MEMBER PROFILE: Kim McTaggart

Who am I?
I am the mother of two great little girls named Lily and April.  I am also a Film and Television postproduction professional who dabbles in producing. I’ve been in the post business for almost 25 years and like to think that I’ve learned a few things along the way from the amazing people that I’ve had the good fortune to work with in my career.  I like to spend my free time with my family. At one point in my life all I cared about was riding my bicycle in exciting places.  And I did that for several years. I hope to do it again someday…

Where am I based? 
I am based in beautiful Downtown Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.  I live in a little house overlooking Lake Banook, and have an office with two fully equipped edit suites near Sullivan’s Pond.  When I was at university in Toronto, my hometown of Dartmouth was the last place that I thought I would be based.  Now I feel that it is my privilege to be able to do what I do and live here.

What do I do?
I edit for film and television – mostly television series these days. I went through a “film” period because I think every student of filmmaking does.  But my heart lies in television – always has, probably always will.  And it’s a great time for television. For every contest show there is a Breaking Bad.  For every house flipping show there is a Mad Men or a Sons of Anarchy.  Dustin Hoffman is now on weekly, Laura Linney has a great series, and hey, so does Jason Priestley.

And while I love cutting dramatic pieces, I love to edit documentary as well – that is where I got my start. I also produce on occasion.  I have produced several one-off documentaries, a short documentary series, and a couple of short dramas.  I have also acted as executive producer mentor on the last two Bridge Award films. It’s a whole different world of paperwork, but I like to switch things up every now and then.

What can I do for others/what services I provide?
I have edit suites and decks that I rent out, and more often than not, loan out.  I can offer advice – I don’t know it all, but I’ll share what I know. I can produce a one-off documentary, or help someone produce his or her show.

But mainly, I edit films and TV shows. I am happy to work in any genre. In the last year, I’ve cut a feature film and I’ve cut corporate web content and take pride and ownership in both.  I especially enjoy cutting comedy – while I may not BE funny, I like to think I KNOW funny.  And this year, I was given a Gemini for editing comedy on Call Me Fitz.  And while I thought that was pretty cool, it wasn’t until my youngest daughter took it to school for show and tell that I could say I was thrilled to win.

What drew me into the industry?
I was a child of television.  When I was in the 7th grade, it occurred to me that people had to make these shows, and I decided that I was going to be one of them.  After high school, I went to York University for a BFA in Film. Once there, I quickly decided that the edit suite was my place in the world.