Twenty six-year-old Abhinav Sunder Nayak has become an independent feature film editor without ever being to film school or assisting an industry veteran.The customary route to becoming an independent film editor often requires years of apprenticeship under a senior editor.
But Abhinav stands apart from the lot, having edited three Tamil feature films (Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, Uriyadi and Kurangu Bommai) and a Malayalam feature film (You too Brutus).
This Chennai-based editor who has edited more than 50 short films, directed 7 short films and a music video, says, “I directed my first short film when I was in 12th standard. At that time there was no short fi lm boom like now.
We didn’t have a separate editor or cinematographer. So when my friend needed to shoot I would act and when it was time for his part I would handle the camera. That’s how I started editing.” Abhinav, a VisCom graduate from Dr GR Damodaran College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore says, “It was in college that I was introduced to professional equipment and software knowledge.” But things weren’t easy.
He explains, “When you are assisting someone you don’t just learn the craft but it also helps you understand time management and mainly how to work alongside directors and other professionals.”
Abhinav has been working as an independent editor for 3 years now. After Balaji Mohan’s hit fi lm Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, he has recently been
working on two Malayalam films, Godha and Aanandam, which are reported to be released later this year.
Reachout: facebook.com/abhinavsundernayak