James Cooper Avid and FCP Editor

Profile James is a fast, creative and reliable editor with 10 years broadcast experience. Always calm, patient and personable, he works happily alongside directors and producers but he is also used to editing unattended. James prides himself in always getting the job done on time and to the very highest standard. His particular strengths are include narrative structure, visual creativity and working with music.

He is skilled in all versions of Avid, specializing in offline editing, although he does have previous experience in online editing and grading. He also uses Final Cut Pro, and has his own home setup including DVD Studio Pro for authoring DVDs and Motion for creating motion graphics.

As a sideline to editing factual television, he has written, directed and edited drama shorts, winning several film festival awards.

Documentary

Tiny Tots Talent Agency – TwoFour for (1 x 60 min) Documentary series following child talent agency Bizzy Kidz and the wannabe stars of the future starting out on their journey to fame and fortune. Producer/Director: Stevey Jones; Series Director: Fay Gibson; Executive Producer: David Clews. Avid offline.

Love The Day - Minnow Films for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Documentary following the off-kilter world of Stalkie, a self-made life coach and business guru.Director: Andy Oxley; Executive Producer: Colin Barr. Avid offline.

How to Live the Chelsea Life – Special Edition Films for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Observational documentary following entrepreneur Adam Goff and his company, a highly selective house sharing property ‘club’ which boasts the opportunity to offer young professionals in London a millionaire’s lifestyle. Producer/Director: Miles Blayden-Ryall; Executive Producer: Ravinder Chahal. Avid offline.

Being Bipolar – Swan Films or Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Documentary - Psychotherapist Phillipa Perry looks into bipolar disorder, hoping to uncover more about what causes this debilitating condition, and how it affects those who have been diagnosed. Producer/Director: Christian Watt; Executive Producers: Neil Crombie, Joe Evans. Avid offline.

Pound Shop Wars series 2 – for BBC1 (2 x 30 min) Big rating prime-time observational documentary series following the pound-shop chain, Pound World. Series Producer: Tom Williams; Executive Producer: Cat Lewis. Avid offline.

James Rhodes: Don’t Stop the Music – Fresh One Productions for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) First episode of a two-part documentary series. Acclaimed classical pianist James Rhodes believes every child should be given the chance to learn an instrument, so he embarks on a nationwide campaign starting with a struggling primary school in Basildon, Essex. Edit Producer: Kim Boursnell; Series Director: Tom Coveney; Executive Producer: Jeremy Lee. Avid offline.

Royal Marines Commando School – TwoFour for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Fixed rig documentary series going behind the scenes at Lympstone, and following the young men training to become Marine Commandos. Series Director: Alex Kohler; Executive Producers: David Clews, Dan Adamson. Avid offline.

The Trouble With Mobility Scooters - Nine Lives Media for BBC1 (1x 60 min) Documentary exploring the ever growing number of mobility scooters on Britain’s streets. Although for many they offer freedom, for others they are a problem veering out of control. Director: Tom Williams; Executive Producer: Cat Lewis. Avid offline.

Famous, Rich and Hungry - Love Productions for BBC1 (1 x 60 min) Two part documentary series exploring food poverty. Four well-known personalities live with families who are struggling to feed themselves and their children. Series Director: Christian Watt; Executive Producers: Kieran Smith, Richard McKerrow. Avid offline.

Strippers – Firecracker Films for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Set in Edinburgh’s ‘pubic triangle’ this observational documentary shines a light on girls working in the area’s lap-dancing bars, uncovering what life is really like for strippers as well as the punters, club owners and local residents. Producer/Director: Tom Coveney; Executive Producers: Morgan Roberts, Jes Wilkins. Avid offline.

Old Before My Time – Silver River for BBC3 (1 x 60 min) Alcohol. Cherry Healy explores the dangers of alcohol abuse, and why an increasing number of young people are suffering long term damage to their health. Producer/Director: Tom Williams; Executive Producer: Claire Faragher

Bodyshock Special: The Man With 10 Stone Testicles - Firecracker Films for C4 (1 x 60 min) The intriguing of Las Vegas man, Wesley Warren Jr, as he struggles to find a surgical solution to his baffling condition. Pulled in 4.9 million viewers. Producer/Director: Harry Beney; Executive Producer: Tom Barry. FCP offline.

