Hi, I’m James Umpleby, a multi-award-winning editor with over 14 years of experience shaping compelling stories for global brand campaigns and feature documentaries. I excel in leadership roles, mentoring editors and post producers, and balancing creative vision with technical precision to deliver high-quality edits from concept to completion. I’m passionate about staying ahead of industry trends, building efficient workflows, and aligning post-production with client objectives. I thrive on collaboration—on set, in the studio, or remotely—and I’m dedicated to fostering a safe, creative, and high-performing team culture at Orillo.

James Umpleby

PRO

Hi, I’m James Umpleby, a multi-award-winning editor with over 14 years of experience shaping compelling stories for global brand campaigns and feature documentaries. I excel in leadership roles, mentoring editors and post producers, and balancing creative vision with technical precision to deliver high-quality edits from concept to completion. I’m passionate about staying ahead of industry trends, building efficient workflows, and aligning post-production with client objectives. I thrive on collaboration—on set, in the studio, or remotely—and I’m dedicated to fostering a safe, creative, and high-performing team culture at Orillo.

Available to hire

Hi, I’m James Umpleby, a multi-award-winning editor with over 14 years of experience shaping compelling stories for global brand campaigns and feature documentaries. I excel in leadership roles, mentoring editors and post producers, and balancing creative vision with technical precision to deliver high-quality edits from concept to completion.

I’m passionate about staying ahead of industry trends, building efficient workflows, and aligning post-production with client objectives. I thrive on collaboration—on set, in the studio, or remotely—and I’m dedicated to fostering a safe, creative, and high-performing team culture at Orillo.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Lead editor at Orillo Films
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2025
As Lead Editor at Orillo, I was responsible for delivering high-quality content across a wide range of formats, including commercials, branded campaigns, documentaries, trailers, podcasts, social-first content and music videos. Working closely with producers, directors and clients, I helped shape projects from the initial creative brief through to final delivery, ensuring every edit met both creative and technical standards. My role extended beyond editing. I developed narratives from large volumes of footage, crafted engaging pacing, incorporated sound design, colour grading and motion graphics where appropriate, and ensured projects were delivered efficiently without compromising quality. I regularly collaborated with clients throughout the review process, translating feedback into refined edits while maintaining the original creative vision. Alongside client work, I supported and mentored junior editors, sharing workflows, techniques and best practices to help raise the overall standard of the post-production team. I continually explored new editing techniques, software and industry trends to improve both my own work and the team's creative output. Over my time as Lead Editor, I contributed to projects for global brands including Bentley, Burberry, McDonald's, Puma, Wagamama and Adidas, consistently delivering engaging content that strengthened client relationships and generated repeat business.
Head of Post Production at Orillo Films
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2025
As Head of Post at Orillo, I led the post-production department, overseeing both the creative and operational aspects of the team. My focus was on building efficient workflows, maintaining exceptional creative standards and ensuring projects were delivered on time, on budget and to the highest possible quality. I managed a team of editors and freelance creatives, assigning projects based on experience and availability while mentoring team members to support their professional development. Working closely with producers, directors and clients, I helped plan post-production schedules, resolve technical challenges and maintain clear communication throughout every stage of production. Beyond project delivery, I was responsible for continuously improving the department by researching emerging technologies, implementing new workflows and refining internal processes to increase efficiency. I led post-project debriefs to identify opportunities for improvement, introduced new editing techniques and software, and helped future-proof the department as workloads and client expectations evolved. I also played a key role in expanding Orillo's post-production offering, strengthening relationships with freelancers, supporting business development and helping position Orillo as a trusted creative partner for agencies and brands. My leadership combined technical expertise with a collaborative approach, ensuring both the team and the work continued to grow in quality, consistency and ambition.

Education

Film & Television Production at York St. John University
September 1, 2007 - May 31, 2010

Qualifications

Film & Television Production
September 1, 2007 - May 1, 2010

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Consumer Goods, Professional Services