Frankenstein editor Evan Schiff ACE first began his journey as an assistant editor on Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth (2006). Over the next, nearly two decades, Evan would establish himself as an action movie editor to be reckoned with.  He would flex his cutting chops on films like John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) and Bob Odenkirk's action debut, Nobody (2021).  Evan would also drop by the MCU to cut The Marvels (2023).  But to hear Evan tell it, it was hardly his skills as an action editor that would prompt Del Toro to hire his former assistant editor to cut Frankenstein.

Produced, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, and based on the 1818 novel by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Christoph Waltz. The film follows the life of egotistical scientist Victor Frankenstein whose experiment in creating new life results in dangerous consequences when his monstrous creation comes to life.

(In Evan's own words...) Originally from Syracuse, NY, I started my career in the film industry at the age of 16, between my junior and senior years of high school, with an internship at Stan Winston Studio (now Legacy EFX). After graduating from high school and being accepted into USC's film production program, SWS hired me back to do tech support as their Systems Administrator and eventually their in-house VFX Editor. I worked there part-time for all four years of college and full-time for one year after. While at USC, I got bit by the editing bug. I found that, even more than creature or visual effects, I loved sitting in the editing bay for hours on end putting my student films together. So a year after graduation, and five years after starting my job at Stan Winston's, I started to pursue editing full-time. It was slow at first, but eventually I got my first few jobs as an assistant editor, and things took off from there.

Visit Extreme Music for the new Extreme Music panel for Avid Media Composer

Hear Evan's interview for John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

See which Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

KPop Demon Hunters editor Nathan Schauf was already a trusted teammember at Sony Pictures Animation (SPA) when has was asked to "lend a hand for a bit" on this new action-comedy musical. Not long after, lending a hand turned into leading the way, with Nathan leaning on his years of experience cutting animation to help craft the film into a worldwide hit that would become Netflix's most streamed content of all time.

KPop Demon Hunters follows Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, a world-famous K-pop girl group known as Huntrix.  Unbeknownst to their fans, Huntrix secretly uses their music and performance abilities to fight and protect the world from demons. While balancing their lives as global pop stars with their mission to keep demons sealed away, the group faces their biggest challenge when a rival, all-demon boy band called the Saja Boys emerges to steal their fans and threaten the world.  

Since joining SPA in 2020, Nathan has contributed to an array of animated projects, including Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, the latest entry in the beloved monster franchise, and Genndy Tartakovsky's R-rated comedy Fixed. He has also played a key role in several other projects in development.  With over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Schauf's career spans animation, gaming, virtual reality, commercials, sports, and independent films. 

Schauf earned a degree in Electronic Media and Communication with a minor in English from Texas Tech University. He currently resides in Orange County, California, with his wife, daughter, son, and their cat, Todd.

Get the new Extreme Music Panel for Avid Media Composer

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Andor editor Yan Miles partly attributes the decision not to extensively use the Stagecraft "volume" technology as the reason why his series has a distinctly different look and feel to other shows under the Star Wars banner. Instead, Andor leans into real-world environments, capturing the grit and authenticity that Yan believes enhances the narrative. Another significant factor in that differentiation is Tony Gilroy's writing, where the narrative complexity lies. Despite knowing the ultimate fate of characters like Cassian Andor, the series thrives on the uncertainty surrounding minor characters and their arcs. It's in these uncharted territories that the tension in Andor finds its heartbeat.

Season 2 of Andor continues the chronicling of Cassian Andor's journey as he becomes a key figure in the burgeoning Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire. The season covers the four years leading up to the events of Rogue One, with each arc spanning a year. 

Yan Miles ACE, BFE is an acclaimed film and television editor whose work spans some of the most prestigious and visually dynamic series of the last decade. A member of both American Cinema Editors and British Film Editors, Yan has brought his keen sense of story and rhythm to internationally celebrated productions such as The Crown, Sherlock, and Game of Thrones. Known for his ability to blend emotional nuance with bold editorial choices, his work has helped define the tone and texture of modern prestige television.

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Streamline your postproduction pipeline with Shade

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Ted Lasso editors, Melissa McCoy and A.J. Catoline re-join this episode of The Rough Cut podcast to tell us about what goes on in the cutting room to make all the magic from the locker room.

Ted Lasso is an AppleTV+ series developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Joe Kelly and Brendan Hunt, based on a character of the same name that Sudeikis first portrayed in a series of promos for NBC Sports' coverage of the The English Premier League. The premise is that American college football coach Ted Lasso is recruited to coach an English Premier League team, AFC Richmond, despite having no experience in English football.

Michigan native, Melissa McCoy is an editor and producer, known for Ted Lasso (2020), Rush Hour (2016) and Whiskey Cavalier (2019).  Melissa won an ACE Eddie for her work on Ted Lasso in 2021.