The Fixer – Two Four for BBC2 (2 x 60 min) Series 2. Alex Polizzi helps to fix family-run businesses struggling to stay afloat. Producer/Director: Tom Williams; Executive Producer: Dan Adamson. Avid offline.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces – Plum Pictures for Channel 4 George Clarke looks into the world of small space design, and follows the people who are building incredible structures in the smallest spaces. Series Producer: Lizzie Wingham; Executive Producer: Will Daws. Avid offline.

Nigel Slater: Life is Sweets – Doghouse Media for BBC 4 (1 x 60 min) One-off doc. Following on from his acclaimed book Toast, Nigel Slater examines how sweets and confectionary have shaped his life. He delves into the history of sweets, and the power they have to

evoke such strong memories in all of us. Producer/Director: Mark Adderley; Executive Producer: Emma Hindley. Avid offline.

The Town that Never Retired – Silver River for BBC1 (1 x 60 min) 2-part observational documentary exploring the effects of the country’s ageing workforce. Pensioners in their seventies are sent back into the workplace to see how they cope. Series Director: Alf Lawrie; Series Editor: Debs Colman. Avid offline.

Inside Gatwick – Silver River for One (4 x 60 min) Observational documentary series following a year in the life of Gatwick airport after new management embark on a £1 billion transformation. Director: George Amponsah; Series Producer: Peter Day. Avid offline.

The Worlds Strictest Parents - Twenty Twenty for BBC 3 (1 x 60 min) Each week 2 teens leave their own fraught family lives to spend 10 days under the rules and roofs of some of the World’s Strictest Parents. From Jaipur to Jamaica and Accra to Alabama, unruly Brits have collided head on with the daily discipline, educational values and unflinching strictness of parents who believe that enforcing strict rules and firm discipline is the only way to raise a well balanced child. Avid offline.

If Walls Could Talk… - Silver River for BBC2 / BBC4 (2 x 60 min) Dr. Lucy Worsley presents the story of British domestic life from the Middle Ages to the present day by looking into the history of four rooms – the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathroom and the sitting room. Series Producer: Emma Hindley. Avid offline (HD).

Weather from Hell - Granada for ITV1 (1 x 60 min) Documentary strand focusing on disasters caused by extreme weather. Director: Katie Ferguson. Avid offline.

Sci-Fi Saved My Life - Tiger Aspect for Discovery (2 x 60 min) Pop-culture style documentary series taking a fun look at popular Science Fiction films: ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Men in Black.’ Series Producer: Martin Turner. Avid offline.

Jane Goldman Investigates, Series 1 & 2 - Flame TV for Living (4 x 60 min) Documentary series investigating paranormal subjects. Director: Peter Emina. Avid offline.

Baby Borrowers - Love Productions for BBC 3 (1 x 60 min) Hard hitting social experiment series in which 5 teenage couples live as adults and are given real babies to look after. Executive Producer: Richard McKerrow. Avid offline.

Factual Entertainment

The Hoarder Next Door – Twenty Twenty Productions for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Series 2. Psychotherapist Stelios Kiosses attempts to help compulsive hoarder Tina, who has suffered tragic loss in her life, including the suicide of her mother. Producer/Director: Stuart Pender; Executive Producer: Alannah Richardson. Avid offline.

Big Fat Gypsy Weddings - Firecracker Films for Channel 4 (5 x 60 min) Series 1 & 2. Observational documentary series exploring the world of gypsy and traveler communities. Series Producer: Vicky Hamburger (Series 1) Lawrence Turnbull (Series 2); Exec Producer: Jes Wilkins. FCP and Avid offline.

Mary Portas: Secret Shopper – Optomen for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) The Queen of Shops uncovers terrible customer service and helps stores to turn it around. Avid offline.

