Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Miki Gilmour. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Miki, appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar you earn in a new endeavor is always special. We’d love to hear about how you got your first client that wasn’t a friend or family.

After I graduated from college, I did not have any jobs lined up. Starting up as a freelance without having any connection is very hard. Back then, there was a website called LA411 (and it still exists). It’s an online directory of LA’s film/TV companies. I sent an email to every single company listed on the website, starting with “A” to all the way down to “Z.” I emailed over 1000 companies to introduce myself. Not many responded, but one company did, and hired me for a freelance Assistant Editor job. And that job led me to many more projects and helped launch my career.

Miki, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a motion picture editor who mainly works in the commercial industry. My job is to create a story that grabs the audience’s attention to help my clients sell their products/services, based on available footage. I edit a variety of videos, such as broadcast commercials, social videos, case studies, documentaries (either short form or long form). I value collaboration and communication, which I believe my clients like the most about working with me. I stay open minded and flexible, and am always willing to try something new that we never thought would work. Creating videos is work of art, but they are not made by just one person. Motion picture production involves many people, and I want to make sure everyone’s opinions are heard/included when creating the final product.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

One thing that my friends in non-creative fields get wrong is that they think I’m always on projects I like. Just like any other job, there are things that are not my favorite but I still need to take on. Sometimes it’s to pay my bills, other times to get my foot in the door for new opportunities. I do love my job, but that doesn’t mean I love every project I take. Especially when I just started my career and was an assistant editor, I had to take many projects with low pay and long work hours. As hard as these project have been, they gave me more experiences and skillset. Every experience in the field helps me learn and grow, so I take every project seriously and work with my full attention.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I learned that in order to excel in this industry, it’s important to become a good team player while you keep your own creativity and opinions. Creating videos is a team effort and many people come with different backgrounds, creative ideas, and sometimes requirements (from the client side). I have my own ideas and creative input for each project, but I also need to know when to let go of it and go with other people’s ideas. Some directors come with their own solid ideas and are not open to collaborate, when others are there to work as a team. I believe staying open-minded about opinions/ideas and knowing to let go of my own when needed is what makes people like working with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mikigilmour.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miki_the_editor
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mikimouse