-budget shoots and edits, but it forced me to learn quickly. I became hooked on the process of constructing the arc and emotion of a story but chopping it up and rebuilding it, and before I knew it editing became my full-time job.

Over the past 8 or so years I’ve worked as a leading editor for various successful YouTubers and TikTokers and edited all sorts of commercials and content for major brands; eventually moving from London to LA. Even though editing has become my main focus, I still love camera work and constantly shoot photos and video of my friends whether they are in the mood or not. I also now love to use film and analogue media as part of my video-making; shooting on tapes and super16 or using collage to give texture and character.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being self-taught, learning through experimentation and not having a formal degree often felt like I was putting myself in a position to be low-balled – frequently being offered to be compensated “in exposure”. Seeing the hard work I’d done published on other accounts would leave me asking “Is the exposure in the room with us right now?”

So in hindsight I wish I’d learned to be a better businessman earlier on and to “know your worth”. Editing is extremely time consuming and I think a lot of people don’t realize this. There have been many big deadlines when I’ve left the office as the sun is coming up.

At the same time, I think the way new technology and social media has democratised film and video making is inspiring; growing up with computers and smartphones now goes hand in hand with innovation and having a creative career within reach. So when you see teenagers pushing boundaries of movie-making for a 20 second tiktok; brands shouldn’t be trying to rip off their videos, they should just hire them!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing UK comedy talents such as People Just Do Nothing’s Kurupt FM and Amelia Dimoldenberg of Chicken Shop Date, YouTuber Zac Alsop, fashion shows PAQ and Nayva and edited videos starring talents like Noen Eubanks, Addison Rae, Enya & Drew, Abby Roberts, Avani, Billie Eilish, Gabriette, Doja Cat among many others.

I’ve worked on videos for many iconic brands including Levis, Converse, Adidas, Diesel, Beats, Skechers, Yamaha and many more. Some favourites include editing 2 seasons of eBay’s sneaker game show ‘Love Kicks?’; producing a series of LGBTQIA+ portrait films for Steve Madden; creating sound design for an Off-White campaign and cutting upcycling tutorials with Nicole Mclaughlin for Tommy Hilfiger.

I think what keeps my job interesting and has allowed me to grow creatively is the range of genres, styles and different types of content being an editor today encompasses. Short form and social media content has the freedom to be whatever it wants so you’re not tied to a format like you may have been with traditional television: One week you’re doing a gameshow, then you’re making a YouTube horror movie, the next you could be working on an animation about mental health.

There is also a lot of personality and humility to be found in the outtakes or when the shoot doesn’t go to plan. I think audiences today, especially watching on social media platforms, are painfully aware of when an influencer goes into presenter or salesperson mode, whereas if they are just being themselves, mistakes and all, the viewer can engage more deeply because it feels genuine and real.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Growing up in London in the 90s and before streaming, a huge amount of tv in the UK was imported from America. I feel like I was brainwashed with daily episodes of Goosebumps, Hey Arnold, The Simpsons, The Fresh Prince, Star Trek and The X-files. I was also obsessed with Skateboarding videos and magazines, which were almost entirely exported from sunny California. Safe to say all these iconic artifacts of everyday American life were burnt deeply into my psyche at an early age and part of me hoped to experience living and working in the US one day..

That day came out of the blue – my employer at the time decided to start an office in LA to focus on new YouTube and TikTok content. It happened so abruptly that my girlfriend and I realised we’d have to get married before the company filed for the visa, and a few days later we were standing in the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas deciding whether we could afford the extra $300 to hire Elvis as the minister (we couldn’t!).

We’ve been in LA for almost 5 years now and being starstruck by the everyday scenery has started to wear off, but for a long time I was that corny guy who couldn’t walk down the street without stopping to take a photo of a cadillac, pay phone or a big red fire truck.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pomeroyedit.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thicc_pomeroy/