Jamie's Fish Supper - Fresh One for Channel 4 (5 x 4 min) With our favourite fish under threat, Jamie Oliver cooks up some alternative options to help save the sea. Series Producer: Paul O'Connor. Avid offline.

My Dream Farm - Betty TV for Channel 4 (3 x 60 min) Series about people who decide to give up living in the city to set up small holding in the country in search of a new lifestyle, self sufficiency and connecting with origins of food. Series Producer: Kerry Richardson. Avid offline.

Grow Your Own Drugs - Silver River for BBC2 (2 x 30 min) James Wong shows how easy it is to make effective natural remedies from plants. Director: Bec Smith; Series Producer: Lucy Hooper. Avid offline.

Giles & Sue Live the Good Life - Silver River for BBC2 (1 x 60 min) In celebration of the classic sitcom of the 70s, Giles Coren and Sue Perkins become Tom and Barbara, taking up residence in Suburbia to try living the Good Life for real. Series Producer: Lucy Hooper. Avid offline.

Debbie Does Dallas Uncovered - Boomerang TV for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Road-movie style documentary investigating the lives and deaths of the people surrounding the classic adult film of the 1970s. Director: Francis Hanly. Avid offline.

Classical Star – Shine TV for BBC2 (1 x 60 min) 5 part series in which young classical musicians enroll in a music academy. This final episode saw the three finalists working towards and performing a concerto at St Lukes in London. Director: Steve Maud; Series Producer: Eve Kay. Avid offline.

Wheeler Dealers - Attaboy TV for Discovery (10 x 30 min) Series about buying, doing-up and selling classic cars. Avid Adrenaline offline, online and grade.

The Salvager - Attaboy TV for Discovery (10 x 30 min) Series demonstrating how to build unique furniture from Salvaged materials. Avid offline, online/grade, graphics and final sound mix.

Extreme Dreams - Ricochet for BBC2 (2 x 30 min) Ben Fogle takes 5 members of the public on a life-changing trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Directors: Tom Peppiatt, Paddy Collins. Avid offline.

What to Eat Now – Optomen TV for BBC 2 (3 x 30 min) Valentine Warner searches out and cooks up the finest autumnal food.

Edit Producer: Emma Bowen; Series Producer/Director: Paul Ratcliffe. Avid offline.

River Cottage: Gone Fishing – Keo Films for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) With our fish stocks diminishing, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall goes on a mission to look for alternative, more sustainable ways of fishing. Director: Tom Beard. Avid offline.

A Cook’s Tour of Spain – Silver River for Channel 4 (2 x 60 min) Thomasina Miers goes off the beaten track to explore Spain and it’s traditional culinary delights. Director: Phoebe Collins; Series Producer: Lucy Hooper. Avid offline.

Chaos at the Chateau – Tiger Aspect for Channel 4 (2 x 30 min) Humorous documentary series following the ups and downs of Anne and David as they run their boutique hotel in Slovakia. Series Producer: David Mitchell. Avid offline.

What Not to Wear - BBC 1 (1 x 60 min) Popular lifestyle series in which desperate members of the public are given harsh style guidance. Director: Sarah Batty. Avid offline.

Animal Hospital Revisited - BBC 1 Magazine/documentary. Avid offline.

Battersea Dogs Home - BBC 1 Popular Observational Documentary series. Avid offline.

Bailiffs - Tiger Aspect for BBC1 Popular Observational Documentary series. Director: Barney Snow. Avid offline.

The Tree Team - Tern TV for Discovery (3 x 30 min) Ob Doc series following the Blue Forest tree house building company. Edited and scripted alone while the director filmed. Director: Julian Kean. Avid offline and scripted.

Holiday Showdown – RDF for ITV 1 (2 x 60 min) Reality documentary series where two conflicting families swap holidays. Directors: John Connerty, Kyle Prince. Avid offline.

The Great British Menu, Series 1 & 2 - Optomen TV for BBC2 (4 x 30 min) Popular food series in which Britain’s top chefs compete against each other for the chance to cook a dish for the Queen. Series Producer: Gary Broadhurst. Avid offline.

