Introducing:
Work Editorial

Jane, you co-founded Work Editorial in 2006 along with editors Rich Orrick, Bill Smedley and Neil Smith. Take us back—how did you first meet, and what led you to decide to collaborate?

Rich, Neil, and I worked together at Whitehouse Post. We had a similar vision of taking a chance on each other and ourselves. We also wanted to see if we could do it, put our money where our mouth is, and start a company! Neil said we needed one more editor. He had a friend, Bill, from when they both worked at a company called OBE Studios. So the four of us went for a meal. We all really got on, and that was it!

I remember Bill asking Rich and me, “Er, are you two a couple? What happens if you split up?” Neil just said, “They won’t,” and Bill was like…“cool”! Haha. It just felt right; we bonded with friendship, shared beliefs, and goals. That’s also when we decided that the company would all be owned equally, 25% each, which really cemented our idea of real collaboration. I don’t think any of us thought we’d be here 20 years later!

Where do you find creative connections often begin — through shared work, social spaces, or chance encounters?

I think they can start in social spaces or connections through work—in London, it used to be the pub, and as there were only a few industry pubs in Soho, it wasn’t hard to find places filled with other creative people, including directors and creatives.

That space is sort of happening on Instagram now, the initial meet and bond over shared sensibilities and ideas. The deeper and more lasting connections, then, come on the job and in the room. For me, I’ve made so many good friends and met amazing people through working on jobs and going through the weeds together—that builds deep relationships. There is a bond and trust there that is really special.

For editors, the selecting and assembling, editing, and then presenting process becomes where you really get to know each other and what the director wants out of the footage. It’s also trusting that the editor knows the director’s vision and can get it across and stay with it to the end. It’s the same with creatives; having that connection and trust that everyone involved wants to do their best on a job, and the joy of getting there.

How does collaboration spark new ideas or directions you might not have discovered solo? Does having another perspective strengthen the final work?

I really do think…always! This often comes to light when a director cuts and shoots their own work. This is not always for sure, but it can be apparent when there are no other creative minds bringing that extra vision to a project. Even a good creative producer having a point of view before a presentation can change everything for the better! This also goes for creative thinking within the company; other partners’ perspectives and listening open up all sorts of possibilities.

What qualities are most important to look for in a creative partner?

I would say, Trust—having the confidence in either an editor, director or producer based on previous work done/time spent together, that’s been proven—but then also Faith that the other has the right idea to begin with, and they will come through. Both, I feel, are important as people have to feel free and confident to make ideas come together, and be bold enough to make creative decisions.

How important is trust then, and what does it look like in action between partners?

Trust is imperative to any relationship, I would say. With our Work partners, it has a lot to do with transparency and honesty, but also maintaining respect. And with our creative relationships outside of work, it’s not very different at all!

You need to respect the hierarchy of the job and lean into that, but be bold enough to have the creative conversations that can sometimes be challenging—and that’s not only with Directors, Creatives, the Clients, etc., but with your fellow partners and colleagues. Our friend, Iwan Zwarts, Partner at Blacksmith’s favourite line is, “without trust, there can be no good work,” which is quite right.

What’s your best advice for someone thinking about teaming up creatively?

I would say, make sure you can laugh, listen, be bold and be friends. Rich and I—we got married in 2013, so that probably goes for marriage, too!

Work Editorial