Harry Potter film editor awarded honorary degree

World renowned film editor, Mick Audsley was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Arts from Southampton Solent on Wednesday 12 July.

With more than 52 feature credits to his name, Mick has collaborated on numerous projects with celebrated directors, including Terry Gilliam (Twelve Monkeys), Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire), Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Stephen Frears (High Fidelity).

On being awarded the honorary degree he said: "... I feel very proud, very flattered and because my job over these past, dare I say, 40 years has been in the role of editing films in the dark room behind the scenes, to be brought out from under a stone and given a pat on the back is extremely flattering and gratifying."

He recently edited Everest, directed by Baltasar Kormakur; co-edited Robert Zemeckis’ film Allied, and is currently editing Murder on the Orient Express for Kenneth Branagh, due for release this November.

Mick is already a Visiting Fellow at Solent and a regular collaborator, adviser and supporter of the University’s production degrees.

"What impresses me about being here at Solent is that there is an openness and connection with the industry. That interface between industry and education, to me, is incredibly important for the future of filmmaking."

In 1994 Mick won a BAFTA award for editing The Snapper, directed by Stephen Frears.

Mick also works extensively as supervising editor and editorial consultant on feature films, TV series and shorts, and has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

When not in the editing suite, he has contributed to a number of books, articles and international conferences regarding the art and craft of film editing and its development into the digital era.

Mick’s endeavour to bring together filmmakers has resulted in the launch of Sprocket Rocket Soho - a networking organisation that holds regular events in London, with links to New York and Los Angeles.

His advice to those students graduating into the film industry is: "Go into it with a strong sense of yourself but remember that [always] it’s a collaboration, which to me is the greatest joy."