The Rough Cut

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Avatar - The Way of Water Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

Editor - Stephen E. Rivkin ACE

AVATAR - THE WAY OF WATER editor Steve Rivkin was no stranger to crafting an epic sci-fi film with director James Cameron. Rivkin was on hand for the original, record-shattering film that spawned what would become a fantasy franchise. Still, with WAY OF WATER, there would be new challenges to overcome, not the least of which would be working with ground-breaking underwater motion capture techniques and unique processes such as "facial performance replacement".

Twelve years after the Na'vi repelled the human invasion of Pandora by the Resources Development Administration (RDA), Jake Sully lives as chief of the Omaticaya clan, and raises a family with Neytiri, which includes sons Neteyam and Lo'ak, daughter Tuk, and an adopted daughter Kiri (born from Grace Augustine's inert avatar). His children are inseparable from a human boy named Spider, the son of Colonel Miles Quaritch, who was born on Pandora and was unable to be transported to Earth in cryostasis due to his infancy. To the Na'vi's dismay, the RDA returns to prepare Pandora for human colonization, as Earth is dying. Among the new arrivals are 'recombinants'—Na'vi avatars implanted with the minds and memories of deceased human soldiers—with Quaritch's recombinant serving as their leader.

Editing Avatar - The Way of Water

In our discussion with Avatar - The Way of Water editor Stephen E. Rivkin ACE, we talk about:

Building a blockbuster from table reads and title cards
Crafting two big movies at the same time
Centering production around "Spider"
Cutting the film at least two times
Retiring The Rough Cut

The Credits

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All Quiet on the Western Front Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

Editor - Sven Budelmann

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT editor Sven Budelmann knew he was in for a challenge in remaking the classic German anti-war novel. Not only was the novel already brought to the big screen as a 1930 Oscar® winner for Best Picture, but adding to the task was that this film would be the first ever adaptation made by German filmmakers. Fortunately Sven would be collaborating with a director with whom he was quiet familiar. Prior to this project, Sven had worked with director Edward Berger on six episodes of the German TV series, DEUTSCHLAND 83, as well as a German made-for-TV movie. In addition to his work with Berger, Sven also cut an episode of the highly-acclaimed Netflix series, DARK.

Set in the closing days of World War I, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque) follows the life of an idealistic young German soldier named Paul Bäumer. After enlisting in the German Army with his friends, Bäumer finds himself exposed to the realities of war, shattering his early hopes of becoming a hero as he does his best to survive. The film adds a parallel storyline not found in the book, which follows the armistice negotiations to end the war.

Editing All Quiet on the Western Front

In our discussion with ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT editor Sven Budelmann we talk about:

Closing the door on snare drum hits
Letting the audience finish their popcorn in the opening minutes of the film
Using the Avid Artist | DNxID for Zoom reviews
Marty Schenk's sizzling reels
The psychological toll cutting a war movie takes on its editor

The Credits

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Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

Editor - Daysha Broadway, ACE

I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY editor Daysha Broadway, ACE returns to The Rough Cut podcast with both an Emmy® in hand for her work on HBO'S A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW and her first feature film as an editor. A Los Angeles native, Daysha began her career with a Master's Degree in Film Editing from Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. Prior to her feature editing debut, Daysha had spent most of her career editing documentary, scripted, and unscripted television. In addition to A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, her TV credits include numerous shows such as INSECURE, 9-1-1, TWENTIES and BOOMERANG. Daysha has also contributed her talents to documentaries such as LIGHT GIRLS and SURVIVING R. KELLY; the latter of which earned her a Peabody award.

Directed by Kasi Lemmons (EVE'S BAYOU, HARRIET) from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten (BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY), WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY is based on the life and career of American pop singer and actress Whitney Houston. Discovered by record executive Clive Davis, Whitney rose from obscurity to international fame in the 1980s to become one of the greatest singers of her generation. The film stars Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, and Clarke Peters.

Editing WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY

In our discussion with editor Daysha Broadway, ACE we talk about:

Making someone's favorite movie
Driving a narrative through pop hits
The intricacies of intercutting
Bringing "The Voice" back to life with an Oscar®-winning sound team
Daysha's New Year's resolution

The Credits

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Hear Daysha and her Emmy®-winning co-editors discuss cutting A BLACK LADY SKECTH SHOW

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The Fabelmans Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

Editors - Michael Kahn ACE and Sarah Broshar

THE FABELMANS editors Michael Kahn ACE and Sarah Broshar have been working together for sixteen years, going back to the film 10 ITEMS OR LESS (2006), written and directed by Brad Silberling. At that time, Sarah was in the cutting room as an apprentice. It would be five more years before Sarah would work with both Michael Kahn AND Steven Spielberg on THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011); this time as an assistant. Six years later on Spielberg's THE POST (2017), Sarah would take on co-editorial duties with Mr. Kahn. She would continue to do so on Spielberg's subsequent films; READY PLAYER ONE (2018), WEST SIDE STORY (2021) and THE FABELMANS. Veteran editor Michael Kahn ACE first worked with Spielberg on CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977). Among his numerous notable films, Michael would go on to win Oscar® awards for editing Spielberg's RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981), SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998).

