Today we’d like to introduce you to John McStravick.
Hi John, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I first became interested in film and photography when I was at Texas Tech. They didn’t have a film program, but I worked in the library at the Reserve Desk, where they had camera equipment you could check out and editing stations.
After school, I started working in the machine room at Reel FX. The commercial department got really busy, so I started digitizing dailies (when they were still on DigiBeta) and breaking down edit projects at night after I was done in the machine room.
That turned into becoming an assistant editor for Peter Tarter, who is a great friend and mentor. He is a master diplomat in the creative realm and a super-talented editor. In 2012 I left Reel FX to help start Treehouse Edit. There, I cut my first broadcast spot for Russell Athletic and didn’t look back.
In 2021, I moved to Charlie Uniform Tango, and this past summer, I joined Cut + Run. It has been an incredible opportunity to work alongside the most talented people in the industry. And while still nurturing my roots in Dallas, joining Cut + Run has allowed me to broaden my horizons in other markets.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There has been a lot of travel, late nights, and weekends along the way. While some of that could be seen as a struggle, it’s also led to incredible work and meaningful opportunities and relationships. Collaborating with great people has made it all worthwhile. The journey hasn’t always been smooth, but despite the challenges, everything seems to have worked out for the better.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As an editor, I collaborate with directors and agency creatives to bring their visions to life. Editing allows you to see the whole picture, and have control of the narrative through the footage, music, sound effects, dialogue, and graphics.
While at Reel FX, I worked with the long-form and commercial departments. I gravitated to commercial because I enjoyed the quick turnaround and efficient storytelling. You get to work with so many different people and every project presents new challenges, which keeps you creatively limber.
Over the years, I’ve edited spots for brands like Home Depot, Toyota, and 7Up. Most recently I did a spot with LERMA for Energy Transfer that aired during the PGA Masters. It was a fun project—we spent a lot of time in the edit suite laughing; it didn’t feel like work.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I find tons of inspiration on Frame Set https://frameset.app/ and Eye Candy
https://eyecannndy.com/ – you can see all the coolest stuff everyone’s doing.
Occasionally, seeing co-workers or people I know there is super cool, but it’s really helpful when you’re trying to pull reference frames or if you’re doing a rip. You have all these awesome cinematic shots of somebody doing the exact thing you’re looking for. And you can find new techniques that you may not have seen before.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cutandrun.com/
