LOOK 891 is the unified brand and the collective voice of 891 Costume Designers, Picture + Sound Editors, and Production Designers. In celebration of its launch, we are introducing a three-part Spotlight series, interviewing members of the three departments within LOOK 891. In this Spotlight, 891 Editor Nicole Ratcliffe shares the honest realities of building a career as an editor in the motion picture industry, the community and craft that continues to drive her, and the success of television series ‘Virgin River’.

The early days that helped shape an editor’s path

All the signs were there for Nicole Ratcliffe’s future in film. As a kid, she staged elaborate neighbourhood shows with the kids on her block – organizing performances, designing posters, and inviting parents to attend. Her imagination was boundless. When she wasn’t putting on shows, she was buried in a book, solving puzzles with her grandmother, catching movies at the theatre with her brother, or browsing the shelves of her local video store whenever she had the chance. She recalls watching a lot of horror, which turned out to be her favourite genre to work in later down the line.

Piece by piece, Nicole found her way to editing. She began her film education in a part-time program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), before discovering a nighttime editing program at Vancouver Film School (VFS). It was there that she found her calling, drawn to the creative possibilities of shaping a story in the editing room.

“When I saw what editing could do, how you could take the same footage and turn it into three completely different versions, I was like… I like this,” Nicole says.

With the encouragement of her editing instructor at VFS, Nicole went on to join the school’s full-time editing program. Over the next eight months, she learned to cut on film, which was the industry standard in 1997. Digital editing was only beginning to emerge, and Nicole’s introduction to Avid Media Composer, the software that would later become central to her career, came during a single afternoon session at the very end of the program.

“You can’t learn the Avid in one afternoon,” Nicole says with a laugh. “Thankfully, my instructor got me a job as an assistant editor right out of film school where I got to learn about the different software programs and how to run them.”

Burnout, balance, and belonging

Nicole learned early on that there are no shortcuts in the motion picture industry. “You have to start at the bottom, learn the craft, learn the job, and work your way up.”

Having been in the industry for almost 30 years, Nicole witnessed firsthand the many changes and challenges that have shaped film and television post-production. She began her career as an assistant editor, working on direct-to-video movies that had been shot overseas and flown back to Canada for processing. By the time she transitioned into television, she was often working on two series at a time, hustling for opportunities and building relationships with producers and directors in the hopes of following them onto future projects.

Nicole spent several years working alongside a post-production supervisor who brought her from one television production to the next, allowing her to steadily grow her experience and reputation within the industry. One of the first series she worked on was Andromeda, the science fiction drama that ran for five seasons. The long-running production gave assistant editors like Nicole the opportunity to cut their own episodes, which provided invaluable hands-on experience.

Looking back, Nicole remains grateful for the opportunities that helped lay the foundation for the career she has today, but she acknowledges that success and stability in the industry can be unpredictable.

“I’ve been very fortunate, but there was a time when I wasn’t getting any work, and I applied to go back to school in a nursing program,” she recalls. “I was just about to start when I got called for a job. I haven’t stopped working since.”

It wasn’t until 10 or 12 years into her career that Nicole truly started to feel confident in her craft. By then, she could look at the footage provided and be able to tell what the director was trying to achieve and how a scene was meant to come together. She finally felt comfortable making editorial decisions and trusting in her creative judgment. But just as she found her footing, she found herself facing an inevitable career burnout.

“At a certain point, I started to feel like I needed to figure out what work-life balance looks like,” she says. “I was working 14- to 16-hour days, not seeing my partner or our dogs, and missing out on family events and time with friends.”

Nicole realized that a sustainable career required more than professional success. She started researching editors from all around the world. She studied their workflows, listened to podcasts, and read many interviews, looking for insights from industry professionals.

Along the way, she adopted many of the strategies and habits that resonated with her, ones that allowed her to shift her priorities and better manage her time. Slowly but surely, Nicole was able to work in the most productive way possible without sacrificing her personal life.

“It takes a long time to find your voice… there are still days where I’m sitting in front of the material and have no idea what to do. But I do know what to do. I just need to trust myself.”

