SINKING A WARSHIP

GoPro

DIRECTOR
PRODUCER
PRODUCER
EDITOR
FOOTAGE
Trenton Pasic
GoPro
Rafael August
Brittany Delph
UGC: Awards Submission
A former Mexican Navy warship is sunk off the coast of Rosarito, Mexico to create the first artificial reef in Baja California. Captured and submitted by GoPro Awards recipient, JP Ussel. GoPro Awards are user-generated content submissions. Applicants submit their best photos, raw clips, and video edits, and the winner’s content is featured on the GoPro channel.

Tasked with editing the submitted raw video clips from the GoPro Awards winner, I faced my first challenge as a full-time editor at GoPro. This marked a significant career shift for me from an Operations role at a tech start-up into Film Production. On my very first day, I was handed this project, launched headfirst into mostly uncharted territory. Without formal training, I had to quickly adapt and learn on the job. It was pure chaos, but a project that taught me invaluable skills as an editor.

User Generated Content (UGC) poses a formidable challenge for editors. Unlike narrative films and documentaries, which benefit from meticulous planning and scripting, UGC often presents a haphazard collection of footage devoid of a coherent storyline. In traditional filmmaking, every aspect, from the script to directorial style, cinematography to location sound design, editing to color grading, is carefully orchestrated to serve the narrative. However, in the realm of UGC, these elements are absent, leaving editors to rely solely on their editing proficiency to craft a compelling story.

I’d say this edit was pretty damn successful, all things considered. This is still my best performing edit from a sheer view-count standpoint. This edit is currently at 21 million views and counting...kind of insane!!