40 Days to First Cut
Watch your documentary in 8 weeks.
The first cut is one of the most crucial stages in a documentary’s life.
You will leave with an organized, strong edit that is ready for pitching and finishing.
The first cut sets the story.
Everything else is built on that foundation.
Without the story edit...
The story remains vague, leading to unnecessary shoots
You spend valuable time and money putting b-roll, music, graphics, color, sound, and narration on top of a weak foundation
Vision and inspiration fades as the team doesn’t see what they’re creating
And most dangerously… funding dries up without proof of concept or progress
What if you could avoid all that?
With a strong first cut, you can:
Get more funding
Know what story elements are missing
Have specific direction on future shoots
Renew the vision and inspiration for your team
Add b-roll and finishing to a solid foundation
For more than a decade, I have helped filmmakers do exactly this.
Who am I?
JESSE KOEPKE - DOCUMENTARY EDITOR
For the past 15 years I’ve worked on award-winning documentaries across the United States.
I bring over a decade of editing experience and a screenwriter’s focus on story to every film I work on.
Colorado is home, along with my amazing wife and 4 crazy kids.
Past films include:
For Liberated, I worked with over 100 interviews to build the radio edit. Then the editing team and I took it to completion and it was acquired by Netflix.
For House, I worked with the director and producer to fill out the radio edit and set the stage for the finishing editor. The film went on to win a regional Emmy and is airing on PBS Montana.
For Schwinn, I worked with the director to build the feature-length first cut in just 2 weeks. Revisions followed and the film is set to release in fall 2024.
It all starts with a 20-minute Discovery call.
In this 20-minute call, we will:
Discuss the story of your film
Determine the current stage of your film and what is needed
Find a path to make your first cut
Not quite ready? Join the waitlist.
Your First Cut will include:
(Based on runtime up to 90 minutes and up to 30 interviews)
First Step:
Schedule a 20-minute Discovery Call to discuss the story of your film, what stage you are at, and how we can get you to your first cut.
Days 1-10:
Review footage and organize soundbites
Days 11-25:
Edit the first pass
Days 26-35:
Revision Pass 1
Days 36-40:
Revision Pass 2
Deliver your first cut
A full cut of the film, based on an agreed upon outline
2 rounds of revision
Select temp b-roll placement
Select temp music placement