Fueled by community and passion

Despite the long hours and challenges that come with the job, Nicole’s passion for editing and the motion picture industry remains as strong as ever. Much of that, she says, comes down to the people she has met along the way.

“I really love the people in post-production here in Vancouver. They’re my friends outside of work too, and everyone is so supportive and willing to help one another.”

While the community has kept her grounded throughout her career, it is the craft itself that continues to inspire her.

“I’m not great at telling stories verbally, but the times where I’m just sitting in my editing suite in the dark, piecing together raw footage, I love it. It’s like solving a mystery,” she says. “I love that I can tell stories with images, music, and sound effects. I love that I can affect people, make them laugh, make them terrified, make them cry.”

“For example, the show I’m on now, Virgin River, has become so popular. Millions of people around the world watch it. I’d run into people and they’d tell me that it’s their favourite… some even travel to BC just to visit the filming locations. It is so cool to be contributing to something that people love to spend their free time doing.”

The fan-favourite series has brought along silverware as well as recognition. In 2021, she received the Leo Award nomination for Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Series. With the show’s highly anticipated eighth season on the horizon, Nicole and her team have developed familiarity and a strong understanding of what works, but the pressure to deliver will always be there.

“There’s always pressure,” she says. “The fans have opinions, and they care deeply about the characters and stories. I try not to read too much of it, but I do like knowing what they’re responding to because it helps us understand what they love about the show.”

Over the years, Nicole has grasped the ability to add her own editorial style to each project, all while serving the story, honouring the director’s vision, and understanding the audience. On a show like Virgin River, she sees herself as both a storyteller and an advocate for the fans. “I do pay attention to what fans are responding to. They’re the reason the show exists. If they don’t like it, they won’t watch it.”

Nicole has been a member of IATSE 891 for over 20 years. She was also Chair of the Editing Department for several years, which she says really helped her understand the ins and outs of how the Union works. Amongst the many opportunities that come with being an 891 member, Nicole is most grateful for the support that the community brings.

“It’s very community oriented. When we get together, everyone is so open about sharing information, shows that are coming up, contact information… it’s so great. It didn’t used to be like that, I’m glad those days are over.”

LOOK 891 Q&A

LOOK 891 Picture + Sound Editors is a collective of award-winning, skilled editors who have earned the trust of motion picture and television professionals worldwide. Motivated by a deep-seated understanding of their role in crafting character, story, and pace, 891 Editors have experience in a broad variety of genres, from comedic drama to science fiction to horror. The following Q&A section has been edited for clarity.

As an editor, what are you most excited about the LOOK 891 platform and what does it mean for you to be part of this launch?

I think just getting our members’ faces, their biographies and their IMDb profiles in front of the decision makers. Although it’s three separate departments, it’s the idea of having a cohesive look under the 891 banner that is going to give us a leg up… I’m sure people will engage with it and I’m really excited.

I don’t talk about myself often, but I love to talk about my job because I am so passionate about it. For the most part, we (editors) are in little dark rooms by ourselves. We don’t get seen as much, which we’re not supposed to be, but the work we do is important and needs to be recognized.

What role do you think LOOK 891 can play in growing BC’s motion picture industry and the editing community in general?

Being an editor here, one thing we hear a lot is that we only ever cut Hallmark movies, and that we haven’t worked with “big enough names”. But that’s just it, we definitely have. I think having all of our information and portfolio presented in such a modern and accessible way could really help change that. We’ve got some editors with some very big credits and awards, so I’m excited for people to finally see that we are absolutely an option, a great one at that.

I’ll tell anybody that will listen that we have the talent here. I think it’s important that as a union, we continue to push the department.

What is one takeaway you hope people will have when they visit the website and discover your work?

For me specifically, I hope they see my range. Over my career, I’ve kind of done everything, experimented with all genres, not pigeonholed into just one. I like to think that I’m calm and easy to work with, so I hope people know that my editing suite is a safe space and that I’m open to all ideas, opinions, and trying new things.

Check out LOOK 891 Picture + Sound Editors here and learn more about Nicole on her profile.