Emmy-winning editor, A.J. Catoline is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and USC's Master of Professional Writing Program, and a Board Member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, Local 700 IATSE. He is a picture editor working in television and documentary film in Los Angeles. He attended the American School in Paris and grew up in Falmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

In our discussion with Ted Lasso editors, Melissa and A.J., we talk about:

• Not doing the notes, just making them disappear
• VFX for football teams that don't have any balls
• The way Sudeikis lays his cards out on the table
• Making a mega montage
• One last look back on Lasso

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer

See Melissa and A.J.'s Timeline Tour from Season One

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

THE LAST OF US editors Tim Good, ACE and Emily Mendez are the perfect example of mentoring in action.  Paying forward the mentoring he received from editor Norman Buckley, ACE, Tim has always looked for ways he could elevate assistants into the first chair.  Building on her work with Tim on THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Emily was more than ready to grab the editorial reins when the time came for THE LAST OF US.

THE LAST OF US is set in 2023, twenty years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection which causes its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures and collapses society.  The series follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler tasked with escorting an immune teenager named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a post-apocalyptic United States.  The creative force behind the video game on which the series is based is Neil Druckmann.  One of the game's legion of fans was writer / director Craig Mazin (Chernobyl). The two would go on to successfully pitch HBO on the concept of adapting the game into a series.

In addition to THE LAST OF US, Tim is known as both an editor and producer for his work on such shows as The Umbrella Academy (2019) and Fringe (2008).

Emily Mendez is known for The Umbrella Academy (2019), The Resident (2018) and Light as a Feather (2018).

In our discussion with The Last of Us editors, Tim and Emily, we talk about:

• How to SUCCESSFULLY adapt a video game into a series
• Sound design...the assistant's advantage
• When 1 episode + 1 episode = 1 pilot
• The benefits of bottle episodes
• Meaningful mentoring

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

Learn about Avid's new Media Composer for Students program

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

The Blindspotting editing team of Craig Hayes, Varun Viswanath ACE, Chris Chandler and Trevor Penna collectively crafted a show unique in both its structure as well as its visual style.  On the audio side, the show is underscored by a soundtrack that pays homage to the Bay Area roots of Blindspotting creators, Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs.  Hayes and Viswanath took on the task of cutting Season One, while Chandler and Penna split editorial duties for the sophomore effort.

Taking place six months after the events of the film Blindspotting, the tv series begins with Miles, Ashley's partner of 12 years and father of their son, suddenly being incarcerated.  The situation leaves Ashley to navigate a chaotic and humorous existential crisis when she and her son Sean are forced to move in with Miles' mother and half-sister.

Craig Hayes has cemented a career as a spirited and versatile editor. He studied film at Ithaca College in New York, which inspired Craig to hone his craft and move forward in his career.  From there, Craig worked as associate editor on Gus Van Sant's To Die For and M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water, and as assistant editor for Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds and Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained.  Craig was also first assistant editor for the award-winning HBO series John Adams.  Craig has recently worked on the critically acclaimed The Hate U Give, directed by George Tillman Jr. as well as being nominated for a best editing award for HBO's Righteous Gemstones.

Varun is a Film & TV Editor based in Los Angeles, CA. He is a member of the American Cinema Editors and the Motion Pictures Editors Guild, and has an MFA in Film Editing from The American Film Institute Conservatory. His work on What We Do In The Shadows was nominated for Best Edited Comedy Series at the 2021 ACE Eddie awards.

Blindspotting is Chris's first full series as an editor. Prior to this series, he was an assistant and co-editor on FX's Dave, as well as HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, which he refers to as his "master class training in comedy and storytelling." He received an ACE Eddie nomination for his work co-editing the "Curb" Season 11 finale, "The Mormon Advantage," alongside one of his mentors, Roger Nygard ACE.

Trevor began his postproduction career assisting editor Tim Roche on shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm and WandaVision. Following those jobs he then took on lead editorial duties for the Apple TV+ series, Mythic Quest.

In our discussion with the Blindspotting editing team we talk about:

• Making magic out of monologues
• Musical misunderstandings with remote editorial
• Fluidmorph and Animatte...it's all Fluidmorph and Animatte
• Nailing the needle drops to honor Oakland artists
• Cutting choreography

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

See what's new with Avid Media Composer

Meet the editor of the film Blindspotting, Gabe Fleming

Hear Trevor Penna talk about his work on Mythic Quest

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

EXTRAPOLATIONS editor, Greg O'Bryant has once again teamed up with writer/director Scott Z. Burns, this time to take on the challenge of creating an entertaining, educational and hopefully motivational series about the future effects of climate change.  Delivered as an anthology series, one of the more daunting tasks for the team would be managing the often dramatic shifts in tone, as well as the delicate balance between drama and, on occasion, comedy.

