Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Saenz.
Hi Chris, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I never envisioned working in post production. I graduated with an art history degree, and then taught middle school math and science for 10 years. When my son was born in 2014, I started making videos of him, and it grew from there. Cameras, drones, editing, I used summers to learn new skills and grow my network. It eventually got to the point where I was editing until 2 AM, teaching early the next morning, and then exporting review links on my lunch break. It became unsustainable, so I left teaching.
Much of my early experience came from live events. I started editing with music festivals like ACL and Lollapalooza, and worked with Camp Gladiator and a local gym making content for their socials and websites.
Color came along when I accepted a job to work on a festival YouTube Originals series. I had no idea how to quality control color, so I learned as much as I could before the event. At the time, I didn’t realize this would lead to my job with Revelator Productions. They had a team working on the series, so at the end of the weekend, we exchanged info, and I started with them shortly after that. I picked up an incredible amount of experience being on set, editing, post supervising, and running sessions with clients and directors. I was able to contribute to projects with companies like Crocs, Indian Motorcycle, IBM, and the University of Miami.
At the beginning of 2026, I decided to return to freelancing. I was expecting a mix of editing, color, and on set work, but nearly all of my projects this year have been color. I’m leaning into it, and I could not be happier. Editing tends to keep you locked into the one campaign for multiple weeks, whereas color lets me take on a greater variety of projects with more clients because they are typically only a few days to get to final.
One of my goals for the year was to work on episodic shows, short films and a feature. As of today, I have two features on my schedule, 2 PBS series, a documentary, multiple short films, and a handful of commercials, including a dream client of mine, YETI. I am very much looking forward to what the next year will bring, and I really hope I can tap into the horror genre.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges was professionally starting over as an adult. I had a family and a stable teaching career, so it took me a while to feel like leaving education was the best decision. Change is difficult, and freelancing can be very challenging. Jobs disappear, show up in waves, and there is a big element of the right place-right time with projects.
I’m also largely self-taught, I didn’t go to film school, and I’m less of a movie buff than many people in this industry. It has taken time to learn the ins and outs of different programs as well as industry workflows. Through all the various jobs, I’ve made it a point to learn from the people I’ve collaborated with. I am a nerd for things like keyboard shortcuts, project organization, and color grading techniques.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a freelance colorist and editor. I’ve worked in post production and on commercial and film sets for the past twelve years. When I first started, I did a little bit of everything – directing, operating the camera and drone, running audio, editing, all the way to delivery. While you can be good at all those things, it makes it challenging to specialize and can spread you thin, so over time, I focused more on color grading and editing. That said, I do think having a range of skills has helped me get opportunities that would have otherwise not happened.
One of my favorite things about color is the infinite number of creative things you can do to the image. By nature it is a highly subjective skill. Do you want warmth or cool tones in the shadows? How about the exposure levels of the highlights, or the hue of the red? It’s a great blend of feeling right, personal taste and using objective tools to monitor your adjustments to the image. It is also a collaborative process that lets the directors and cinematographers shape how the final image ultimately looks and feels.
Not all shots are captured well. I love seeing how much I can correct a trouble shot that may have been overexposed, too blue, or some other issue. This is very common in documentaries where they can’t control lighting as well, so there is a big range of environmental hurdles. Each shot is a small puzzle that requires a special “recipe” to get it to where you want. The before and after comparisons on these are so gratifying.
One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on was the Hermanos Gutiérrez music video, “Elegantly Wasted.” This one was special because it was an official selection of this year’s Tribeca festival, I am a huge fan of their music, and I was involved with so many aspects of the video. Before the shoot, I helped create the images that were projected onto the theatre screen and musicians. On set, I media managed all the footage, ran the projector, and worked as an assistant editor. Once the edit was locked, I graded the video, and then delivered the finals. This video featured Leon Bridges, and between takes, the three of them would start playing, singing and writing music. It was beautiful and so memorable.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My wife has been so supportive in all of my career transitions. She has provided guidance, perspective, and whole hearted belief in my ability to be successful. That encouragement has made a huge difference in the moments when the future wasn’t clear.
Another important figure for me is Alonso Luján. He is a local Austin cinematographer, a wonderful human, and has been instrumental in my development as an editor and colorist. We’ve worked together on projects ranging from commercials and documentaries to PBS productions and music videos. Many of the opportunities I’ve had go back to his support and confidence in my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chrisraysaenz.com
- Instagram: see_signs
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-saenz-18019436
