TV & Film

Chris Bové is an American filmmaker and television editor, story editor, writer, and producer.

He is best known as an editor of documentary films with unbiased narrative storytelling. His editorial techniques emphasize the human condition, pressured by tension.

"Documentary creates opportunities for audiences to examine the facts and discover their meaning. It's up to the editor to create that path without coloring it with an agenda. Every editor's pursuit should be steeped in journalistic integrity."

Early History

At the University at Buffalo, Chris trained in cinema under Tony Conrad, Keith Sanborn, and Alexander Kort. But he later discovered his love for documentary storytelling through professors Brian Henderson, and the wonderfully passionate Sarah Elder.

Professor Elder's films on indigenous topics like Drums of Winter made a lasting impression on him. (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/drumsofwinter)

He moved to East Hampton to work for the documentary producer Courtney Sale Ross (Listen Up! The Lives of Quincy Jones), and edited for a member of Steven Spielberg’s staff, who was working next door producing videos for Amblin Entertainment.

"While I was there, I also did some work for the Ross School and The Hamptons International Film Festival. That whole Hamptons experience was the environment where I learned the craft of making behind-the-scenes documentaries to support large-scale films and productions."

Avid Media Composer

After a long history with film, he saw his first Avid system at the New York Film Academy in Manhattan the mid 1990's.

"To get to their Avid editing computer, you needed to walk past a long row of 16mm film editing machines. That act alone held meaning. The first time I did so, a brilliant filmmaker named Elizabeth Shub was sitting there. She showed me how quickly cuts could be made in an Avid. Working with 16mm and 35mm film at the time, an editor would average 3-5 cuts per minute. In Avid, it was more like dozens. Once I was able to get into that room on my own... well, I never left. I'm still there, in a way."

When he learned that his hometown's PBS station had bought an Avid, he moved back.

All documentary, all the time

PBS is the primary public broadcaster in the United States, and one of the most respected presenters of documentary works.

Most of Chris's editorial work for PBS focused on historical, environmental, and social subjects, as well as documentaries bringing Indigenous topics into the national spotlight. He also worked on various projects for Reading Rainbow and the Mark Russell Comedy Specials.

He trained under expert programmer and producer, John Grant, for whom he edited many television programs. Grant's wisdom in operations and in efficient storytelling taught him how to run productions like a well-oiled machine. (Examples)

His longest-running collaboration has been with documentary filmmaker Paul Lamont, focusing on the high-art of documentary cinema and pursuit of the human condition. Here is a behind-the-scenes example.

Chris has also edited content for American Public Television, Vision Maker Media, and the Center for Independent Documentary.

Due to budget constraints, there was little money for writers, associate producers, assistant editors, or VFX editors.

"I kept consuming more responsibilities because projects could rarely afford any of that. I was sometimes the sound mixer too. I suppose I could've been lazy but that's not me. I needed to deliver projects that looked, sounded, and felt like they had all of those people working on it. They just let me run with it. I even wrote and rewrote scripts. By standing up and taking ownership of the content, you truly do elevate a production to new heights."

Chris has edited a number of independent short fiction films, including collaborations with filmmaker turned author, Soman Chainani.

"Yes, outside of documentary, Soman was by far my favorite filmmaker to work with. His attention to every drop of storytelling was so much fun. He's always in hyper-focus, right down to the tiniest detail. He's a craftsman. I'm so thrilled for the successes he's found today, certainly well-earned."

At the time, there was a growing demand for industry learning, and a yearning for collaboration. He and fellow editor Christopher Thomas co-created one of the largest Avid User Groups at the time, bringing in members from three upstate New York cities plus Toronto. They created curriculum, coordinated sessions with Avid engineering staff, and presented on Avid's workflows, features and updates.

"Everyone in these cities were editing on Avid, and everyone was doing relatively the same thing... but nobody knew each other because of the competitiveness of their c. The editors at the NBC station wouldn't be allowed into the CBS station, or vice versa. But, since we were at PBS, we were neutral territory. At PBS everyone was welcome. So, everyone came. It was a fantastic way to tear-down the unnecessary walls between people in the same industry."

Chris frequented the Avid Communities. Avid's own staff began reaching out to Chris to learn his workflows. He became an advisor for various members of the Media Composer design and engineering teams.

He became an Avid ACA Leader and a Master Class Instructor, representing Avid Media Composer and its workflows at various venues.