Taking place in the not-too-distant future, but over the span of thirty-three years, EXTRAPOLATIONS shows how the effects of climate change have become embedded into people's everyday lives; through eight interwoven stories that explore the intimate, life-changing choices that must be made when the planet is changing faster than the population.

Greg first began his partnership with Scott Z. Burns on the latter's political drama, THE REPORT (2019).  Greg would also edit an episode of the series, THE LOUDEST VOICE (2019) that Burns helmed.  In addition to his work with Scott Z. Burns, Greg is also a frequent collaborator with show runner, Nick Antosca.  Their partnership first began on CHANNEL ZERO, a SyFy Channel anthology series based on the popular Internet "Creepypastas" Candle Cove, The No-End House and Butcher's Block.  Subsequent projects with Antosca would include Hulu's original series, THE ACT, as well as the Netflix series, BRAND NEW CHERRY FLAVOR.  Greg also edited the tv series, THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, adapted from the film by Steven Soderbergh...who directed CONTAGION...written by Scott Z. Burns.

In our discussion with EXTRAPOLATIONS editor, Greg O'Bryant, we talk about:

• Not crossing the streams of comedy and drama
• The only geography that matters
• Why you need sixty mice
• Entertaining and educating for the sake of motivating
• Learning to love VFX, while still bemoaning blue screen

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Check out the free trial of Media Composer | Ultimate

Hear Greg discuss his work on the Netflix series, BRAND NEW CHERRY FLAVOR

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: VOL. 3 editors Fred Raskin and Greg D'Auria find themselves in familiar territory; collaborating on a James Gunn project.  But their twenty-year plus relationship dates back much further than their work with Gunn.  The two first collaborated on Tarantino's KILL BILL: VOL. 1 (2003).

In James Gunn's final installment of the "Guardians" trilogy, Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. If the mission is not completely successful, it could possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

Fred has worked with Gunn on all three Guardians of the Galaxy films, as well as the tv series PEACEMAKER and Peacemaker's origin film, THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021).  In addition to his work with Gunn, another prominent director that Fred is known to cut for is Quentin Tarantino.  Fred handled the editorial duties for DJANGO UNCHAINED (2012), THE HATEFUL EIGHT (2015) and, most recently, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019).

Editor Greg D'Auria has crossed paths with Fred Raskin on more than one occasion in their careers.  Also a veteran of the "Quentin Tarantino Extended Universe", Greg has worked as assistant and editor on films such as KILL BILL: VOL 1 (2003) and DJANGO UNCHAINED (2012).  D'Auria also lent his editorial talents to films like FAST & FURIOUS 6 (2013), F9: THE FAST SAGA (2021) and the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL (2022).

In our discussion with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 editors, Fred and Greg, we talk about:

• VFX being the tail that wags the...raccoon?
• Cutting a film without reading the script
• Bowling for sound effects
• The family business of temp tracks
• Final thoughts on the Guardians trilogy

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

Learn about Avid's new Media Composer for Students program

Hear Fred and Greg talk about their work on Gunn's PEACEMAKER

Listen to Fred and editor Chris Wagner discuss Gunn's THE SUICIDE SQUAD

Editor Fred Raskin talks about cutting Quentin Tarantino's ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

The POKER FACE editing team of Garland, Ducsay, Qaasim and Swain might sound like a formidable name for a law firm, but their real talents lie in making a great "howcatchem" show with noted director and series creator, Rian Johnson.

POKER FACE is a murder mystery series stylized as a character-driven, case-of-the-week mystery, with each episode adapting the inverted detective story format popularized by COLUMBO.  The series centers around Charlie Cale, a casino worker with an innate ability to detect lies, traveling across the United States on the run from a casino boss following a suspicious death. Along the way, she encounters colorful characters and solves homicides in a variety of settings.

Accomplished editor Glenn Garland, ACE has over three decades of experience plying his skills on fan favorite tv series such as; STAN AGAINST EVIL, PREACHER and THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, as well as feature films like; HALLOWEEN (2007), KING OF CALIFORNIA and the infamously unreleased THE FANTASTIC FOUR (1994).

Editor Bob Ducsay ACE has forged a tight collaborative bond with director Rian Johnson, going back to their first film, LOOPER (2012).  And although POKER FACE is only their first tv series together, the quality of their feature work has already 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.

Rock drummer turned editor Paul Swain has brought his natural sense of rhythm to such projects as; THE UNICORN, THE EX-PM and THE MOODYS, for which he won an Australian Screen Editors ASE award in 2014.

Editor by day, swing dancer by night, Shaheed Qaasim's storytelling chops can be seen in shows like; MODERN FAMILY, THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND and FUTURE MAN.

