Ep 277: Itunu Olowo: The Editor Who Rebuilt Her Creative Life from the Ground Up
Filmmaking Conversations Podcast with Damien SwabyShow Notes
Episode Summary
In this episode of Filmmaking Conversations with Damien Swaby, Damien is joined by the talented and driven, a promo producer, editor, and filmmaker whose determination, discipline, and creative resilience have shaped a truly distinctive career in post-production. From her early beginnings as a theatre actor in Ireland to becoming a multi-skilled editor and producer across some of the UK’s most recognisable broadcasters — including Channel 5, MTV, Discovery, Warner Bros., and CNBC — Itunu shares a journey built on hard choices, constant upskilling, and an unwavering commitment to craft.
She opens up about the reality behind her pivot away from acting, explaining why stability mattered, how she rebuilt her creative identity from the ground up, and how storytelling eventually led her to fall in love with the edit suite. Her career path includes assisting on A Place in the Sun, creating fast-turnaround promos for global networks, and navigating high-pressure workflows with precision and clarity. She also discusses what it takes to produce compelling short-form content in a world where audiences may never turn the sound on — and how music, rhythm, editorial choices, and graphic design all work together to deliver powerful messaging in under 30 seconds.
A highlight of the conversation is her work on CNBC’s digital-first franchise Built for Billions, and how collaboration, trust, and editorial instinct helped elevate the promos beyond expectation. She also shares her experiences with software like Avid, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Baselight, and her philosophy on clean, organised projects that support entire teams.
Outside her broadcast work, she speaks candidly about her award-supported short film Give Me Your Phone — a story born from a deeply personal and frightening moment. She reveals how she turned that experience into a thoughtful exploration of privilege, vulnerability, and perspective, bringing the film from concept to completion through grit, community, and creative conviction.
This episode offers inspiring insight for filmmakers, editors, post-production professionals, and anyone building a creative career based on skill, dedication, and self-belief.
Key Topics Covered How Itunu transitioned from acting to a sustainable career in post-production Working across Channel 5, Discovery, MTV, Warner Bros., and CNBC Navigating high-speed editorial environments and promo production Creating impactful short-form content for news, business, and digital audiences Detailed insights into editing workflows, graphics integration, QC, AAF/EDL handling, and version control Premiere Pro vs Avid vs DaVinci Resolve vs Baselight — honest comparisons Crafting the promos for CNBC’s Built for Billions The story behind her first short film Give Me Your Phone and turning trauma into art How organisation, humility, and collaboration strengthen post-production work Staying adaptable and relevant in a fast-changing creative industry
Call to Action.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share the podcast. Follow Damien Swaby for more filmmaker interviews and insights into the craft and business of storytelling. Use Promo Code "FILMMAKINGSWABY" for all my deals or just click the link: 25% Off More Labs https://www.morelabs.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
20% Off Strong Coffee Company https://strongcoffeecompany.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
15% Off Tussle https://www.tusslegear.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
20% Off Eric Javits https://ericjavits.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
25% Off Quantum Energy Square https://quantumsquares.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
20% Off Long Table https://longtablepancakes.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
20% Off HyperNatural https://hypernaturalstyle.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
20% Off wearplayground https://wearplayground.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
15% Off STAND+ https://www.standshoes.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
10% Off Molly Bz https://mollybz.com/discount/FILMMAKINGSWABY
More from Filmmaking Conversations Podcast with Damien Swaby
Mike Gallant and Seled Calderon join Damien Swaby to discuss BACKPAY, an independent neo-noir crime thriller about financial desperation, family and the consequences of believing one bad decision can fix everything.Written, directed and produced by Gallant, who also stars, the film follows Steve, a desperate father fighting to save his marriage. Alongside Murphy, a cop caught up in life as an informant, he attempts to extort a corrupt politician and crack a safe—with increasingly dangerous consequences.
Documentary filmmaker Luchina Fisher joins Damien Swaby to discuss the people and experiences that shaped her work.Growing up in a military family took Luchina from Texas to Germany and North Carolina. She reflects on how moving between places taught her to observe, adapt and connect with people.
Filmmaker Katie Cokinos joins Damien Swaby to reflect on a career shaped by independent cinema, personal vision and the determination required to get unconventional films made. Katie recounts beginning her career at the Southwest Alternate Media Project—better known as SWAMP—in Houston.
Rob Hollocks has spent more than two decades on both sides of the film business — helping major studios sell some of the biggest films in the world, while ultimately pursuing his ambition to write, direct and produce films of his own.