THE FABELMANS is a coming-of-age drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and written and produced by Tony Kushner and Spielberg. It is a semi-autobiographical story loosely based on Spielberg's adolescence and first years as a filmmaker. The tale is told as an original story of the fictional Sammy Fabelman, a young aspiring filmmaker who explores how the power of films can help him see the truth about his dysfunctional family. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy, with Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch in supporting roles. The film is dedicated to the memories of Spielberg's real-life parents Leah Adler and Arnold Spielberg, who died in 2017 and 2020, respectively.

Editing The Fabelmans

In our discussion with THE FABLEMANS editors Michael Kahn ACE and Sarah Broshar, we talk about:

Working with Steven Spielberg, of course!
Sharing one big Avid
Making up match cuts
A close encounter on Hogan's Heroes
Looking forward, never backward

The Credits

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Babylon Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

Editor - Tom Cross, ACE

BABYLON editor Tom Cross, ACE first really made a name for himself working alongside director Damien Chazelle on their breakout film, WHIPLASH (2014). Among the many accolades garnered by the film was Cross's Oscar® win for Best Film Editing. Chazelle and Cross would follow that up with another hit movie, LA LA LAND (2016), for which Cross was again nominated for an Oscar®. The two would team up yet again for FIRST MAN (2018), a biopic about astronaut Neil Armstrong. Prior to rejoining Chazelle for BABYLON, Cross collaborated with editor Elliot Graham ACE to cut Daniel Craig's final turn as James Bond in, NO TIME TO DIE (2021).

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, BABYLON features an ensemble cast that includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Tobey Maguire and Li Jun Li. Its plot chronicles the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in the late 1920's when Hollywood was transitioning from silent films to "talkies".

Editing BABYLON

In our discussion with BABYLON editor Tom Cross, ACE we talk about:

The actual workload of oners
The science of silence
The tightly integrated process between Tom and composer Justin Hurwitz
SuperGroups for mastering musicals
Tom's taste in toppings

The Credits

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Hear Tom Cross discuss cutting NO TIME TO DIE

Check out Tom's Rough Cut interview about Damien Chazelle's FIRST MAN

Watch Tom give a guided Timeline Tour of his edit of FIRST MAN

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Spirited Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

Editor - Brad Wilhite

SPIRITED editor Brad Wilhite had plenty of experience cutting for laughs, but when you put it to music, that's a whole different story. Brad didn't even like musicals before he took the job of cutting SPIRITED. But with a little research and a little help from editorial angels like Myron Kerstein ACE, Tom Cross ACE and Debra Neil-Fisher ACE, Brad soon found the Christmas spirit in the cutting room. Brad also reunited on SPIRITED with the writing/directing team of Sean Anders and John Morris, with whom Brad has worked on films such as; HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 (2014), DADDY'S HOME (2015), DADDY'S HOME 2 (2017) and INSTANT FAMILY (2018).

Starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, SPIRITED is a modern retelling of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol and its various adaptations since. The Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell) is nearing retirement, which would mean a return to Earth. He sets his sights on an "unredeemable" man (Reynolds), a man who may end up helping the Ghost come to terms with his own past.

Editing Spirited

In our discussion with SPIRITED editor Brad Wilhite we talk about:

The little "wins" you need to have when editing a musical
Being comfortable "airing things out" in the cutting room
Getting familiar with the other departments
Editing video tap footage to kick things off
The best gift you can give to an editor

The Credits

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Glass Onion - a Knives Out mystery Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

Editor - Bob Ducsay, ACE

GLASS ONION editor Bob Ducsay ACE has forged a tight collaborative bond with director Rian Johnson, going back to their first film, LOOPER (2012). And although GLASS ONION is only their fourth feature together, the quality of their work has been recognized by audiences, critics and the industry at large. The pair were recently honored with the inaugural Variety Creative Collaborators Award at the 10th annual Middleburg Film Festival.

