Wikipedia

Brian Philip Davis

Brian Philip Davis (born 12 December 1981) is a film and television editor from Northern Ireland. His editing credits include the feature films Bad Day for the Cut (2017), Boys from County Hell (2020), Oddity (2024), and Hokum (2026). He is a member of British Film Editors, Irish Screen Editors, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Brian Philip Davis
Brian Philip Davis, August 2024
Born (1981-12-12) December 12, 1981 (age 44)
Lisburn, Northern Ireland
EducationUlster University (BDes)
OccupationFilm editor
Years active2006–present
Known forHokum
Oddity
The Incomer
Boys from County Hell

Early life and career

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Davis was raised in Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland, later establishing his editing suite in Belfast.[1] He studied Visual Communication at Ulster University (with a year at Centenary University in Hackettstown, New Jersey).[2] Initially intending to pursue a career in graphic design, during his studies, he began experimenting with post-production using domestic DV tapes and iMovie, editing short films and music videos.[3] Davis directed and edited official music videos for Oppenheimer[4] and Two Door Cinema Club.[5]

Between 2006 and 2012, Davis worked as a graphic artist within the art department on several film and television productions. His credits from this period include working on the feature films Kings (2007), Freakdog (2008), Cherrybomb (2009),[6] and Ghost Machine (2009).

Early in his career, Davis worked as an editor for the Belfast-based independent children's television production company Sixteen South. During this period, he cut several prominent children's programmes, including Sesame Tree (the Northern Irish adaptation of Sesame Street),[7] the CBeebies series Big & Small,[8] Big City Park,[9] and the animated series Lily's Driftwood Bay. He also edited Pajanimals, a co-production between Sixteen South and The Jim Henson Company.[10]

Independent genre cinema

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After editing several short films in various genres, Davis served as an additional editor on David Freyne's horror film The Cured (2017),[11] which won the Best Horror Feature award at Fantastic Fest.[11] He subsequently collaborated with Chris Baugh on his thriller Bad Day for the Cut (2017), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. This established a multi-project partnership with Baugh, leading Davis to edit the horror-comedy Boys from County Hell (2020) and serve as lead editor on the BBC Three comedy-horror series Wreck (2022–2024). In 2018, Davis edited director Aislinn Clarke's debut found footage horror feature, The Devil's Doorway, which was distributed theatrically in the United States by IFC Midnight.[12]

In 2024, Davis edited director Damian McCarthy's supernatural horror film Oddity,[13] which went on to win the Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best International Movie in 2025.[14] The film was also nominated for Best International Film at the Saturn Awards.[15] His work on the film focused extensively on structural pacing, and managing tension around the film's signature jump scares.[16][17] In a review for Variety, critic Carlos Aguilar noted that "McCarthy and editor Brian Philip Davis deploy high-voltage moments with expert timing, using the dark to their favor in refreshing fashion."[18]

Davis reunited with McCarthy for the 2026 horror film Hokum, starring Adam Scott and released by Neon.[1][19] Reviewing the film for RogerEbert.com, critic Brian Tallerico lauded the technical execution, writing: "McCarthy works with editor Brian Philip Davis to give "Hokum" its rhythms. We're prone to praising editing often as "most" instead of best, usually looking at action blockbusters as the peak of the form, but the art of editing a horror film is essential to its success."[20]

Also in 2026, he edited The Incomer, a folk comedy directed by Louis Paxton and starring Domhnall Gleeson, which won the NEXT Innovator Award at the Sundance Film Festival.[21] The film was acquired for US distribution by Sumerian Pictures[22] and by Universal's Focus Features in the UK, with a planned theatrical release scheduled later in 2026.[23] Davis is represented internationally by United Talent Agency (UTA).

