Erin Macpherson is an award-winning filmmaker currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. Their work has screened and won awards at numerous festivals internationally, including IDFA, SFFILM, OutFest, DIFF, Les Nuits en Or, and the Emmys. "The Water Dancers" won a SAFTA (South African Film and Television Award) for its spotlight on the importance of dragonflies in combatting climate disaster. Following their Masters graduation in Documentary Film Directing from the prestigious Doc Nomads, their film "Não é Fado, é Fado Bicha" had its world premiere at DocLisboa and was nominated for Best Portuguese Film for its portrayal of queer liberation through reinventing traditional Fado music. Branching into docu-fiction cinema, "I Did Not Wake Up Dead Today" received numerous awards and festival nominations, such as the Golden Eagle Award and DokuBaku’s Best Documentary Audience Award, for its comedic personification of depression through the puppetry of their childhood teddy bear. They have also worked and collaborated on films, such as "¿Es el Enemigo?" and "Scenes from a Dry City", which have won numerous awards and critical acclaim. Alongside their film career, Erin has experience in crafting online video content (including graphics and animation), ranging from trailers, interviews, ads, sizzle reels, promotional marketing videos, educational short courses, and UGC for a variety of organisations and companies.

Erin Macpherson

Erin Macpherson is an award-winning filmmaker currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. Their work has screened and won awards at numerous festivals internationally, including IDFA, SFFILM, OutFest, DIFF, Les Nuits en Or, and the Emmys. "The Water Dancers" won a SAFTA (South African Film and Television Award) for its spotlight on the importance of dragonflies in combatting climate disaster. Following their Masters graduation in Documentary Film Directing from the prestigious Doc Nomads, their film "Não é Fado, é Fado Bicha" had its world premiere at DocLisboa and was nominated for Best Portuguese Film for its portrayal of queer liberation through reinventing traditional Fado music. Branching into docu-fiction cinema, "I Did Not Wake Up Dead Today" received numerous awards and festival nominations, such as the Golden Eagle Award and DokuBaku’s Best Documentary Audience Award, for its comedic personification of depression through the puppetry of their childhood teddy bear. They have also worked and collaborated on films, such as "¿Es el Enemigo?" and "Scenes from a Dry City", which have won numerous awards and critical acclaim. Alongside their film career, Erin has experience in crafting online video content (including graphics and animation), ranging from trailers, interviews, ads, sizzle reels, promotional marketing videos, educational short courses, and UGC for a variety of organisations and companies.

Available to hire

Erin Macpherson is an award-winning filmmaker currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. Their work has screened and won awards at numerous festivals internationally, including IDFA, SFFILM, OutFest, DIFF, Les Nuits en Or, and the Emmys.

“The Water Dancers” won a SAFTA (South African Film and Television Award) for its spotlight on the importance of dragonflies in combatting climate disaster. Following their Masters graduation in Documentary Film Directing from the prestigious Doc Nomads, their film “Não é Fado, é Fado Bicha” had its world premiere at DocLisboa and was nominated for Best Portuguese Film for its portrayal of queer liberation through reinventing traditional Fado music. Branching into docu-fiction cinema, “I Did Not Wake Up Dead Today” received numerous awards and festival nominations, such as the Golden Eagle Award and DokuBaku’s Best Documentary Audience Award, for its comedic personification of depression through the puppetry of their childhood teddy bear. They have also worked and collaborated on films, such as “¿Es el Enemigo?” and “Scenes from a Dry City”, which have won numerous awards and critical acclaim.

Alongside their film career, Erin has experience in crafting online video content (including graphics and animation), ranging from trailers, interviews, ads, sizzle reels, promotional marketing videos, educational short courses, and UGC for a variety of organisations and companies.

See more

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Director | Editor | Cinematographer | Colorist at Array Media, Cape Town, SA
September 11, 2024 - Present
Spearheaded the full creative direction of film projects from pre- to post-production, shaping narrative structure, shooting style, and audio-visual language to deliver cohesive, high-impact storytelling. Directed large-scale location shoots, including the Comrades Marathon, managing on-site logistics, crew coordination, and cinematic execution. Crafted dynamic videos for high-profile clients, such as ASICS, Spur, Springboks, Marriott, and Zoho, driving engagement while maintaining brand consistency.
Freelance Editor | VFX Editor | POC at SaltPeter Productions, Cape Town, SA
February 8, 2018 - September 1, 2025
Lead editor on film projects, such as The Four Floors of Faneuil Hall, which was awarded an Honourable Mention at IDFA Forum Awards in 2024. Led storyboarding, scouting, and character research while streamlining post-production through DIT and edit prep, contributing to critically acclaimed projects like the Emmy-nominated, Scenes From A Dry City. Incorporated VFX to correct visual artefacts and composite shots, enhancing the impact of the film’s final edit.
Freelance Editor at NBFX: Nu Boyana
June 3, 2024 - September 3, 2024
Optimised project workflows through maintaining quality control across various film productions, including the award-winning film, ¿Es el enemigo? Accelerated post-production timelines through efficient media management, ensuring all deliverables were completed ahead of schedule. Resolved visual output errors through collaborative VFX post-production efforts, ensuring seamless visual consistency throughout the project.
Video Editor | DOP | Producer | Colorist at 2U / GetSmarter, Cape Town, SA
August 14, 2018 - February 1, 2021
Produced and edited high-quality educational content for globally recognised institutions like Yale and MIT, resulting in successful top-rated courses. Directed actors and managed end-to-end video production, which led to the award-winning Yale GBP course achieving the highest NPS score 2020. Coordinated with the animation department to deliver visually engaging content, winning the Bloomies Best Online Course Award 2019.
Freelance Video Editor | Cinematographer | VFX Editor at Facing Facts
May 29, 2023 - May 6, 2024
Enhanced visual storytelling of multimedia content, driving a significant increase in audience engagement across digital platforms. Spearheaded creative development through manipulating plot, score, colour, and animation, drastically improving the quality of educational videos. Aligned production with technical objectives, increasing collaboration with industry experts and boosting sales of online video courses.

Education

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Documentary Film Directing at Doc Nomads Joint Masters (Universidade Lusófona, SZFE, LUCA)
February 15, 2021 - January 30, 2023
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Film Theory and Practice at University of Cape Town
January 30, 2017 - January 15, 2018
Course/Study at London School of Economics at London School of Economics
March 18, 2019 - September 9, 2019

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Software & Internet, Telecommunications, Non-Profit Organization