Testimonials – Editing

‘I really appreciated the experience of working with Susan on Hip Hop Hijabis. Her methodical and sensitive questioning during our initial meeting reassured me that I could trust her as a creative collaborator. There was a good balance between her taking on board my perspective while making her own creative suggestions and critical analysis. She was dedicated and hard working with an enthusiasm that helped me see the material with fresh eyes. We had many thought provoking and hilarious conversations along the way, which made the process enjoyable and productive.’

Mette Reitzel, Director/Producer, Hip Hop Hijabis, Al Jazeera

‘Susan is creative, talented, patient and fun to work with. She is an instinctive storyteller with a sharp eye for detail and excellent at maximising the potential of a character and story. Collaborating with her was a fantastic experience and she made a valuable contribution to the film’s sensitivity and narrative.’

Dualtagh Herr, BBC Director/Producer, From Buddhist Monk to Rockstar

‘I very much admire Susan Brand’s work as editor on our film Eyes of St John. I shall be crossing my fingers she will be free to work on our next project.’

Vanessa Redgrave, Producer, Director, Actor : Eyes of St John

‘I worked with Susan on the BBC2 Arts series My Life in Verse. She brought great imagination and flair to the project. She had a real passion for the subject matter and used this in all her editing decisions. Her original ideas and strong instinct for story were invaluable. The edit was long and challenging but Susan never flagged and was determined to see it through to the end and solve any problems that arose. She has a very strong visual sense and inspired musical instincts. I always felt confident about her editing choices. Susan’s also a lovely person to work with. Our finished film received great reviews – and Susan’s contribution was vital.’

Mark Bates, BBC Producer/Director: My Life in Verse

‘Susan saved our film. We were newbie filmmakers making a doc for prime time on Channel 4 and without her keen eye for humour and story we would have turned in something unwatchable. Susan wove our poorly lit shambles into something heartwarming and magical. The film went on to get 18 Picks of the Day in the UK press and was highly commended in two film festivals.’

James Parr, C4 Director: Matchmaker

‘Susan approached the editing process for the documentary Eyes of St John in a wonderfully analytical way, breaking down the structure of the narrative into various themes that allowed us to see the path we needed to take more clearly. It allowed us to cut straight through to the heart of the story in a speedy, efficient and effective manner. It was a joyful experience collaborating with her on this very special piece, which continues to garner much acclaim.’

Carlo Nero, Co-Director: Eyes of St John

‘I have worked with Susan on three films listed below – presenter-led documentaries for BBC Arts. I very much enjoyed working with her. She is fast, creative, and responsive and also works very well when left by herself in the edit. She is full of great suggestions and fun to be in an edit room with.’

Robin Dashwood, BBC Producer/Director: Art of Spain, The Victorians with Jeremy Paxman, The Story of Maths

‘I have worked with Susan as my editor on four documentaries for Channel 4 listed below, three of them won awards or were nominated. Susan brought a great willingness to turn great but challenging stories into complex, layered films. With both picture and sound she brought a sense of possibility which helped make the shows utterly distinctive.’