TVBEurope sits down with editor Michael Brown to find out how he goes about constructing each 30-minute episode of the hit documentary series, and the technology that helps him do it
By Jenny Priestley
Published: September 27, 2023 Updated: September 28, 2023
TVBEurope sits down with editor Michael Brown to find out how he goes about constructing each 30-minute episode of the hit documentary series, and the technology that helps him do it
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Welcome to Wrexham, the Disney Plus series following the fortunes of Wrexham AFC, recently returned for its second season.
The series follows co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as well as the manager, team, and various fans.
Season one is currently nominated for six Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Programme.
TVBEurope caught up with editor Michael Brown to find out how he goes about constructing each 30-minute episode, and the technology that helps him do it.
Michael Brown Can you tell us about your background and how you got into editing? I started with VHS tape editing, tape to tape at home with my parents' VCRs and camcorder. I would ask teachers if I could make a short video on a subject instead of writing papers in high school. I thought directing was going to be my future, but the technology changed as I was learning more and I feel like I was witnessing the industry change to digital as I grew along with it and learned software. I found a joy in editing that I didn't get from filming, the ability to match music with pictures and create emotion from those who watched.
When I was touring universities, the professors talked about an approach to teaching where all students had to learn all skills for several years before specifying a field. The technology at the universities seemed antiquated as the whole industry was moving to digital in a hurry, so I decided instead to move to Los Angeles at 18 years old in 2003. I attended and completed the Avid Certified Program, where I jumped into assisting professionally shortly after and then into editing short character segments for Texas hold em poker television tournaments on FOX TV as my first real editing job in 2005.
How did you get involved with Welcome to Wrexham? A colleague friend of mine recommended me to John Henion, the showrunner in season one. The series had been in edit for a bit of time, and it needed a fresh look. As with a lot of documentaries you have to find' the heart within the material, and luckily they chose me to come on at that time.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Are you a football fan? If so, who do you support? Wrexham of Course! I'm up most Tuesdays and Saturdays at 6am cheering way too loudly. I love football, I am a big Bar a fan as well. Having lived there for a short while in 2009 during the Messi reign, it was impossible not to fall in love with that club.
Why did you choose to cut Welcome to Wrexham on Media Composer? The project was already set up on Media Composer when I arrived. But I would always choose Media Composer for projects. It's just got a feel that presents the footage as the most important part of the programme. Being able to work collaboratively as well, they have had it figured out for so many years.
Why do you prefer it to other editing software? I prefer it because I know that when I'm working on an Avid project, the team is always top notch. There's a certain division of labour that often doesn't come with software that claims to do it all. Assistants can be working in the background seamlessly, transferring to online and mix; it's just sort of this sweet symphony that allows me to be as creative as possible. It always feels that way on Avid jobs.
How much footage are you given for each episode? I couldn't even begin to imagine! Each episode has at least one match, usually 7 or 8 cameras for the match alone. Pregame there are two running around, halftime there's one in the changing room; and post match. So just the matches alone maybe 14 hours? And then scene work- probably an hour each, add interviews. Maybe 30 hours total, best guess!
How do you decide which stories to follow how involved is the show's producer/director in the cut? Our field producers Milo Bala and Patrick McGarvey get major credit for that one. They formed great relationships with the Wrexham town characters and the team. They would uncover these amazing stories, and follow them as they experienced the season's ups and downs. It probably is a bit more organic than anything, which I think is why this series has touched so many people. It's really real and feels that way.
What's been the difference in terms of editing between season one and two? On season one we had to be aware that primarily, for our American audience, we had to always remember and assume they knew nothing about Wales, football, or the EFL. It was a balance of not spending so much time over-explaining that you were removed from the story. I think we worked really hard to establish a balance of tracking the football and character development.
In season two we aren't tracking characters over the arc of the whole season. We are introducing people more to the drama of the points chase that happened with Wrexham and Notts County, which set up a thrilling head-to-head late in the season.
We do introduce new characters but you learn about them in a more self-contained way.
What's been your favourite episode to edit? My favourite episode is Episode 205 Ballers. It highlights a whole separate part of the club and introduces a whole cast of new characters that will blow people away and steal their hearts.
What's been the biggest challenge of working on the show (other than learning about
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
TVBEurope sits down with editor Michael Brown to find out how he goes about constructing each 30-minute episode of the hit documentary series, and the technology that helps him do it
