DR NIKKI COMNINOS (SAGE)
Editor - Director - occasional Academic
Hi, I'm Nikki - a South African filmmaker with 20 years of experience. My work spans from the edit suite to the director’s chair. You can find my current work streaming on Showmax: four part true crime series Thabo Bester, and two part true crime series Convict Conman. In November my next series launches: Unspoken War, a five part historical documentary series that explores the conflicts in South Africa, Angola, and Namibia from the 1960s to 1990s and the legacy that lingers today.
I am curious about the world around me, and I love that filmmaking allows me to learn while sharing these discoveries with audiences. I like to work swiftly and collaboratively, and always with ethical consideration and deep creative thought.
In 2022 I was recognised by the American Cinema Editors (ACE) in their International Partnership, and have held the South African Editors Guild (SAGE) acronym for distinguished editors since 2014. I am on the executive board of the South African Guild of Editors, a Documentary Filmmakers South Africa member and a Berlinale Talent alumnus. The projects I work on are consistently awarded industry prizes and screen worldwide with global streamers, broadcasters and film festivals. Excellence in my edit work has also been personally awarded multiple times at local and international film festivals and craft awards.
Although I’m well versed across a range of genres, I have a specialisation in documentary. I am a deeply engaged narrative and visual filmmaker with strong story doctor and problem-solving skills. I can support you across all production phases: from conceptualisation and research to technical workflow planning, directing, shooting for edit, offline editing, directing edit and story troubleshooting. I am adept at managing long-form projects and series with multiple episodes. During my career, I have earned the nickname comrade supercuts :)​
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To add to my professional experience I have a strong academic background giving me a critical thinking approach to my work. In 2015 I completed my Ph.D. focusing on home video, personal history and memory. I work at institutions like Wits University, Open Window, Botswana Ignite and AFDA. I was also the training manager for Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking. I am a published author in filmmaking journals.
