Documentary First Podcast

What do you do when you inherit a documentary that isn’t working—and the producer is George Clooney?

Emmy and Peabody Award-winning editor Charles Olivier was brought in as “fresh eyes” on Surviving Ohio State, the HBO documentary that exposes decades of sexual abuse within Ohio State’s athletic programs. More than 1,000 victims. A cover-up spanning decades. And a sitting Congressman—Jim Jordan—who was an assistant wrestling coach during the abuse.

In this episode of Documentary First, Charles reveals how he pitched a complete restructure to the production team via Zoom (with Clooney watching), why he structures documentaries like symphonies rather than three-act narratives, and the moment he realized the film’s emotional center wasn’t who everyone expected.

DocuView Déjà Vu: FYRE (Netflix)

What You’ll Learn

On Getting Hired:

• The “fresh eyes” audition process—watching existing cuts and pitching a new vision

• Why relationships matter more than subject matter expertise

• How to build trust with directors and producers

On Editorial Approach:

• The editor as “midwife” to the director’s vision

• Structuring documentaries like symphonies—themes, movements, dynamics

• Finding your film’s “grain” (why the lead isn’t always who you expect)

• Maintaining emotional resonance with 1,000+ victims

On Collaboration:

• Knowing when to push back on notes

• What it’s actually like working with George Clooney

• Trusting yourself as an editor

Key Quotes

“You’re kind of a midwife to a director—to try and help them create this project.”

“People are going to watch your movie for such an infinitesimally small percentage of their life. What they’re going to do is remember it. So you’ve got to think about what is it you want them to remember.”

“What I find with every project is that I can feel myself imposing a certain idea onto it, often because I want it to be a kind of film. And you’ve got to cut with the grain.”

“When you hire me, you’re hiring me. I’m going to try and trust myself. When you’re in it, you’ve got to just try not to second guess.”

About Charles Olivier

Charles Olivier is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning editor and writer with more than 20 years in film, television, and audio. Known for emotionally rich, musically attuned storytelling shaped by his background in music composition. His credits include Surviving Ohio State (HBO Max), The Jinx (HBO), The Redeem Team (Netflix), Magic and Bird: A Courtship of Rivals (HBO), and Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall. Charles splits his time between France, New York, and Los Angeles.