Meet Franklin Ponce | Video Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Franklin Ponce and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Franklin, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

I can’t put into words who I am today but I can certainly say that all my efforts have made me a strong person. I don’t give up and I love creativity.

My family has taught me that if you want something, you have to work hard. I grew up in Ecuador and moved to the US at the age of 17. Like many students, I had to work part time/ full time jobs to be able to graduate and support myself. Also, not knowing the language made me work harder.

Since I grew up in Latin America I have a different concept of other cultures and that has opened my curiosity to explore more. While in school I could have taken Spanish for an easy credit but I took Italian instead. It opened my mind to a different world and the day I visited Italy I was able to fully enjoy it. My curiosity for different cultures, art, music, and languages is a strong skill that I use today in my current job.

My personality has always been positive and that combined with strong work ethics have opened doors for me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I’ve not reached the place where I want to be in my career, yet, but I am working my way up, like I have so far. My latest achievement is to officially have become part of the Editors’ team at Mackcut.

A lot of people think that editing videos is just arranging clips in a timeline and adding some music. For me it is deeper than that, video editing is a creative way to convey and carry a message to connect with an audience. It involves a lot of creative thinking and problem solving. Each project that I am part of, I push myself to provide more creative input by combining editing skills, rough sound design, and graphic animations, always thinking on how I can make a message engaging and clear.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Communications and minor degree in Fine/Studio studio arts. I was prepared to become an art director in an advertising agency and I even started working as a Marketing Assistant then I got the opportunity to join the Mackcut team, a post production house, as a Studio Assistant and I took it.

I started by helping everyone at the office. I was in charge of organizing the incoming hard drives, making cheese plates, managing the office supplies, coffee and lunch runs, etc, etc. I barely had time to learn how to use the software the editors use but I was so eager to learn that I used my free time to learn how to use the editor’s tools. I am so happy I did that because one day out of nowhere someone asked me to help load dailies and I was able to do more than that.

My proactiveness and willingness to work wasn’t unnoticed and it helped me get promoted, and just like that, I started assisting and editing videos for big brands.

As I mentioned earlier, editing is about connecting with an audience and I am so glad that I can connect not only with a general market but also with the Latino community.

I have to be thankful to the Editors at Mackcut who have shared their wisdom with me and I am very thankful to the person who actually has believed in me from day one, Gina, my boss. She sees my talent and has opened doors for me.

I will keep doing my best to keep my career growing because once I reach a goal I get a new one and that’s what keeps me busy professionally.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

New York City has a spot for every mood. My favorite spot for a chorizo sandwich is in Soho, there is this place called Despaña.

Favorite place for a walk, Riverside park from the GW Bridge to 96th St along the Hudson.

IFC Center is such a nice place to go watch a movie, they have this peephole from the street from where you can see a movie screen inside the theater.

One of my favorite restaurants is this little place in the West village, it’s called Tartine. They have the best apple tarte tatin.

Katana Kitten is my place to go for a Drink. The bartenders there are the best, especially Armando, he knows what he is doing.

The Hungarian Pastry shop in the Upper West Side is the best place to relax, read, coffee, and desserts.

I know everyone in New York City doesn’t like TimeSquare but I actually like going there alone once in a while for people watching. It’s amazing to see so many different cultures in one place.

Probably the best view of the city is from Brooklyn Heights.

Central Park is awesome but I love going to the Botanical Garden in the Bronx.

I can keep going on and on but these are my favorite places from the top of my mind.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am glad for every opportunity that I get at my current job (Mackcut) and specially Gina Pagano who sees my potential. Also a shoutout to my wife Alba Serna, a shoe designer, who inspires me and always pushes me to do better and puts up with my long working hours.

Website: http://mackcut.com/works/editors/franklin_ponce

Instagram: @franklin_ponce

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franklin-ponce-44a943a3/