In our discussion with the POKER FACE editing team, we talk about:

• Paying homage to 70's procedurals
• Going from swing dancing to swings in tone
• Reinventing the audio and visual languages throughout
• Teaching your audience how to watch the show
• Holding off on temp score until you really need it

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

Learn about Avid's new Media Composer for Students program

Hear Bob's interviews about his work on Rian Johnson's; KNIVES OUT, GLASS ONION and THE LAST JEDI.

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

INVITATION TO A MURDER editor Kristi Shimek, like the protagonist of her new film, is not afraid of a challenge when it comes to figuring out how to piece a complex story together.  Having already amassed a credit list that is both long and varied, Kristi is equally comfortable cutting a classic whodunnit as she is with a rom-com or a grizzly horror flick.  Part of that comfort may come from feeling at home, quite literally and figuratively, with the her frequent director and full-time husband, Stephen Shimek.

Set in 1934, INVITATION TO A MURDER tells the tale of how a reclusive billionaire invites amateur sleuth Miranda Green and five other, seemingly random, strangers to his remote island estate in the south of England.  When one of the guest turns up dead, Miranda must get to the bottom of the malicious plot behind the gathering.  As the weekend progresses, the clues about why they have been invited begin to unfold along with a sinister mystery.

In our discussion with INVITATION TO A MURDER editor Kristi Shimek, we talk about:

• The present and possible future of remote editorial
• Making room for personal time, even when you're married to the director
• Leading the audience through a mystery with and without the protagonist
• Developing the characters without delaying the dynamics
• What Kristi wishes they would teach in film school

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

RENFIELD editor Ryan Folsey never went to summer camp and never went to film school.  His formative years were spent on the lot at Universal Studios and on location with his father, editor George Folsey Jr. (ANIMAL HOUSE, THE BLUES BROTHERS, COMING TO AMERICA, MICHAEL JACKSON'S THRILLER).  It was there that Ryan learned and fell in love with the craft of editing.  In his professional life, Ryan has applied his craft to films such as; CABIN FEVER (2002), THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (2017), SCOOB! (2020) and THE ADAMS FAMILY 2 (2021).

RENFIELD was directed by Chris McKay from a screenplay by Ryan Ridley, and based on an original idea by Robert Kirkman featuring characters from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. The film stars Nicholas Hoult as Count Dracula's lackey R. M. Renfield, who finds a new lease on life in modern-day New Orleans when he falls in love with Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina), a traffic cop, and decides to finally stand up to his creator in hopes of finally breaking free of his servitude. 

In our discussion with RENFIELD editor Ryan Folsey, we talk about:

• Finding the right balance between comedy and horror
• To explain, or not to explain, the mythology of Dracula
• Speed ramping up the action
• Nic Cage and more Nic Cage
• Getting tossed into a trim bin by the Blues Brothers

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

AIR editor William Goldenberg ACE ("Billy" to his friends) re-joins The Rough Cut to discuss his new film with director Ben Affleck.  A highly accomplished editor, Billy has been nominated for an Oscar® a total of five times for THE INSIDER, SEABISCUIT, THE IMITATION GAME, ZERO DARK THIRTY and ARGO.  The latter two nominations came on the same year, with Billy ultimately winning for ARGO, directed by Ben Affleck.  Goldenberg and Affleck also worked together on LIVE BY NIGHT and GONE BABY GONE.

Written by Alex Convery and directed by Ben Affleck, AIR tells the story of Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) and his quest to establish Nike in the world of basketball by signing a young phenom named Michael Jordan.  The only way Vacarro can get any attention from a reluctant Jordan is to win over Michael's mother, Deloris (Viola Davis).  The film also stars Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans and Ben Affleck as Nike head honcho, Phil Knight.

In our discussion with AIR editor William Goldenberg ACE, we talk about:

• Working, or not, with Michael Jordan
• Cutting in the office when the office is on set
• Needle drops, needle drops and more needle drops
• Scoring a film without a composer
• Creating tension and interest when the audience already knows the outcome
• A dozen roses from Richard Pryor

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Sign up for a super low cost monthly or annual subscription to Avid Media Composer

Hear Billy's interview on cutting NEWS OF THE WORLD

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES editor, Dan Lebental ACE makes his fourth appearance on The Rough Cut.  Dan was on previously to discuss SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (2019), ELF (2003) and BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (2020).

Based on Hasbro's beloved role playing game, Dan's new film is about a charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers who embark on an epic quest to retrieve a long lost relic, but their charming adventure goes dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.  The film is written and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, with an additional writing credit to Michael Gilio.