Media and panel appearances

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He has featured as a guest on film-craft podcasts including The Rough Cut[24] and the /Film Weekly podcast, where he breaks down his approach to editing indie horror.[25]

Selected filmography

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Film

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YearTitleDirectorNotes
2013Made in BelfastPaul KennedyFeature film
2017The CuredDavid FreyneAdditional editor
2017Bad Day for the CutChris BaughPremiered at Sundance Film Festival
2018The Devil's DoorwayAislinn ClarkeDistributed theatrically in the US by IFC Midnight
2020Boys from County HellChris BaughFeature film
2021Here BeforeStacey GreggFeature film
2021Let the Wrong One InConor McMahonFeature film
2024OddityDamian McCarthyFeature film; nominated for a Saturn Award
2025The OccupantHugo KeijzerFeature film
2025World BreakerBrad AndersonFeature film
2026HokumDamian McCarthyReleased by Neon
2026The IncomerLouis PaxtonWinner of the Sundance NEXT Innovator Award

Television

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YearTitleDirectorNotes
2013Stumpy's BraeChris BaughTV Movie; BBC One
2021DalglieshAndy and Ryan TohillTV Series (2 episodes); Channel 5 / Acorn TV
2022–2024WreckChris Baugh, Louis PaxtonTV Series (8 episodes); BBC Three

References

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  1. 1 2 Meredith, Robbie (24 April 2026). "Ballynahinch editor brings 'clean' eye to new Hollywood horror Hokum from his Belfast home". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "ATL TV - Episode Three]". BBC. Retrieved 3 June 2026. "Brian Philip Davis is a graduate of the Art College (University of Ulster) in Belfast and Centenary College in New Jersey.
  3. ↑ Coleman, Rohan (14 May 2026). ""Storytelling is One of our Skills – it's in our DNA." Hokum Editor Brian Philip Davis on Crafting Irish Horror". Film Ireland. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  4. ↑ Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer – Official Video. YouTube. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Two Door Cinema Club. Two Door Cinema Club – Official Video. YouTube. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "The World of Cherrybomb with Brian Philip Davis". Rupert-Grint.us. 20 January 2009. Archived from the original on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "Sesame Tree Series Two". Northern Ireland Screen. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "Big and Small". Northern Ireland Screen. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Big City Park". Northern Ireland Screen. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Sixteen South & Henson's 'Pajanimals' To Air On Nick Jr". Irish Film and Television Network. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  11. 1 2 Brosnan, Seán (26 September 2017). "Irish horror 'The Cured' wins Best Horror Feature at Fantastic Fest". Scannain. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "The Devil's Doorway Production Notes" (PDF). Grimmfest. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  13. ↑ Kingray, Alix (3 December 2024). "Unveiling the Craft Behind Oddity: An Interview with Editor Brian Philip Davis". Horror Buzz.
  14. ↑ "2025 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Winners". Fangoria. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (5 December 2024). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'Dune: Part Two' Leads List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  16. ↑ Vandekerckhove, Gisela (20 September 2024). "Master an Authentic Jump Scare With 'Oddity' Editor Brian Philip Davis". No Film School. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  17. ↑ Maher, Michael (31 October 2024). "Inside the editing room of Oddity: Brian Philip Davis on crafting horror with a twist". Production Hub. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Aguilar, Carlos (16 April 2024). "'Oddity' Review: Atmospheric Irish Chiller". Variety. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  19. ↑ Ettenhofer, Valerie (2 May 2026). "Hokum's Editor Reveals How The Movie's Scariest Scene Came Together". /Film. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  20. ↑ Tallerico, Brian (2026). "'Hokum' Movie Review & Film Summary (2026)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "The Complete List of 2026 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners". Sundance Institute. 30 January 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Grobar, Matt (12 February 2026). "Sumerian Pictures Acquires Domhnall Gleeson Sundance Comedy 'The Incomer'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  23. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (20 May 2026). "'The Incomer' Distribution Deals". Variety. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  24. ↑ ""Hokum" editor Brian Philip Davis reunites with director Damian McCarthy". The Rough Cut (Podcast). Matt Feury. 4 May 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
  25. ↑ "Neon's Horror Movie Hokum: Interview with Editor Brian Philip Davis". /Film Weekly Podcast (Podcast). 6 May 2026. Retrieved 2 June 2026.
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