As Soundview’s expert editor, Chris Dewar is renowned for his ability to transform mountains of raw footage into captivating stories even when there’s a tight deadline. Recently those deadlines have been daily, as he edits Time Team’s Dig Watch, bringing viewers as close to the action as possible with behind-the-scenes looks at the ongoing excavations.
Dig Watch from Norton Disney
Each day, Dig Watch celebrates the discoveries as they are unearthed. Working on site in Norton Disney, a village in Lincolnshire, Chris loves the challenges and revelations that an edit like this brings:
“Once the digs are underway, it becomes a race against time for all of us to get the footage into the system and edited. I love the live feel of it, and there’s an infectious excitement as everyone eagerly awaits the day’s discoveries. The archaeologists and volunteers are often spread out across different parts of the site, sometimes at opposite ends of the village, so it’s just as thrilling for them to see what’s happening elsewhere on the dig.”
Chris Dewar mid edit.
Dig Watch hits that balance of captivating viewers without giving TOO much away, as the full episodes come out once the dig is complete. Chris says: “Our task is to craft a compelling story while holding back on revealing exactly what has been uncovered, so there are no spoilers for the main show. It’s a delicate balance – you have to keep viewers engaged without giving away too much. Time Team is only on site for three days so when the dig wraps up, I take all the rushes back to the studio, to ensure the Dig Watch segments evolve into the full-fledged three day Time Team episodes. It’s all about teasing the discovery without spoiling the journey.”
The Time Team Crew on site, With Chris second from left.
All the Drama
Whether it’s discovering ancient artefacts or battling through challenging weather, Dig Watch captures all the drama, the humour, and the adventure that comes with each dig, showing that there’s far more to archaeology than just brushing mud off bones. And without giving too much away, that drama includes some thrilling developments that may explain the name of the village.
Chris will soon be working on creating the full Time Team episodes. You can watch Dig Watch on Time Team Patreon Channel or catch full episodes on Time Teams Official YouTube Channel.