In our discussion with editor Dan Lebental ACE, we talk about:

• Discovering the best script in decades
• Working with writer/director teams
• Bringing sound mixing and editing closer to editorial
• Balancing character development against pacing
• Magic in the editing room

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

See what's new with Avid Media Composer

Listen to Dan's interview about Spider-Man: Homecoming

Dan Lebental ACE discusses cutting Bad Boys For Life

Subscribe to The Rough Cut for more great interviews with the heroes of the editing room

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Superman editors William Hoy ACE and Craig Alpert ACE didn't need to be told there was a lot riding on this movie.  Not only does it represent James Gunn's view on who Superman needs to be for modern movie-going audiences, it also kicks off Gunn's vision of the new DCU.  From the first minute of the film, viewers encounter a Superman who bleeds and is grappling with not just his limitations, but also his sense of purpose. It's these complex layers that Bill and Craig balanced through their masterful editing.

In James Gunn's new take on the most iconic character in the superhero realm, Superman must prove to the world that he is their protector and not a thread, after billionaire Lex Luthor enacts a plan to turn public opinion against him.

Bill is known for his work on No Way Out (1987), Dance with Wolves (1990), The Bone Collector (1999), Dawn of the Planet of The Apes (2014), War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) and The Batman (2022).

Craig is known for cutting Deadpool 2 (2018), Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (2020), The Lost City (2022) and Blue Beetle (2023).  He was twice nominated for an ACE Eddie award in the category of Best Edited Feature Film: Comedy (Deadpool 2, Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm).

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Streamline your postproduction pipeline with Shade

Hear Craig talk about his work on BORAT: SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

Listen to Bill discuss cutting THE BATMAN and THE CALL OF THE WILD

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 editor, Nathan Orloff and assistant and additional editor, Nicholas Lundgren first joined forces in their early days at JJ Abrams' Bad Robot studio, with their initial collaborative effort being director Morgan Dameron's DIFFERENT FLOWERS (2017).  For director Chad Stahelski's latest installment of the chronicles of the reluctant hit man, Nathan and Nicholas are together once again, this time with Nicholas earning an Additional Editor credit.

With the price on his head ever increasing, JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 tells the tale of the legendary hit man as he takes his fight against the High Table global and seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin.

Nathan Orloff is known for his editing on TULLY (2018), PLAN B (2021) and GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (2021).

In addition to his work on JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4, Nicholas has assisted on films such as; OVERLORD (2018), PET SEMATARY (2019) and WEST SIDE STORY (2021).

In our discussion with JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 editor Nathan Orloff and asst./addt'l editor Nicholas Lundgren, we talk about:

• Finding an editor who doesn't do action movies for your big action movie
• Building bridges at Bad Robot
• Working "wide" to create comedy amidst the chaos
• Buster Keaton, action hero
• The beauty of vertical monitor, script-view, scene bins

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

See what's new with Avid Media Composer

See Nathan Orloff's guided tour of his John Wick: Chapter 4 Media Composer timelines

Hear Nathan Orloff discuss cutting Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Editor Evan Schiff on cutting John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

Subscribe to The Rough Cut for more great interviews with the heroes of the editing room

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania editors Laura Jennings and Adam Gerstel jumped in with both feet when director Peyton Reed suggested that he wanted to have a "unified" cutting room unlike any Marvel movie that had come before.  The result?  A director's cut driven by two editors, one Avid, a pair of dueling Bluetooth keyboards, and no regrets!

In Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which officially kicks off phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and The Wasp. Together, with Hope's parents Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible. Jonathan Majors joins the adventure as Kang.

Although she's joining the Marvel family for the first time, Laura is no amateur when it comes to VFX heavy features, having previously edited films such as MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL and EDGE OF TOMORROW (aka LIVE DIE REPEAT).

Although this is also Adam's first tour of duty in the MCU, he's no stranger to the "StageCraft" virtual set technology used in this movie.  Adam worked with similar models when cutting THE LION KING and THE MANDALORIAN: SEASON TWO.

In our discussion with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania editors Laura Jennings and Adam Gerstel, we talk about:

• Tandem cutting with Bluetooth keyboards
• Teaching "twelve year-olds" about KEM rolls
• What to do when they knock five months off your schedule
• When your character has a giant head, every shot is a close-up
• Location scouting with VR headsets

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

See which Media Composer offering is right for you

Hear editor Laura Jennings discuss cutting Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Listen to editor Adam Gerstel talk about his work on The Lion King and The Mandalorian

Subscribe to The Rough Cut for more great interviews with the heroes of the editing room

Got an idea for the show, leave a message on The Rough Cut website

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

When it comes to learning editing in film school, who better to learn from than ACE editors?  When they aren't in the cutting rooms themselves, editors Yvette M. Amirian, ACE and Matt Friedman, ACE are in the classrooms of two of the most prestigious film schools in the world.  Yvette has returned to the institution where she received her own filmmaking education, USC, to help inform the next generation as to what they need to know about the craft, as well as the career, of editing.  At the American Film Institute, Matt asks his grad students to consider more than just how to put a story together, but to question why something works or something doesn't; never letting them forget that every frame matters.

