Documentary Video Editor - Travel & History Series (Youtube)
About the project
I'm an archaeologist and filmmaker building a YouTube channel focused on travel documentaries about ancient sites and modern infrastructure. My most recent project is a 13-day journey riding the entire Tren Maya railway across Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula — visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Palenque, Calakmul, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, and Tulum. This will become a series of 4-5 videos ranging from 10-40 minutes.
My previous work includes a documentary about the Riyadh Metro in Saudi Arabia that reached 100K views. The channel focuses on the intersection of archaeology, travel, and infrastructure — think more Anthony Bourdain or Wendover Productions than MrBeast or generic travel vlogging.
What I need
I need an editor who can take my assembly cuts and story notes and turn them into polished rough cuts ready for my final review.
Here's how the workflow works:
I go through my raw footage and produce two things: an assembly cut (clips in rough order on a timeline with my on-camera moments and key b-roll selected) and a written story document (narrative arc, voice-over notes, and editorial questions about structure and pacing). Think of it as a detailed first draft with margin notes.
Your job is to take those two things and turn them into a watchable rough cut. That means:
Tightening the edit — cutting dead space, improving pacing, choosing the strongest moments
Resolving structural questions — I'll flag places where I'm debating whether a scene goes earlier or later, or whether a section should stay or be cut. You make the call. I want your editorial judgment, not just your technical skills
Audio work — leveling, cleaning up wind/ambient noise, music selection and placement (I'll provide direction on tone but you choose the tracks)
Color correction — basic correction, nothing cinematic
Basic text on screen where noted (location names, translations, prices) — simple and clean, nothing flashy
Assembling voice-over sections — I'll have placeholder notes for where VO goes. You can drop in text-to-speech or title cards as placeholders and I'll record the actual VO after reviewing your cut
I then review your rough cut, give notes (usually 5-15 specific things to adjust), and you do a revision pass. After that, I'l handle the rough cut
What I DON'T need
Flashy YouTube editing tricks (jump cuts every 2 seconds, zooms on every sentence, meme inserts, sound effects)
Heavy motion graphics or animation
You to shoot, write, or produce anything from scratch — I provide the raw material and the story structure
What makes a great fit
You understand documentary pacing. You know when to let a shot breathe and when to cut. You've edited travel, documentary, or essay-style video before. You're comfortable making creative decisions, not just following a checklist. You're comfortable dealing with a large quantity of footage and cutting strategically.
When I leave an open question in my notes, you pick an answer and commit to it. I'd rather give you a note to change something than discover you left a gap because you weren't sure what I wanted.
Familiarity with history, archaeology, or cultural content is a plus but not required. What matters more is that you care about story.
Apply Now
Apply Now
I'm an archaeologist and filmmaker building a YouTube channel focused on travel documentaries about ancient sites and modern infrastructure. My most recent project is a 13-day journey riding the entire Tren Maya railway across Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula — visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Palenque, Calakmul, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, and Tulum. This will become a series of 4-5 videos ranging from 10-40 minutes.
My previous work includes a documentary about the Riyadh Metro in Saudi Arabia that reached 100K views. The channel focuses on the intersection of archaeology, travel, and infrastructure — think more Anthony Bourdain or Wendover Productions than MrBeast or generic travel vlogging.
What I need
I need an editor who can take my assembly cuts and story notes and turn them into polished rough cuts ready for my final review.
Here's how the workflow works:
I go through my raw footage and produce two things: an assembly cut (clips in rough order on a timeline with my on-camera moments and key b-roll selected) and a written story document (narrative arc, voice-over notes, and editorial questions about structure and pacing). Think of it as a detailed first draft with margin notes.
Your job is to take those two things and turn them into a watchable rough cut. That means:
Tightening the edit — cutting dead space, improving pacing, choosing the strongest moments
Resolving structural questions — I'll flag places where I'm debating whether a scene goes earlier or later, or whether a section should stay or be cut. You make the call. I want your editorial judgment, not just your technical skills
Audio work — leveling, cleaning up wind/ambient noise, music selection and placement (I'll provide direction on tone but you choose the tracks)
Color correction — basic correction, nothing cinematic
Basic text on screen where noted (location names, translations, prices) — simple and clean, nothing flashy
Assembling voice-over sections — I'll have placeholder notes for where VO goes. You can drop in text-to-speech or title cards as placeholders and I'll record the actual VO after reviewing your cut
I then review your rough cut, give notes (usually 5-15 specific things to adjust), and you do a revision pass. After that, I'l handle the rough cut
What I DON'T need
Flashy YouTube editing tricks (jump cuts every 2 seconds, zooms on every sentence, meme inserts, sound effects)
Heavy motion graphics or animation
You to shoot, write, or produce anything from scratch — I provide the raw material and the story structure
What makes a great fit
You understand documentary pacing. You know when to let a shot breathe and when to cut. You've edited travel, documentary, or essay-style video before. You're comfortable making creative decisions, not just following a checklist. You're comfortable dealing with a large quantity of footage and cutting strategically.
When I leave an open question in my notes, you pick an answer and commit to it. I'd rather give you a note to change something than discover you left a gap because you weren't sure what I wanted.
Familiarity with history, archaeology, or cultural content is a plus but not required. What matters more is that you care about story.
Apply Now
Apply Now