A N D I   C A M P B E L L - W A I T E  BFE

From an early age, I was immersed in the world of the creative arts. Not as the privileged offspring of a renowned thespian or famous musician, but the quiet son of a theatre usherette. Back then, for my folks, money was tight so rather than pay a babysitter my mother would take me to work with her at the theatre. There, I would sit silently in the auditorium, captivated by countless hours of plays, musicals and pantomimes.

 

I obviously  didn’t realise it at the time, but now recognise this exposure to such a variety and volume of performance at such a tender age, cemented in me, almost unconsciously, the language of visual storytelling.

 

A career in the theatre would have been an obvious progression, but to the teenage me, the medium of television was more enticing. By the age of 20 I had landed my first job in TV, at the BBC, copying rushes tapes for leading programmes like The Clothes Show. Three years on, I was editing short films for a live daily show and later cutting regularly for flagship BBC shows including Top Gear. Aged just 26, I resigned my staff position to pursue my career as a freelance film editor.

 

Spool forward about twenty years and I am now a multi-award-winning cross genre film editor and producer. I have amassed an impressive list of broadcast credits and accolades across documentary, factual entertainment, natural history and specialist factual genres.

 

In recent years, I have also enjoyed cutting for the silver screen. Beginning with the theatrical natural history documentary Enchanted Kingdom 3D, the IMAX production Wild Africa 3D and Peter Webber's Earth: One Amazing Day - the movie of Planet Earth II.

 

Both my television and theatrical work have been recognised at film festivals across the world such as BAFTA Film & Television Awards, The Grierson Awards, New York Festival, Jackson Hole, Wildscreen, Missoula and The International Film Festival of India.

 

One of my latest documentary projects, Leaving Care - produced by Chatterbox Productions in London for CBBC, has recently been awarded two BAFTAs and a BROADCAST award.