The Assembly Rooms editor talks about working with Sampha, the influence of Kate Bush and London's WTF rents in her Snapshot Q&A.

Eden Read joined the high quality roster of editors at Soho-based The Assembly Rooms earlier this year, having joined the company as an assistant just a year earlier. And her work on music videos have played a significant part in her continued progress ever since.

This has included pop promos for the likes of Dylan, Sad Night Dynamite, STONE, Ella Eyre and The Irrepressibles, as well as special projects for Sampha and The Last Dinner Party. She is building a reputation with her work for a range of directors, including Will Hooper and Harv Frost, won Best Editing at the Young Arrows last year, and now making her first steps into commercials.

So we thought it was a very good time to check in with Eden, and take her Snapshot...

Name: Eden Rae Read
 
Birthday: 15/03/1998 

Where did you grow up? Milton Keynes 
 
Place of further education and course (if any)? Film and Moving Image Production - Norwich University of the Arts 
 
Where do you live now? North East London

What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed? 

Vogue: Women, Life, Freedom directed by Roxy Rezvany is still the most important piece of work I’ve ever made. It truly was an emotionally intricate experience but it really paid off. I feel so lucky to have worked with Roxy and I know we will continue too in the future. Somehow it won Best Editing at the Young Arrows last year which makes it even more special to me!

Sampha’s album trailer for Lahai [Time Travel Memories] directed by Caleb Femi. I was fortunate enough to do a co-edit with Nik Hindson, editor and partner at The Assembly Rooms and he really gave me a lot of creative freedom with it! I spent a lot of time with Sampha and Caleb on this which was honestly a dream come true as I’m a huge fan of both their work.

The three of us had a good laugh and the result was something I never thought I would be able to make - especially as I cut in Avid when I’m way more confident in Premiere.

This year I caught the running bug - like every other mid-to-late twentysomething in London. 

What has been (or usually is) your favourite night out this year? Giant Steps @ Hackney Baths will always win in my opinion. 

Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice? 

Kate Bush’s Cloudbusting is the first music video I remember being obsessed with and being fascinated at how a whole story is told with no dialogue.  

Also the Sony Bravia's Balls commercial has stayed with me since I was a child. I hope to make something that memorable one day!
 
In terms of music video-related jobs of the past year or so - what was the most rewarding creatively, and why?

There have been so many good ones but I have to talk about The Last Dinner Party - Prelude To Ecstasy directed by Harv Frost. The film is made up of five music videos that transition into one and another. I had a lot of creative fun on this project with the edit and sound design and Harv was a dream to bounce ideas off.

The second instalment of the film, The Feminine Urge, took the longest because there were so many set ups and we had to get the pacing just right - a slow build into something more faster and chaotic. It was definitely the trickiest music video I’ve ever cut but the end result feels evenly paced which I feel reflected the idea of the feminine urge.

Music videos are so funny because sometimes you can hear the visuals in the music and I knew we had to have a big cross-fade section in the third video Gjuha to match the intensity of the track when I saw the final shot of Aurora with hands pulling at her face.

Burn Alive is probably my favourite just for the heavy nod to Kate Bush but cutting it was so fun! Abigail from TLDP came in for an edit session with me and Harv and we had margaritas whilst we cracked the first half of the edit. The end possession scene never really changed from the first assembly, it had to look like the Abi in the TV was possessing the Abi in the red dress and I think we nailed it as much as possible so dead pleased with that!  All of it was so rewarding but these would be some bits that stick out.

And any music video project that completely sucked? No job ever sucks if you learn something from it!
 
What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?

New Balance x The Basement Cup directed by Charlie Blunden. It was a two-day edit so the fastest turn around in the world but it was A LOT of fun!

And RightMove x The Voice UK, directed by Freddie Paxton. My first lil' TV spots! I was surprised how much editing went into one-shot idents but working with Freddie was amazing. We have really similar personalities and he made me feel so comfortable and looked after. Academy and The Assembly Rooms have such a special relationship so it was so nice doing my first commercial with them!  

What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened this year? Caught the running bug like every other mid-to-late 20 year old in London. 

Most annoying/irksome thing that’s been going on this year (work-related or otherwise)? Rent in London. What the fuck is that about? 
 
Your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works? More time!!! Sometimes you only get one or two attended sessions with the director and then the job is done. Would be great to have a bit more time overall but especially with attendance! 
 
What are you looking forward to most for the rest of the year? Been a while since I’ve seen my parents and at the time of writing this I’m seeing them on the weekend so looking forward to that! 

• Eden Read is an editor at The Assembly Rooms; watch her showreel here; contact Taise Kerr at taise@theassemblyrooms.tv for more information.