Yvette M. Amirian, ACE is an award-nominated film and television editor. After graduating from the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Cinema-Television, she built a successful career and has been transitioning seamlessly between editing scripted and documentary content for the better part of two decades.

In 2011, she and her team received an Eddie Award nomination from the American Cinema Editors (ACE) for their work on Animal Planet's Whale Wars. In 2017, she edited and produced John Singleton's L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later for A&E, which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy (Outstanding Documentary Special). Her most recent project is an upcoming scripted feature for critically acclaimed filmmaker Robert Machoian, The Integrity of Joseph Chambers.

Yvette is a proud member of the Motion Picture Editor's Guild, the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, and ACE. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.

Matt won the 2021 ACE Eddie for Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy) for Palm Springs, and was nominated in 2020 for "The Farewell".  He was born in rural east Tennessee to a coal mining family living in the foothills of the Appalachians.  After graduating from Oak Ridge High School with an emphasis in Extinct Ancient Languages, Matt headed for Chicago to attend Northwestern University. Due to a series of accidental registration errors, he ended up with enough credits for a degree in Economics as well as Film. None of his college film work involved blowing up model cars, however. He finished his Econ degree at the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, Australia, where he was offered AU$100 and a Sydney snow globe by a group of Australian students if he would vote for Clinton in '92 via absentee ballot.

Matt then moved to a spacious two bedroom apartment in scenic North Hollywood to begin his film career in earnest. Arriving just in time for the Northridge Earthquake and the fires and mudslides of '93, he was very lucky to begin working for a series of extremely supportive and wonderful editors, including (but not limited to!) Peter Teschner, Emma Hickox, Jill Bilcock, and Sheldon Kahn.

In recent years, Matt has enjoyed cutting a variety of different types of films and television pilots, including films in Spanish and Chinese, even though he doesn't speak the languages. He now lives in the Hollywood Hills with his wonderful husband Chris and their son.

In our discussion with educators and editors Yvette M. Amirian, ACE and Matt Friedman, ACE about teaching editing in film school, we talk about:

• What today's editors/educators learned from their own film school experience
• Crafting editing curriculums, or is it curricula?
• What editors can learn about editing from their students
• Taking off points for messy timelines
• The next steps right after film school

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Hear Matt discuss his work on PALM SPRINGS

See Matt walk you through his Media Composer timeline for PALM SPRINGS.

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

TO LESLIE editor Chris McCaleb ACE has been exploring the art and craft of editing since 2000, working closely with filmmakers like Michael Mann, John Sayles, and Vince Gilligan over the years.  In 2006, McCaleb co-founded the filmmaking collective Big Fantastic, where he was involved in the writing, directing, producing and editing of over 400 episodes of original online dramas, such as the Emmy-nominated "Prom Queen" and "Sam Has 7 Friends."  McCaleb returned to editorial full-time in 2011, and has been editing TV series like "Better Call Saul," "Halt and Catch Fire," "Fear the Walking Dead," "Patriot," "Lodge 49," and "Narcos" since 2014.  TO LESLIE is McCaleb's first feature film as an editor.

TO LESLIE tells the story of a West Texas single mother struggling to provide for her son when she wins the lottery and a chance at a better life for both of them.  But a few short years later the money is gone and Leslie is on her own, living hard and forced to make a difficult choice.

In our discussion with TO LESLIE editor Chris McCaleb ACE, we talk about:

• The true nature of awards season campaigns
• Bonding with the director over virtual reality
• Giving producers and directors other options
• Protecting the performances with every cut
• Teaching the audience how to watch your movie

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

Hear Chris talk about his work on BETTER CALL SAUL

Listen to Chris and BREAKING BAD / BETER CALL SAUL teammates Kelley Dixon ACE (editor) and Kathryn Madsen (sound supervisor) give their advice for future film and tv makers

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

A MAN CALLED OTTO editor Matt Chesse ACE once again finds himself cutting with frequent collaborator, director Marc Forster.  The pair have been working together since 2000 and have joined forces on such films as; MONSTER'S BALL(2001), FINDING NEVERLAND (2004), THE KITE RUNNER (2007), QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008) and CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (2018).  For their latest project, the two have the enormous task of delicately balancing drama and comedy in their cinematic adaptation of the moving New York Times bestseller.

A MAN CALLED OTTO tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower whose only joy comes from criticizing and judging his exasperated neighbors. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unexpected friendship that will turn his world upside-down.

