\u201cLong days & sleepless nights\u201d : Behind the scenes editing for major influencers like TimTheTatman & OpTic Gaming What\u2019s life like behind the scenes working as a video editor for some of the biggest personalities in the influencer and gaming space? We talked to Ryan \u2018Tru\u2019 Smyth, a man who can count the likes of popular streamer TimTheTatman as a previous employer. Ryan Smyth, aka \u2018Tru,\u2019 is a partnered Twitch streamer and video editor for OpTic Gaming, one of the most prominent esports and entertainment organizations in the world most well known for their Call of Duty team. We got the chance to speak with Smyth about his job at OpTic and what it\u2019s like working with major companies and creators \u2014 a career path he admits is \u201creally fun,\u201d even though it comes with its own particular brand of stressors. \u201cI feel fortunate enough that I get to choose who I get to work with at this point in my life, so I can really invest myself into creators I believe in and I resonate with,\u201d he told us. \u201cThere was definitely a lot of stress when I first started. I was terrified of screwing up, so I\u2019d just stare at video titles to make sure they were correct or constantly scroll through the video to make sure something random hadn\u2019t made its way in. However, over time, my confidence has grown alongside the belief I have in myself and my work. As a result, anxiety and stress has slowly faded and the imposter syndrome has gotten quieter, so those irrational fears are rarely a problem anymore.\u201d Smyth got his first major break in 2018 when he began working for a production company called ZygoMedia. After picking up famed Twitch streamer TimTheTatman as a client, ZygoMedia went on to produce content for the likes of Netflix, Tyler \u2018Ninja\u2019 Blevins, and other big names \u2014 something Smyth helped lay the foundations for. It wasn\u2019t long after that Smyth became the lead editor for Kitboga, a streamer famous for exposing phone scammers by keeping them on the call as long as possible and frustrating them in the process. Smyth\u2019s work helped take Kitboga\u2019s YouTube channel from 600,000 subscribers to over 2.1 million, amassing over 150 million views, with a fair few of the streamer\u2019s most-watched videos being ones he\u2019s edited. Smyth started working for OpTic in 2022, and has since had the opportunity to film some major projects with the org\u2019s biggest players like Seth \u2018Scump\u2019 Abner and Davis \u2018Hitch\u2019 Edwards, the former of whom he\u2019s the lead video editor and channel manager for. While some might think Smyth\u2019s job would be extremely stressful given his clients\u2019 prestige and legacy, the editor says he feels \u201cblessed\u201d that he gets the chance to do what he does, despite feeling the heat at the beginning of his career. \u201cI\u2019m more excited than anything when an important project presents itself. I love the challenge, and I love when I have to step up my game. It ensures I\u2019m always learning, getting better, and not being complacent.\u201d Smyth gets the chance to work with some of the biggest names in esports, including icons like Scump, Hitch, Shotzzy, Zlaner, and many more. We asked him about what it\u2019s like working with big-time creators and what\u2019s the most surprising thing fans might learn about spending time with influencers behind the scenes. \u201cDon\u2019t underestimate\u201d prominent content creators In short, Smyth told us that despite their goofs and gaffs on camera, they\u2019re serious about their work, telling us not to underestimate their passion for the gaming space. \u201cDon\u2019t assume that because they\u2019re goofballs on stream that they\u2019re not passionate about their craft or knowledge,\u201d he admitted. \u201cThey know their sh*t. They got to where they are for a reason. I use what they know, and add to it.\u201d Of course, it\u2019s not every day that one gets the chance to film content with some of the biggest influencers on the net. It\u2019s an enviable position and one that many hopefuls are looking to break into \u2014 but Smyth says candidates need more than possessing a viable skill set if they want a shot at becoming an editor for a major esports group. \u201cYou can possess all the skills in the world, but if your heart and mindset aren\u2019t right, then it\u2019ll all be for nothing,\u201d he told us. \u201cThis isn\u2019t about you, and this isn\u2019t about getting your name out there. There will be long days and sleepless nights sometimes, but that\u2019s just part of the gig. In terms of practical advice, you want to be as ready as possible for when that opportunity comes along.\u201d For those looking to start out editing videos, he recommends creating your own highlight videos from your favorite creators to both practice and showcase your abilities. \u201cThey\u2019re a great example of an editor\u2019s versatility and creativeness,\u201d he said. \u201cJust have a few made to show people when you\u2019re applying for work. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask creators you enjoy watching, who might not have any YouTube presence, if they would like help with that. You have to start somewhere, and getting into the rhythm of working for a creator will give you skills that will stand the test of time. \u201cAlso, understanding their community will do wonders. Every community is different and responds differently to content and editing styles, so pay attention to that.\u201d Most of all, Smyth advised hopeful candidates to be patient and continue to work hard while preparing for the right opportunity. \u201cIn a world where we view success as numbers, it couldn\u2019t be further from the truth,\u201d he said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter whether the person you work for has 100 subscribers or 10 million. You\u2019re creating stories that will forever be remembered for a community, so cherish every video and moment. Adopt that attitude and you\u2019ll go far.\u201d Editing for the net\u2019s biggest personalities can be \u201clonely\u201d but rewarding Smyth\u2019s job isn\u2019t an easy one. Like any profession, there are pros and cons \u2014 and working with massive creators as a video editor can have some pitfalls. Although Smyth loves his job and is grateful for the work he does, he acknowledges that being so caught up in work can have its consequences. \u201cTo be completely honest, I get to do what I love for a living,\u201d he said. \u201cThere isn\u2019t a single thing I\u2019d rather do. Now, it wasn\u2019t easy to get here, and I had to work harder than I ever thought possible, sacrificing many many things in order to be able to do this, but the point still stands. I always try to keep that at the forefront of my mind if I ever start to feel burnt out or frustrated with things that aren\u2019t really worth being frustrated about. \u201cHowever, one thing I\u2019ve noticed throughout the years for me is that this can be a pretty lonely job. With my time zone, I\u2019m at least six hours ahead of my \u2018life.\u2019 Even though I\u2019m surrounded by amazing friends and people online, when you step away, it can hit you sometimes \u2014 something I\u2019ve noticed even more since visiting the states multiple times over the years and then coming home. It\u2019s not something that really gets talked about, especially in men, and something I\u2019ve definitely grown to have to battle over the years, but I\u2019m blessed beyond measure and I wouldn\u2019t change a thing.\u201d In just the last year working with Scump, Smyth has helped the now-retired CoD pro garner over 55 million views on YouTube alone\u2026 but he says his long list of accomplishments in the editing space aren\u2019t just the result of his own efforts. \u201cI want to make it very clear it\u2019s a team effort,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI am surrounded by the best in the business who both enable and challenge me to be the best editor I can.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cLong days & sleepless nights\u201d : Behind the scenes editing for major influencers like TimTheTatman & OpTic Gaming What\u2019s life like behind the scenes working as a video editor for some of the biggest personalities in the influencer and gaming space? We talked to Ryan \u2018Tru\u2019 Smyth, a man who can count the likes of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54418"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54418\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}