Video Editing Desk Setup in Arizona, US

Name: Cole Cavolo

Location: Mesa, Arizona, US

Occupation: Videographer/Photographer/Editor

Cost of setup: ~$5K

Social media: Instagram

Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m a full-time Videographer and Editor for a large RV dealership called La Mesa RV.

I shoot and edit commercials and ads for our company.

I’ve been with the company for just over a year, having previously worked as a freelancer in commercial, television, and film productions.

I still take on freelance work when possible, but not as often since I became full-time.

I’m also a hobbyist photographer.

I’m always snapping photos whenever I get the chance.

I love to shoot on film and mainly use my Mamiya RB67 for my photography.

I develop and scan my own photos when I have the time and the chemicals, but I use some local labs for convenience.

I’m really just a fan of analogue workflows and tech in general.

When I’m not working or taking photos, I’m in my office playing games or music.

Take us through your setup

The key features of my desk setup that help with my work and hobbies are my ultrawide monitor, headphones and DAC/AMP, and my PC itself built for video editing and gaming.

I use DaVinci Resolve mainly for my video editing and colour grading.

My PC has an Intel i9-12900K, RTX 2080 and 32GBs of RAM which makes it a pretty capable workstation machine while also working well for the games I play.

The ultrawide monitor is super handy for complicated video timelines and allows me to see much more of my project without my screen becoming cluttered.

The room I have chosen for my setup is much brighter than the usual space I have access to.

In the past, I would usually end up sharing an office with my wife or being stuffed into a tiny room with little to no natural light.

Now that I have a larger room with lots of windows, I can have the houseplants I’ve always wanted and the room to really make this space my own.

The hardest thing about putting this setup together was moving everything up a flight of stairs by myself.

The cabinets and countertop I used for this desk are quite heavy, and moving to Arizona in the middle of summer is brutal.

Next time I have to move, I’m paying movers to haul everything because I am so-o-o over moving in this heat.

There isn’t much that I’d change about this setup.

I plan on getting some nicer shelves for the corner of the room. The current one doesn’t fit the space as well as I’d like.

I will also be putting up some more wall art.

I’m a huge space and sci-fi enthusiast so I will be getting more ship models and art that represents that.

One thing I’m looking forward to getting is a replica of the Voyager gold record cover that was sent out to find life past our solar system.

As far as the next purchases for my office, I plan on getting a second monitor for even more workspace real estate.

I also want to get some more music-related gear.

I’d like to get some new synths and interfaces for musical instruments.

I make analogue tape loops and then send those loops through guitar effects pedals to make ambient music and I want a better way to record it all.

What’s your favourite item on your desk?

My favourite item on my desk would be the headphones.

They aren’t the absolute best out there, but they’re definitely the best I’ve had.

With the DAC/AMP, they sound amazing, and I find myself just relaxing and listening to music quite frequently.

I spent about $300 on the headphones and amp combo.

What apps or tools do you use to get things done?

My favourite software is a tie between DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Lightroom.

DaVinci is just a great tool for all the video work I do.

It’s great to be able to cut and edit an entire project and then colour grade and deliver it all in one program.

Lightroom is what I use for all my photo editing and it’s always been great.

All my photos are on film so I like to keep the editing to a minimum.

I’ll choose a specific film stock for its colour and characteristics instead of getting that look through the edit.

That way, the end result is much more representative of the look you get from film instead of digital made to emulate film.

What books, blogs, or podcasts recently caught your attention?

My latest source of inspiration has been a couple of photo books I’ve recently picked up.

These are Magnum Contact Sheets and Todd Hido on Landscapes, Interiors and Some Nudes.

Both of these books provide a ton of great insight on the medium of film photography and I would highly recommend either to people interested in improving their photos.

Any tips for other makers who want to improve their workspaces?

My only tip is probably a pretty common one.

Do what you can to make your office somewhere you want to spend time in.

I’m much more productive when I’m in a comfortable space.

What does your typical day look like?

I get up for work around 7-8 am, get ready, and head straight to the company office.

Once there, I spend my day editing current projects or doing pre-production for upcoming ones.

For example, we are currently planning a few shoots for holiday ads.

I’ve been driving to some State Parks to scout locations.

We are also looking at talent agencies for the actors we will be hiring for these ads and putting together lists of the props and wardrobes we will need.

One great thing about my work is that I am able to work from home on occasion.

Our shoot days get pretty busy. Sometimes we start the day as early as 4 am.

It entails packing all of our camera and lighting gear in advance, then driving to our location to set up our shots.

Some shots can take a few hours to get prepared.

When we aren’t shooting, my job is a pretty standard 9-5.

When I get home, I usually make dinner, play music or video games, or head out for some night photography.

Your tips for working from home?

Working from home is still pretty new to me, so I’m still trying to find the best balance.

I find that I can get distracted easily, so what I do to combat that is to take multiple short breaks.

I’ll get a good chunk of work done or find a good stopping place, then spend five to ten minutes taking my dog out or playing around on one of my guitars.

Then I get back to work, make another good chunk of progress, and take another short break.

It might not be the most productive overall, but it works for me and keeps me from getting burnt out quickly on more complex projects.

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