As a child, Tom Scott ’15, watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy through his mom’s fingers over his eyes. Mildly frightened, but more intrigued, Scott’s love for storytelling increased as the characters embarked on wild adventures and braved the unknown. Films like The Dark Knight and The Lion King further developed his interest in stories. Scott has now worked for companies like Netflix, Dreamworks, and Disney, and is currently working on a major animated film called David, inspired by the biblical story.
Born in Santa Cruz, Scott developed a love for film at eight-years-old, when his parents gave him a mini panasonic camera for Christmas. “My brother and I made a ton of short films together and I always loved capturing moments,” he said. Scott began working professionally as a videographer when he was 14-years-old, making videos at the summer camp his parents ran. He interacted with the kids, filmed their activities, and edited a video at the end of each week to show the campers. Later in life, when pondering his purpose for pursuing film, Scott thought back to the four summers he spent using film as a means to connect with others. “My parents instilled in me a desire to help others through whatever I do.”
After graduating from high school, Scott attended a bible college in Canada for a year. While he enjoyed delving into God’s word, Scott felt called to pursue his passion. When searching for schools, Scott was drawn to Azusa Pacific University’s Christian viewpoint and excellent cinematic arts program.
Scott was already certain about God’s calling for his life, and his experience at APU reinforced that. “I learned so much by having the ability to connect with classmates and professors who became close friends and mentors,” he said.
Looking back at his time at APU, Scott recalls building fruitful relationships, as well as walking through times that were challenging, but increased his faith. From working as a videographer in chapel, to meeting friends who Scott would build a film company with later, he fondly remembers deepening connections with God and others. His heart for service and using his talents to make a difference expanded.
A key moment for Scott was meeting Bob Goff, bestselling author of Love Does, at a friend’s film shoot. They discussed their interests in world issues, and when Scott heard about Goff’s connection with a nonprofit in Iraq, he immediately wanted to learn more. In 2017, Scott found himself working with a refugee initiative building homes, providing food, and helping with trauma care. He’s been back to Iraq two times since then, and has traveled to other war-torn countries, partnering with nonprofits to create videos to raise funds, as well as a documentary about refugee experiences.
Scott landed his first job in the industry when hearing about an opening at Netflix through a colorist he’d met. He edited trailers for major shows such as Stranger Things and The Crown. “Some of the other films I edited didn’t connect with me morally and ethically, so I quit,” he said. From there, Scott worked at Trailer Park, editing trailers for Incredibles 2 and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Still hoping to edit full-length films, Scott continued interviewing at large studios. After his seventh time being at DreamWorks Animation, he got a position as second assistant editor, where he helped edit The Bad Guys, Boss Baby 2, and Puss in Boots 2. “Then I got a call from Disney, and they said they were working on a spin-off show of Monsters Inc.,” he said. Scott felt like it was a full circle moment, as he recalled watching Monsters Inc. for his 10th birthday and loving it.
As his contract with Disney came to an end, Scott found himself at a crossroads. He heard about Sunrise Animation Studios’ crowdfunded film David. Intrigued, Scott emailed the director, asking if they were in need of an editor. The director emailed back in 3 hours and said that day they were just chatting about how they needed to find their editor. The company flew Scott out to South Africa to visit the studio, and he fell in love with the mission and message of the film.
Scott was faced with big decisions. He had job offers from Netflix, Warner Brothers, and Disney. Working on David was by far the riskiest choice. “I prayed about it. I had always asked to hear God’s voice. I audibly heard my name, and immediately knew what to do,” he said. Scott accepted the role as lead editor at Sunrise. Three weeks after saying yes, the film was fully funded.
Fulfilling his dream, Scott loves collaborating with filmmakers to tell a story they’re all passionate about. He is especially excited for viewers to see David. “For me, film is a medium where I can help others through stories,” he said. Working on a biblical film feels like the culmination of what Scott has worked toward. “Storytellers have an important ability to lift people’s spirits, and I hope the people who watch David are connected to something bigger than themselves.”
When asked what advice he’d give to those hoping to enter the film industry, Scott suggested reaching out to people on LinkedIn who are doing what you’d like to do. Additionally, he shared to be open minded to the ways creative ideas change over time. “Something I really learned after college was how to take constructive criticism well. It can be hard to pour so much of yourself into something that feels like it’s getting destroyed, but in the film industry, the first idea is just a starting point.”
By keeping God First, Scott continues to live out his passion for stories and editing films. He knows that whatever the future holds, God will be right there with him, leading him where he’s meant to be.