Featured Member: David Scott Titus

Where did you get your start in our community? My wife Phoebe and I moved here in 2018. Phoebe’s a Canadian and a colourist, so she started working pretty much right away. So I got to know a lot of people through her while I waited to get PR. As soon as I could, I jumped on any project I could get my hands on.

Now, Phoebe and I are basically a mini post-house. I edit, we both do a bit of VFX, graphics, and animation, then she colours and finishes. We’re often working remotely with the occasional socially-distant in-person sessions at Phoebe’s colour suite at the Lonsdale Quay.

Did you attend a local post-secondary institution, and which one/program? I wish I’d had access to the kinds of programs they have here. I was a theatre major at Ithaca College and transitioned to film. I fell in love with editing with 16mm and then transitioned to Avid. Now I’m always looking for opportunities to learn something new.

What do you see as the biggest hurdle for your sector, relative to the Vancouver industry? I’m still pretty new here, and from what I hear, a lot of editing is happening in LA. But it seems like that’s changing since there are a lot of fantastic professional and up-and-coming editors here in Vancouver.

What support does the Vancouver post community need most now? I can edit rain or shine, night or day, pandemic or no pandemic . . . as long as there are productions to edit. So we need to do whatever we can to support our industry as a whole and within BC during COVID.

Why did you join the VPA? When we first moved here, everyone I spoke to about the industry in Vancouver told me I needed to join VPA. They were right. It creates the opportunities for industry networking and the kind of visibility I need to let people know what I do, that I’m here, and that I’m available.

Who was/is your mentor/inspiration/idol? Verna Fields, Kathryn Bigelow, Thelma Schoonmaker, Terry Gilliam, George A. Romero and George Miller.

If you could have worked on any series/film ever created, which one would it be? Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

In one sentence, what advice do you wish someone had given you five years ago, relative to your career today? We need to address the systemic inequities (and there are many) that have opened the way for me, while keeping others out -- proactively support changes we need to have an equitable and diverse industry.

What is your favourite pastime outside of work? Taking a step back and enjoying time with my family.

What is your favorite project that you've worked on, and why? It’s difficult to choose favourites when you love your job. But I feel most gratified once they’re in front of an audience. I’m proud to have edited several films starting in festivals: Freya, Wytch Craft, Where Everyone Lives, Mena Brea: A Techno-Dysmorphic Tale