In our discussion with A MAN CALLED OTTO editor Matt Chesse ACE, we talk about:

• What to do when the editor "Snoods out" on you
• The editor's role in casting
• Scouting and tweaking cutting rooms
• Walking the tightrope of pathos and punchlines
• Making needle drops a family business

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

SHOTGUN WEDDING editor Doc Crotzer ACE has plenty of experience cutting comedy, but most of that came from his ACE Eddie-nominated work on the hit tv series, GLEE.  Prior to SHOTGUN WEDDING, Doc's only real studio feature film experience was in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy film, CHAOS WALKING (2021); which didn't exactly afford him the opportunity to go for laughs.  That all changed with his sophomore feature film effort, the new action comedy SHOTGUN WEDDING.

SHOTGUN WEDDING sees soon-to-be newlyweds Darcy (Jennifer Lopez) and Tom (Josh Duhamel), along with their lovable but very opinionated families, gathering for the ultimate destination wedding.  Just when the couple starts to get cold feet, the wedding party is taken hostage; forcing them to work together to save their loved ones, provided they don't end up killing each other first.

In our discussion with Shotgun Wedding editor Doc Crotzer ACE, we talk about:

• Living in LA so you can get a job in NYC
• Building working relationships with studios
• Anchoring action to geography
• What screenings can tell you about your score
• Adapting your process to suit the needs of the team

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Hear Doc discuss his work on CHAOS WALKING

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

M3GAN editor Jeff McEvoy doesn't exactly spend his free time going down the rabbit hole that is TikTok.  More often he can be found getting in some exercise in the cutting room or on the hiking trails.  So he was just as surprised as anyone when the trailer for his Blumhouse horror movie about a "killer robot doll" blew up on the social media site most famous for showcasing lousy dancing and eating challenges.  But what should be no surprise is that Jeff's considerable storytelling skills and years of experience as an editor helped make M3GAN the breakout hit that it's become.

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that's programmed to be a child's greatest companion and a parent's greatest ally. Designed by Gemma (Allison Williams), a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector. When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, she decides to give the girl an M3GAN prototype, a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences.

In our discussion with M3GAN editor Jeff McEvoy, we talk about:

• The importance of air squats in the cutting room
• Hiring comedians to bring the comedy
• Getting really good with the UNREAL engine
• Using Melodyne in Pro Tools for dialogue design
• Dynamic morphing your way from an R to a PG-13

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest new features in Avid Media Composer

Send me your feedback and questions here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest with Avid Media Composer

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

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Making its World Premiere at the venerable Tribeca Festival and featured on Apple Podcasts, MakeBelieve's revelatory new take on Shakespeare's iconic tragedy drops you inside the fractured mind of the prince.  Produced and directed by Jeremy McCarter and with breathtaking binaural sound design by Tony-Award winner Mikhail "Misha" Fiksel, this is Hamlet as you've never heard it before.

Jeremy is the founder and executive producer of Make-Believe Association, a nonprofit audio production company. Prior to Hamlet, he co-created, co-wrote, and executive produced Lake Song, the acclaimed audio-drama series that was an Official Selection of the Tribeca Festival, a Webby Award nominee, and the winner of three Signal Awards. He also co-wrote (with Natalie Moore) and executive-produced City on Fire: Chicago Race Riot 1919, an audio docudrama about the summer that ravaged and remade the city. It was co-produced by Make-Believe Association and WBEZ, and won the Headliner Award for Best in Show for radio broadcasts in 2019. Prior to founding Make-Believe, he spent five years on the artistic staff of the Public Theater in New York, where he created and ran the Public Forum series. These performances and conversations featured many of America's leading actors, writers, activists, and community leaders, exploring the intersection of arts and society.

Initially a theatrical artist, Fiksel pursued his curiosity and appreciation of the screen, both as a composer and a sound designer. He has scored several independent feature films, including "Glitch" and "The Wise Kids" as well several shorts such as "Alien Queens", "Both/And" and "The Learning Curve" (a short film inspired by an acclaimed immersive theatrical production exploring the high school experience).

Misha has worked on several trailers and promotional videos for various corporate and non-for-profit clients and expanding on his collaboration with Albany Park Theatre Project, he worked with documentary director Dan Andries, scoring several film adaptions of APTP's stage plays, including "Feast" which received the 2018 Emmy (Midwest) for Direction.

Listen to MakeBelieve's Hamlet here

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest features in Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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".

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest Special Offers for Avid Media Composer

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

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest Special Offers for Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest Special Offers for Avid Media Composer

Hear Bob's interview about his work on KNIVES OUT

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest Special Offers for Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest Special Offers for Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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.