[Purloined from the good folks at ROTTEN TOMATOES] Benoit Blanc returns to peel back the layers in a new Rian Johnson whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron for their yearly reunion. Among those on the guest list are Miles' former business partner Andi Brand, current Connecticut governor Claire Debella, cutting-edge scientist Lionel Toussaint, fashion designer and former model Birdie Jay and her conscientious assistant Peg, and influencer Duke Cody and his sidekick girlfriend Whiskey. As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbors their own secrets, lies and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.

Editing Glass Onion - a Knives Out mystery

In our discussion with GLASS ONION editor Bob Ducsay ACE we talk about:

Making mysteries with Rian Johnson
Connecting with the details to make a better movie
Winding the audience clock
Dealing in double narratives
Zooming with Sondheim

The Credits

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Hear Bob's interview about his work on KNIVES OUT

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Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

Editors - Ken Schretzmann ACE and Holly Klein

PINOCCHIO editors Ken Schretzmann ACE and Holly Klein each have a background rich with experience in animation. But while Ken's is in editing CGI-animated features like TOY STORY 3 (2010) and CARS (2006), Holly's earlier work was actually as an animator for TV shows such as BLUES CLUES and WONDER PETS! Together they took on the roles of Animatic Editor (Ken) and Production Editor (Holly) to help tame the massive challenge of crafting a contemporary stop motion classic.

Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro's lifelong love of animation and the art of stop motion began when he was a child growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico. By the age of eight, he had started shooting his own amateur stop motion films using his toys and a Super 8 camera that belonged to his father. As a teenager, he began teaching Claymation classes and, in the process, came upon an idea that would find its way to fruition four decades later; a cinematic adaptation based on Gris Grimly's design from his 2002 edition of Carlo Collodi's 1883 Italian novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio. Co-directed by del Toro and stop motion vet Mark Gustafson (in his feature directorial debut), the film stars the voices of Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Burn Gorman, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton.

Editing Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

In our discussion with Ken and Holly, we talk about:

Bringing leftovers into work
Animating in the mistakes
How you can't rehearse fighting with a balloon
Using green screen to buy the animators some time
Table reads for scratch dialogue

The Credits

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RRR Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

Editor - A. Sreekar Prasad

RRR editor A. Sreekar Prasad not only knows how to cut a great movie, he knows how to do it quickly when required. But despite having a massive fourteen film credits to his name in 2022 alone, Sreekar's time on RRR was actually spread out over three years, with a constant cycle of cutting scenes and turning them over to VFX to accommodate for the huge role CGI played in bringing RRR to life. In addition to RRR, A. Sreekar Prasad is known for his work on TALVAR (2015), DIL CHAHTA HAI (2001) and SHERSHAAH (2021).

RRR is a "Tollywood" (Telugu-language) film directed by S. S. Rajamouli, who co-wrote the film with V. Vijayendra Prasad. The film stars Ram Charan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as the real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Charan) and Komaram Bheem (Rama Rao). The film imagines their friendship and fight against the British Raj in the 1920s, exploring the undocumented period in their lives when both revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.

Editing RRR

In our discussion with RRR editor A. Sreekar Prasad, we talk about:

Cutting in seventeen different languages
Infusing the story into the songs
Constantly turning over to VFX
Keeping the target audience in mind
Homebrew ADR

The Credits

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The Banshees of Inisherin Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

Editor - Mikkel E.G. Nielsen, ACE

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN editor Mikkel E.G. Nielsen, ACE makes his return to The Rough Cut, having previously appeared on the show to talk about the film that would land him an Oscar® for Best Film Editing, SOUND OF METAL (2020). In addition to the delicate challenge of filling the void left by the passing of editor Jon Gregory, director Martin McDonagh's frequent collaborator in the cutting room, Mikkel was also tasked with a crafting a film that walked a fine line between comedy and drama in a way that only an Irish film could.

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN takes place in 1923, on the small fictional Irish isle of Inisherin during the Irish Civil War. Folk musician Colm Doherty abruptly begins ignoring his long-time friend and drinking buddy Pádraic Súilleabháin. Pádraic, though nice and well liked by the islanders, is too dull for Colm who wishes to spend the remainder of his life composing music and doing things that he will be remembered for. Pádraic's life is destabilized by the loss of one of his few friends; as Pádraic grows increasingly distressed at the rejection, Colm becomes more resistant to his old friend's attempts to speak to him. Colm eventually gives Pádraic an ultimatum: every time he bothers him or tries to talk with him, he will cut off one of his own left fingers with a pair of sheep shears.

Editing THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

In our discussion with THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN editor Mikkel E.G. Nielsen, ACE we talk about: