David Arkema, video editor with Steadicam

Since childhood, I’ve been immersed in stories—whether through film, music, or theater. In middle and high school, I played in bands, acted in musicals, and jammed in jazz ensembles. While earning my math degree at Hamilton College (alongside pre-med studies), I couldn’t shake my love of performance and storytelling. That passion took me to Paris, where I studied at the world-renowned École Jacques Lecoq. There, I learned how movement, improvisation, and imagery can create powerful stories without a single word.

I went on to co-found Wakka Wakka Productions, an ensemble theater company whose work earned a Drama Desk Award nomination. The New York Times even called us “geniuses.”

Eventually, my lifelong fascination with cinema drew me into video editing—where I could merge my performance instincts with the craft of shaping visuals and sound. Since 2009, I’ve been editing everything from short films and branded content to podcasts, promos, and explainer videos. Along the way, I’ve sharpened my technical expertise (Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Audition) and refined my collaborative approach, working with teams at Yahoo Finance, MCM Creative Studios, and Evocation Media.

What drives me most is collaboration. I thrive in creative teams, love finding solutions to technical and storytelling challenges, and always bring fresh ideas while keeping the client’s vision at the center. Whether I’m editing a podcast, a promo reel, or a documentary short, my goal is the same: to deliver engaging, high-quality work that elevates the story and resonates with its audience.

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