I’m an experienced documentary editor, living in Oakland and available for working remotely. I was one of two editors of the feature-length documentary "My Omaha," which recently premiered at Slamdance Film Festival and is now going into community cinema screenings. I was one of three editors on the feature-length documentary "Informant," which premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival, screened at IDFA, won the Grand Jury prize at DOC NYC, won Best Editing from the Salem Film Festival, and received theatrical distribution in the United States. I was also co-editor of the feature-length documentary "Top Spin," which premiered at DOC NYC, won Best Documentary Editing at Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and was theatrically released. The film is about high-school-age table-tennis players, attempting to get to the Olympics. So it’s a multi-character film, and the editing process involved some tough conversations about how to balance the storylines and who to focus on. I also edited a short documentary which was broadcast on the Truly California series on PBS stations throughout the state. “Sawdust and Sand” is a portrait of an eccentric artist and musician. From that project, I learned some lessons about how to economically convey the story of the main subject, while also touching on some of the wider implications for the social issues raised by the story. I’m curious about the world, passionate about making great documentaries, and excited about collaborating with filmmakers to help them achieve their vision. My work style is drama-free. I like to be helpful; I can work independently and present my own ideas, but I can also take directions and incorporate feedback. I feel like every job is an opportunity to learn more about the filmmaking process, improve my craft, and get the satisfaction of contributing to a meaningful project. So, I would love to work with you and help you make the movie you want to make.

Summers Henderson

I’m an experienced documentary editor, living in Oakland and available for working remotely. I was one of two editors of the feature-length documentary "My Omaha," which recently premiered at Slamdance Film Festival and is now going into community cinema screenings. I was one of three editors on the feature-length documentary "Informant," which premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival, screened at IDFA, won the Grand Jury prize at DOC NYC, won Best Editing from the Salem Film Festival, and received theatrical distribution in the United States. I was also co-editor of the feature-length documentary "Top Spin," which premiered at DOC NYC, won Best Documentary Editing at Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and was theatrically released. The film is about high-school-age table-tennis players, attempting to get to the Olympics. So it’s a multi-character film, and the editing process involved some tough conversations about how to balance the storylines and who to focus on. I also edited a short documentary which was broadcast on the Truly California series on PBS stations throughout the state. “Sawdust and Sand” is a portrait of an eccentric artist and musician. From that project, I learned some lessons about how to economically convey the story of the main subject, while also touching on some of the wider implications for the social issues raised by the story. I’m curious about the world, passionate about making great documentaries, and excited about collaborating with filmmakers to help them achieve their vision. My work style is drama-free. I like to be helpful; I can work independently and present my own ideas, but I can also take directions and incorporate feedback. I feel like every job is an opportunity to learn more about the filmmaking process, improve my craft, and get the satisfaction of contributing to a meaningful project. So, I would love to work with you and help you make the movie you want to make.

Available to hire

I’m an experienced documentary editor, living in Oakland and available for working remotely. I was one of two editors of the feature-length documentary “My Omaha,” which recently premiered at Slamdance Film Festival and is now going into community cinema screenings. I was one of three editors on the feature-length documentary “Informant,” which premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival, screened at IDFA, won the Grand Jury prize at DOC NYC, won Best Editing from the Salem Film Festival, and received theatrical distribution in the United States. I was also co-editor of the feature-length documentary “Top Spin,” which premiered at DOC NYC, won Best Documentary Editing at Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and was theatrically released. The film is about high-school-age table-tennis players, attempting to get to the Olympics. So it’s a multi-character film, and the editing process involved some tough conversations about how to balance the storylines and who to focus on.

I also edited a short documentary which was broadcast on the Truly California series on PBS stations throughout the state. “Sawdust and Sand” is a portrait of an eccentric artist and musician. From that project, I learned some lessons about how to economically convey the story of the main subject, while also touching on some of the wider implications for the social issues raised by the story.

I’m curious about the world, passionate about making great documentaries, and excited about collaborating with filmmakers to help them achieve their vision. My work style is drama-free. I like to be helpful; I can work independently and present my own ideas, but I can also take directions and incorporate feedback. I feel like every job is an opportunity to learn more about the filmmaking process, improve my craft, and get the satisfaction of contributing to a meaningful project. So, I would love to work with you and help you make the movie you want to make.

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Experience Level

Intermediate
Intermediate

Work Experience

Editor
January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2023
Editor for 'My Omaha' feature (2022-2023), a documentary about family and political conflicts; directed by Nick Beaulieu.
Editor at Cognizant Films
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Documentary-style promotional video for a non-profit fundraising campaign: 'New School San Francisco' (2021).
Editor at Roche
January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021
Internal communications videos for a global healthcare corporation; directed by Jim Farber.
Editor at Dignity Health
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2020
Documentary-style promotional pieces for a healthcare corporation; directed by Jim Farber.
Editor at Citizen Film
January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020
Documentary-style promotional piece about a non-profit organization: 'Success Centers' (2020).
Editor
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2020
MyShakespeare: Shakespeare performances and scripted 'TV interviews' for educational versions of the plays.
Editor at Anomali
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019
Five documentary-style promotional videos for an information security firm; (2019).
Editor at Voyage of the Golden Rule
January 1, 2016 - Present
Feature-length documentary in production about peace activists in the 1950s and today.
Editor at Berkeley Public Schools Fund
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2015
Documentary-style promotional piece about a non-profit foundation.
Editor at Sawdust and Sand: The Art of Douglas Miller
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2015
Short documentary profiling an Laguna Beach artist; broadcast on PBS’s 'Truly California' series.
Editor at Top Spin
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2015
Feature-length sports documentary about U.S. table tennis phenoms.
Editor at Lost in Cyberspace
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2013
Feature-length documentary about cyber-crime and cyber-security.
Editor at Dream Foundation
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2012
Documentary-style promotional piece about a non-profit foundation.
Editor at Informant
January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2012
Feature-length documentary about radical politics and personal transformation.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2025
Heartbeat: Short documentary; personal project; in film festival run.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2023
How Do You Measure a Year? (2022-2023): HBO-broadcast and Oscar-nominated personal documentary.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
When We Were Bullies (2021): HBO-broadcast and Oscar-nominated personal documentary.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2020
Rikuzentakata: In-production documentary about a Japanese town’s recovery from a tsunami.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2017
Fatherless: TV episode about Baron Vaughn’s search for his father; broadcast on Fusion.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2013
Wonder Women: PBS broadcast film about the history and importance of heroic women in pop culture.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2012
Kings Point: HBO-broadcast verité film about aging population.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2010
No Job for a Woman: NEH-funded documentary about women journalists covering World War II.
Assistant Editor
January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2010
Rebel: ITVS-funded historical documentary about a woman who fought in the U.S. Civil War.
Producer, Director and Editor
January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2008
Nuclear Climate Change (2008) hour-long; Green River (2008); Insight (2007).

Education

MA in media arts production at Emerson College, Boston
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2008
Journalism and photography courses at City College of San Francisco
January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2005
MA in media studies at University of Texas at Austin
January 1, 1999 - January 1, 1999
BA in English and film studies at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut
January 1, 1996 - January 1, 1996

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Healthcare, Non-Profit Organization, Education