TV editor Ben Bulatao, the son of Filipino immigrant parents who has so far been nominated four times at Primetime Emmy Awards, had to deal with a big decision, make a crucial sacrifice, and commit himself to work for life to get to where he is now – a beloved member of the Fil-Am community, a proud member of American Cinema Editors (ACE), and essentially a Pinoy pride.
The Florida-born future editor of Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch was brought to the Philippines to study dentistry as suggested by his father Arsenio who was in the US Navy. He felt he wasn’t cut out for it, so he locked himself in a room until his dad got the message. Ben got teeth!
Later, back in the US, he was interviewed for a digitizer’s job in an infomercial company. He offered himself to work for free if the person considering him for the spot would teach him editing. Three months after he was hired with pay.
“Every job I have, I have to make sure that my work is good and that my bosses are happy,” said Ben, who has visited the Philippines just twice but wants to go back anytime soon after seeing videos of “the stunning beauty of the Philippines.”
Ben’s appreciation for visual beauty and the art of editing without sacrificing authenticity proved to be a perfect combination. He related, “I never get sick of editing. Every time I start a show I’ve never worked on, there’s a rush of learning something new that pushes me to find new ways of telling a story. Editing never gets old or stale to me, and I feel a bit empty when I’m not editing something.”
Lifetime devotion to a craft gives the skilled a significant edge over those who can’t seem to find their calling. He noted, “I see myself editing ‘til I die!”
True enough, Ben, whose mother Linda was a registered nurse, would always learn something new from editing episodes of certain shows. Tackling A&E Biography led him to Hollywood’s golden age. He got familiar with ballroom dancing styles through Dancing with the Stars. And, of course, he was introduced to crab fishing on Deadliest Catch.
In 2016, Ben was tapped to become a member of American Cinema Editors (ACE) where he is currently an associate board member. Michelle Tesoro and Rejh Cabrera are the only other Filipinos in ACE.
“Being part of ACE, I have met the top editors in the industry,” he shared, “They love seeing my brown face during meetings and events. It means a lot having the letters ACE after my name on the credits.”
Last year, the busy-yet-fulfilled skilled act finished his run on Orlando Bloom: To the Edge, College Hill: Celebrity Edition, Get Your Story Straight (a short film starring familiar face Princess Punzalan), Search Party with Brandon Jordan, FBOY Island, and Dancing with the Stars.
He is also in contact with a couple of upcoming big shows, as Orlando Bloom: To the Edge premieres on April 18 via Peacock.
A resident of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, Ben delivers on a routine, starting at nine in the morning and finishing at eight in the evening. Being a devoted family man to his wife Jen and their kids Jet and Jordan, he benefited from the work-from-home setup that was enforced in March 2020. It allowed him to drive the kids and pick them up back.
Ben offered some insights about working for the popular Dancing with the Stars, “It was a hybrid schedule, two days at home and three days at CBS Television City. I was terrified of going back to work in person because I had gotten so used to working from home. But then the moment I stepped into the office, I realized how much I love and miss working with people in person. The editors came by my edit bay every day at noon to invite me to have lunch with them.”
Ben’s musical sense is another key to his success since, in his own words, “music is a huge part of telling the story.” He related, “Knowing when to bring in music, when to have no music, and paragraphing may be the hardest part of editing a show. You really have to get familiar with their film library, have a good relationship with the music supervisor/composer, and learn the style of each show.”
Ben’s tip for people wanting to follow his footsteps sounds cliche. But it’s necessary to hear it from a man who actually made it in Hollywood. He stressed, “Keep meeting people in the industry and make as many connections as possible. The hardest thing is to get your foot in the door. Once you get in through your connections, it’s up to you to prove to everyone that you belong in the room.”
Expect Ben, whose principled approach saw him marching with civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, to be around — beautifully smiling. Be reminded that Ben got teeth!