Meet Miki Gilmour: Freelance Video Editor (commercial, TV, Film)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Miki Gilmour and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Miki, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas Edison Patience. I will become what I know I am. – Michael Jordan

These are 2 of my most favorite quotes that kept me going throughout my career. Working in the entertainment industry can take a long time until you get where you want to be. In my case, it took me about 10 years to become an editor. I started as a post PA once I graduated from college, and then became an assistant editor. There are thousands of Assistant Editors in LA and I met so many of them that are way more talented than I was. Whenever I meet those people and my confidence was defeated, I remember the quote “Patience. I will become what I know I am.” This quote reminds me that no one is great from the beginning (except some geniuses), but everyone is working hard to get where they want to be.
The quote by Thomas Edison works in a similar way, every time I fail with something (which happens a lot to this day) and wonder if I should stick with my career or quit, this quote kept me going by encouraging me to try “just one more time.”
Rome wasn’t built in one day; my career was built spending over a decade and I am very proud of what I have achieved so far.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Becoming a video editor takes a lot of time and effort, and my path wasn’t the easiest. I came to the US from Japan when I was 20 years old to pursue my dream to work in the film industry in LA. The first hurdle I had was the language and cultural barrier; without understanding the language, you cannot understand the culture. I spent my first few years studying English and understanding the culture. After I graduated from school, the biggest hurdle I encountered was a visa issue. Many companies do not want to hire you without work authorization, but without finding a job first, we cannot get work authorization. I struggled a lot because of my visa status, and lost many opportunities to work on projects. There’s only so much you can do about the visa issue, as it’s not something I can control, but I searched for ways to make it work over years. It took me longer than average to become an editor, but I’m proud of how I overcame all these obstacles and got to where I am right now. I still have a long way to go to become a great editor like those I respect, but everything I went through in the past gave me strength to keep going until I get where I belong.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
LA offers many different activities and places to visit. For beaches, the Santa Monica area is a little too touristy to me, so I prefer Manhattan or Redondo Beaches. Those areas are loved by locals, quieter and more laid back, but still offer great beaches and good food around the area. I used to live in Mid-City and I loved it. There are many museums including LACMA, Petersen, and (soon to open) Academy Museum. The La Brea Tar Pits is good to hang out for a picnic or walk with kids and dogs. In the summer, there’s live music on the LACMA side of the park where you can bring food and drink. There are great restaurants in walking distance—my favorite in the area is a Mexican place called El Cartel next to El Rey. The Original Farmers Market is fun to walk around too. For the weekend, I like going to Smorgusburg and I can’t wait for them to reopen once the COVID lockdown is over.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
To my family and friends that have been supporting me throughout my career.

Website: https://mikigilmour.com/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mikimouse

Image Credits
Pic 01 Credit: Jake Burnett