Gary Knight is a legendary commercial editor and partner at Cut+Run whose work spans iconic spots for brands like Adidas, American Express, and Chase. In this episode, Gary traces his journey from rubber-numbering film cans as a teenage runner in Soho to becoming a sought-after storyteller in the edit bay. We dig into the craft of editing—taste vs. tools, why watching all the footage still matters, how to find the right tone and tempo, and the power of happy accidents. Gary shares candid stories about collaborating with directors like Gus Van Sant, shaping music-driven montages, handling shrinking timelines and "too many notes," and why true respect for the process starts with trust, curiosity, and a love of the work.

FILMMAKER RETREAT JOSHUA TREE '26 - JOIN US Oct. 1–4: our 5th Annual Retreat. SIGN UP NOW No application. Just save your spot and come learn, shoot, and grow with working filmmakers. Limit 15.

POSH DUOThe original 2-in-1 styling wax stick. I use Posh Duo to keep my hair fly and my beard on point. Free shipping for RTP listeners. Get the Posh look.

ONLINE FILMMAKING COURSES - DIRECT WITH CONFIDENCEEach of my online courses come with a free 1:1 mentorship call with yours truly. Taking the Shadow course is the only way to win a chance to shadow me on a real shoot! DM for details. Want to level up your commercial directing game?

MAGIC MIND - MY MENTAL PERFORMANCE EXILIRSave hugely on Magic Mind with this link. — This link is the way.

Thanks,

Jordan

My cult classic mockumentary, "Dill Scallion" is online so I'm giving 100% of the money to St. Jude Children's Hospital. I've decided to donate the LIFETIME earnings every December, so the donation will grow and grow annually. Thank you.

"Respect The Process" podcast is brought to you by Commercial Directing FIlm School and True Gent, aka True Gentleman Industries, Inc. in partnership with Brady Oil Entertainment, Inc.