Offline story editor

It’s a well-known but little publicised fact that editors like Melanie Golden are the crux of every film and television story. She may be hidden away like a vampire in her editing suite, but without her rich understanding of how pace, rhythm and music can be woven together to elicit any number of responses in the viewer, many a great story would fall as flat as the screens they get displayed on.

At 35, Golden has worked across all genres but is proudest of the work she did on Intersexions and Inside Story, both of which deal with issues around HIV/Aids, saying: “If done right, education through entertainment is very powerful.” A golden girl by name and reputation, she won South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) for best editing in a drama in both 2011 and 2012 and continues to build a platform for excellence through her Reel Edge Film Academy, which she started with her husband in 2009.

— Cat Pritchard

Twitter: @melgolden