Kitchen Criminals - Optomen TV for BBC2 (5 x 30 min) Top chefs John Burton Race and Angela Hartnett teach kitchen novices how to create restaurant quality food. Series Director: Paul Berczeller, Series Producer: Paul Ratcliffe. Avid offline.

Getting on the Property Ladder - World of Wonder for Channel 5 (1 x 60 min) A property documentary that follows first time buyers from initial house search through to settling in to their new home. Director: Chris Webster. Avid offline.

Crimes of Fashion – Zig Zag Productions for Channel 5 (1 x 60 min) Documentary looking at some of the most high profile crimes committed in the fashion industry. Avid Symphony online edited/graded.

Brainiac: History Abuse – Granada for Fun history series aimed at kids following on from the success of Brainiac: Science Abuse. The Brainiacs are now tackling History in their own inimitable style. Avid offline.

Reality

Young Black Farmers - Diverse Productions for Channel 4 (2 x 60 min) Two part reality documentary series in which Wilfred Emmanuel Jones gives 9 black city kids the chance to transform their lives and become farmers in Devon. Series Director/Producer: Amanda Blue. Avid offline.

Britain’s Top Dog – RDF for Channel 4 (1 x 60 min) Series in which dogs and their owners compete in a series of challenges to ultimately become Britain’s Top Dog. Presented by Lisa Tarbuck. Series Producer: Tayte Simpson. Avid offline.

Roadies - Flame Television for UKTV (15 x 30 min) Fast turnaround reality documentary series incorporating live music. Director: Peter Emina. Avid offline.

Vegas Virgins - Lion TV for Challenge (1 x 60 min) Reality series. Novice poker players from the UK and USA compete in Las Vegas Series Producer: Fiona Drews. Avid offline.

The Salon – Endemol for Channel 4 Reality television series about members of the public having hair treatments in a salon. Avid offline.

Eurotrash, Series 15 & 16 - Rapido TV for Channel 4 (21 x 30 min) Popular adult comedy magazine series. Series Producer: Ian Dunkley. Avid offline.

DVD

Davina McCall workout video, Bite Yer Legs Avid offline edited Top selling fitness DVD

Diana Krall Live in Paris, Eagle Rock Entertainment Avid offline edited (9 way multicam) Live jazz concert released on DVD. Director: David Barnard.

Corporate

Clients include:

Cadbury's Schwepps, DfES, Shell, Emap, Prudential, Nationwide, and many more.

Drama

Lines in the Sand (2011) – 16 min, shot on RED Avid offline edited. Two young sisters with a secret arrive at a desolate beach. They promise to always stick together, but one has something far greater on her mind. Written & Directed by Michael Gilroy

The Gathering (2010) – 4 min, shot on HDSLR A postman attempts to organise a mass gathering. But what has he got to say, and will anyone show up? Wrote, Directed, Filmed & Edited (FCP)

Finalist, Virgin Media Shorts Competition 2010. Screened at the BFI, and in cinemas nationwide. Finalist, The Smalls Showcase and Awards 2010, London Official Selection, The London Short Film Festival 2011, ICA, London Official Selection, Très Courts International Film Festival 2011, Paris, France

Speechless (2007) - 7 min, shot on HDV Quirky comedy about a text-message mad lay-about. The film has had international film festival screenings and won several awards including:

Winner, Best Film, The Big Issue Film Festival 2007, The Barbican. Winner, Best Comedy, Supershorts Int. Film Festival 2008, Covent Garden Winner, Gold Award, The Smalls Showcase & Awards 2008, London. Winner, Best Comedy, The Lake County Film Festival 2008, Illinois, USA Finalist, The Comedy Smalls 2008 in association with Paramount Comedy

The Value of Hard Work (2008) – 18 min, shot on HD Offbeat love story about a downtrodden office clerk obsessed with writing online reviews for everyday household products. Recently completed and currently being submitted to film festivals.