In this second edition of "In The Editor's Chair" we had the pleasure of speaking with Alex Jackson who shared his enriching journey as a professional videographer. An interesting and captivating dialogue that we are delighted to share with you.

JOURNEY & PROJECTS

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

Of course! I've been a professional videographer for eight years. I've worked on a wide range of projects for different clients. About three or four years ago, I launched my YouTube channel to share tips on creating videos, editing, and how to make a living from this passion. For the past two years, I've been focusing full-time on YouTube and developed a comprehensive course on DaVinci Resolve with 10 modules - it really covers all aspects of the software.

How did you start in video and what has your journey been like until now?

Initially, I didn't have a clear direction, I had no idea what I wanted to do later. So I went for general studies in multimedia and communication. At the end of my studies, I realized I had a creative need, that I needed to express certain things through my work. And I knew that couldn't be satisfied by an office job. So I turned down a promising apprenticeship to go freelance, which was difficult at the start. Many people didn't understand my decision, and neither did I - I regretted and struggled a lot at first. Fortunately, over time, I built a client base, thanks in part to my school network.

Why did you start YouTube and what were your motivations?

When I started YouTube, it was somewhat to overcome imposter syndrome. I wanted to share, to show people that I also had something to contribute. In the beginning, I didn’t take YouTube seriously, I wasn't consistent. I really started YouTube about four years ago, and it ended up helping a lot of people. It's over time and with consistency that my channel really took off and got me to where I am now.

What project are you most proud of?

It's true that in this job you're led to have incredible experiences and it allows you to travel a lot. One of the most remarkable shoots was in the Amazon rainforest where we were immersed for 7 days during the rainy season. A shoot that was physically hard but also challenging due to equipment constraints: humidity, recharging, etc.

Ultimately, the project I'm most proud of is a project with my father. I had an idea for a creative and humorous video where I wanted to highlight a simple piece of wood. The goal was to make a creative video around an everyday, completely mundane object. So I spent the day with my father in his workshop making various shots, it was really nice to share that time with him. In the end, it’s a video that had a lot of impact on people because they realized that you don’t need to go to the other side of the world to make beautiful videos. You can do it at home with a nice idea, good lighting, and storytelling.

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Is there an editing technique or tool you find essential?

For me, discovering color grading on DaVinci Resolve was a revelation. I discovered a world I didn’t know - on Premiere Pro, the color grading tools are rather basic compared to DaVinci’s, like the node system, which has become essential in my daily routine. I can spend hours testing it, and even today I feel like I have so much more to learn. I dream of meeting professional colorists who have worked for large groups and having them show me their techniques. I discovered a new passion for color grading two years ago.

How does AutoCut integrate into your workflow?

So, for a little background, I was already an AutoCut user on Premiere Pro. When I discovered it back then it completely changed my day-to-day editing, particularly for my YouTube videos. But two years ago I decided to switch to DaVinci Resolve and had the unpleasant surprise to see that AutoCut wasn’t available on it. I tried looking for similar plugins but without success - I resigned myself and did it manually for two years. Today the fact that AutoCut is now available on DaVinci has once again changed my daily life. For me, it's really the most important tool and the one that helps us the most, my team and me.

In your opinion, how has video editing evolved in recent years and what is the role of AI in this evolution?

Lately, it’s true that a lot of AIs have entered editing, and for me, it’s 50/50. Some AIs bring tools that make some tasks much faster, like cutting out or suggesting ideas with ChatGPT. But it also impacts our profession in terms of authenticity and human creativity - particularly with Sora, which allows creating a video that does not exist. I think we will have to learn to adapt to this and I remain quite confident, especially on the emotional side that AIs still struggle to transcribe.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start in video and editing today?

Don’t think there is no more room in the industry. It’s true that it’s an ever-evolving profession and more people are joining in, but don’t think there are no more opportunities. Sure, there are more creators, but there is also increasing demand. The demand for video content, particularly for social media, continues to rise. I don’t think it's going to stop anytime soon, taking the example of Instagram which was originally a purely photo network and is now moving to highlight video content - you quickly understand the interest in video creation. So yes, you shouldn't hesitate to start, especially if it's done with passion!

PASSIONS & INSPIRATIONS

We saw you recently went to Namibia. What do travels bring to your content creation?

It’s a bit of the question of the moment. Winter is always a complicated period for creators & videographers: lack of light, bad weather, cold. And it's really hard to get motivated; you fall into a cycle where you lose that motivation and creativity - me, first. Traveling always gives me a huge dose of inspiration, whether it’s the landscapes or the culture. When I arrived in Namibia I found myself with incredible light, landscapes I had never seen in my life, and I wanted to stop every 10 minutes to shoot. So yes traveling helps a lot in our job to produce beautiful images, but you have to remember that you don't need to go to the other side of the world. Even local getaways, going 1h away from home can help revive your creativity.

Besides video editing, what is your hidden passion?

I have many passions, that’s the problem. I'm a big sports enthusiast, particularly basketball. I actually wanted to make it my career initially, but many things led me to think otherwise - notably injuries and the sacrifices that come with it.

Aside from that, I'm also a music fan; I did a lot of piano and drums. I played in a band for 7 years and even gave drum lessons. It's another passion where I thought I could make a career, and in the end, I’m really happy today to have a profession that allows me to exploit this musical side. Video is closely related to music to create emotion, and one of my projects for next year would be to make a travel video where I can compose my music and play it.

If you could propose a new feature for AutoCut, what would it be?

It’s really hard because there are so many tools that exist today. But there’s a tool that exists on PPro and is not yet available on DaVinci, maybe AutoCut could revolutionize it haha. It’s a tool that would allow you to lengthen or shorten a piece of music smoothly and automatically while preserving the rhythm and measures. It would simplify music editing a lot, it’s something I eagerly expect on DaVinci.

Thank you for this interview and your insights! You can find Alex on these networks:

[YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/@AlexJacksonVisuals/videos)

[Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/alexjacksonvisuals)