Legends of the Lost Ark
A large portion of my 2024 was spent working on a feature-length documentary – Legends of the Lost Ark – directed by my friend Stephen Pettit. Over the course of the project I was able to work as DIT, camera operator, and editor for the film.
The first part of the project was shot on location in Colombia at the beginning of the year (you can read my previous post for more details), before filming for a week in Salt Lake City and another week throughout Israel.
Post Production
While Gesher Media took a crew to Israel to capture the last pieces of the puzzle, I remained behind and began the editing process. I was extremely excited for this opportunity — I’d previously edited show pilots and a streaming series, but this was going to be my first feature-length project. Over the next few months, I worked with Rebecca (producer) & Stephen to pull the pieces of the story together. Through a combination of remote and in-person editing sessions we were able to refine the story and cut through the clutter. After completing the contract, I was able to pass off the project material to Stephen for him to make final adjustments and coordinate finishing.
Final thoughts
I walked away from this experience with a few major takeaways. First – I have some incredibly talented friends (who also have incredibly talented friends) and I’m always going to jump at the opportunity to create with them.
Second – It was validating to see processes I’ve created in post-production withstand the test of a feature-length workflow. From project organization to editing techniques, this experience boosted my confidence in my own practices and provided the opportunity to refine working in an editing room with multiple contributors.
Last – It was interesting to work on a deliverable with multiple aspect ratios. At first, I was unsure about how the edit would cut together, but in the end the ratios felt natural and helped motivate the viewing experience.
