Chris Nelsons’ career is long and varied. Starting in the MailRoom at Universal, and working his way up to Apprentice Film Editor in the Stock Film Library, Film Librarian, then Asst. Editor and finally Film Editor. Since then, he’s edited over 50 television and cable pilots, TV movies, and a variety of TV series’. Working as a Film Editor has also created many opportunities to Produce and Direct as well. Nelson has received Best Editing Emmy for series finale of “Lost” and Best Editing Emmy Nominations for: “Six Feet Under”, “Lost”, Mad Men”, “China Beach”, and “The Greatest American Hero”. Also, he’s received “American Cinema Editors” nomination for editing the “West Wing” pilot, “Mad Men” and “Lost” In recent years, sharing knowledge and experience has become a passion, as well as finding worthy Assistants and helping them become Editors.
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Biography from TMDB.
- Editor, also producer
- 29 on MovieCove · 41 credits in all
What are Christopher Nelson's films like?
Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 13
A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 4 · Dark 5
Grounded 10 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0
Gentle 4 · Charged 7 · Intense 3
Steady 8 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 3
Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 1
Casual 7 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0
A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 3
Resolved 13 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy9
- Bittersweet5
- Tragic1
- Ambiguous2
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Christopher Nelson's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for Christopher Nelson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
41 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page.
The Boroughs(2026)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
Swimming with Sharks(2022)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows
Roswell, New Mexico(2019)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
Waco(2018)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
When We Rise(2017)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
Colony(2016)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
The Returned(2015)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows
The Strain(2014)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Dark Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Fargo(2014)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Bates Motel(2013)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
Mad Men(2007)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
House(2004)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
Deceit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
The Pentagon Papers(2003)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Quigley(2003)
Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
Six Feet Under(2001)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
The West Wing(1999)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Deadly Family Secrets(1995)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Convict Cowboy(1995)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Not Our Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
The Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Royce(1994)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
My Breast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Donato and Daughter(1993)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Bed of Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
The Short But Brilliant Life of Seymour Baruch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
A Promise to Keep(1990)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Burning Bridges (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Chains of Gold(1990)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Fraternity Vacation(1985)
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
The Cartier Affair(1984)
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
No Man's Land(1984)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Midnight Offerings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Thornwell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Vampire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
The Night Rider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Dr. Strange(1978)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 36 titles from 1978 to 2026.
Biggest box office
Fraternity Vacation (1985)
Highest rated
The Pentagon Papers (2003)
Most popular right now
Roswell, New Mexico (2019)
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
Awards
a Primetime Emmy from 8 major nominations, 1981–2010.
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Editing for a Series - Single Camera Production
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for a Series
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Christopher Nelson's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 27th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 28th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up7
- 50th to 74th6
- 25th to 49th8
- Below 25th8
Shape of the crowd
12 of their 29 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved6
- Cult Classic4
- Crowd Pleaser7
- Mixed12
Reviewers score the pacing 42/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 54, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Christopher Nelson's work okay for kids?
Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Christopher Nelson work with?
People who share at least 2 of Christopher Nelson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Rod Holcomb shares the most, 8.
Directors
- Rod HolcombShared titles: The Pentagon Papers (2003), Convict Cowboy (1995), Royce (1994), Donato and Daughter (1993), A Promise to Keep (1990), Chains of Gold (1990), No Man's Land (1984), The Cartier Affair (1984)See all 8 shared titles with Rod Holcomb
Actors
- Dana DelanyShared titles: Donato and Daughter (1993), A Promise to Keep (1990)See all 2 shared titles with Dana Delany
- Marc AlaimoShared titles: Donato and Daughter (1993), No Man's Land (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Marc Alaimo
Cinematographers
- Thomas Del RuthShared titles: Royce (1994), Donato and Daughter (1993)See all 2 shared titles with Thomas Del Ruth
Producers
- Joshua D. MaurerShared titles: Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret (2013), The Pentagon Papers (2003)See all 2 shared titles with Joshua D. Maurer
- John Sacret YoungShared titles: The Pentagon Papers (2003), A Promise to Keep (1990)See all 2 shared titles with John Sacret Young
- Anne CarlucciShared titles: Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson Story (1999), Donato and Daughter (1993)See all 2 shared titles with Anne Carlucci
- Marian BraytonShared titles: Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson Story (1999), Donato and Daughter (1993)See all 2 shared titles with Marian Brayton