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

• Barely talking to the director
• How less is more
• The award-worthy performance of Jenny the Donkey
• Adopting Barry Keoghan
• Going from Barbie Girl to Banshees

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

See the latest Special Offers for Avid Media Composer

Hear Mikkel's interview about his work on SOUND OF METAL

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

BLACK ADAM editor, Mike Sale ACE is no stranger to the action comedy genre - emphasis on comedy.  With films to his credit such as; FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (2008), BRIDESMAIDS (2011), THE HANGOVER II (2011), WE'RE THE MILLERS (2013), CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE (2016), SKYSCRAPER (2018), SPENCER CONFIDENTIAL (2020) and RED NOTICE (2021), it should be obvious to anyone that Mike knows how to edit movies about cracking jokes and breaking bones.  But the latest entry in the DCEU marks Sale's first venture into comic book cinema.  Reunited for the fourth time with megastar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Mike brought his signature editorial enthusiasm and aesthetic to BLACK ADAM.

The story of BLACK ADAM begins in ancient Kahndaq, where a man named Teth Adam was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Black Adam has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone.

In our discussion with BLACK ADAM editor, Mike Sale ACE, we talk about:

• How size matters in the editing suite
• Taking acting classes but staying away from actors
• Comedy, comedy, comedy, exposition, comedy
• Stephen King's secret weapon for editors
• Using "yacht rock" to make violence fun

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS FOR PRO EDITORS HERE

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Friends and fellow American Film Institute vets, Matthew Gentile and Matt Allen, turned their long walks in Los Feliz into a collaborative indie filmmaking venture that would become their first project together, AMERICAN MURDERER.  Prior to this film, Matthew Gentile was biding his time as a script reader and making a name for himself directing short films. Meanwhile, ACE Eric Zumbrunnen Fellowship winner Matt Allen was racking up experience as an assistant, working with Oscar®-nominated editor Matt Chesse on features such as CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (2018).

Based on a true story, AMERICAN MURDERER follows Jason Derek Brown (Tom Pelphrey), a charismatic con man bankrolling his extravagant lifestyle through a series of scams. On Brown's trail: Lance Leising (Ryan Phillippe), a dogged FBI special agent determined to put Brown behind bars. When Brown's funds run low and his past catches up with him, he plots his most elaborate scheme yet, pitting himself against Leising in a deadly game of cat and mouse -- and becoming the most unlikely and elusive fugitive on the FBI's most-wanted list.

In our discussion with Matthew and Matt, we talk about:

• Finding your people in Hollywood
• Going from script reader to script writer
• The power of pre-vis for indie filmmaking
• Getting too big for your "shorts"
• Budgeting for kindness

Visit Extreme Music and get the best production audio for your next project

Check out all the latest features in Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Send me your feedback and ideas for future episodes

MAKING THE CUT AT PIXAR co-authors Bill Kinder and Bobbie O'Steen are experts in the field of post production. Kinder was the founding Director of Editorial and Post Production at Pixar from 1996–2014 and O'Steen is a teacher and film historian, specializing in editing, as well as the author of The Invisible Cut and Cut to the Chase.  Together they have created a multimedia "book" that guides readers on a journey through every stage of production on an animated film; from storyboards to virtual cameras and final animation.

With unprecedented access to the Pixar edit suite, this authoritative project highlights the central role film editors play in some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies of all time.  Featuring exclusive interviews with animation editors and other creative leads, MAKING THE CUT AT PIXAR includes nearly 90 minutes of video segments that include never-before-seen works in progress, deleted scenes and demonstrations; all of which shed light on how these beloved stories are crafted. The challenges and essential contributions of editors in animation have never before been examined in such depth and detail.

In addition to exploring method and craft, this book provides important context for the editor in film history, the evolution of technology, and Pixar's uniquely collaborative studio culture.  A must-read for students of digital filmmaking methods, filmmakers in all aspects of production, and fans of Pixar movies, this uniquely educational, historical, and entertaining book sheds light on how beloved stories are crafted from the perspective of crucial members of the filmmaking team.

In our discussion with Bobbie and Bill, we talk about:

• The "big bang" of TOY STORY on the world of CGI Animation
• Editor Lee Unkrich introducing Avid editing into traditional animation
• How CGI "flipped the script" on the way editors impact the writing process
• The PIXAR origin story
• Sharpening your ear to make believable cuts

Visit ExtremeMusic and get the best in production audio for your next project

Get your own copy of MAKING THE CUT AT PIXAR

Check out the super affordable Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube and see the amazing Timeline Tours

F1 editor Stephen Mirrione ACE, known for his exceptional work in films like Traffic and The Revenant, took on a whole new challenge with F1, an adrenaline-fueled project that demanded innovation and intricacy at every turn.  One of the many tasks for Mirrione was ensuring the emotional weight and authenticity within F1's racing scenes. Every cut, every transition was made with the intention of drawing the audience deeper into the world of racing. The commitment to authenticity was evident in using Formula One track cameras and high-speed car mounts, which provided unparalleled realism.

F1 stars Brad Pitt as race car driver, Sonny Hayes. In the 1990s, Hayes was Formula 1's most promising driver until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, the owner of a struggling Formula 1 team convinces Sonny to return to racing and become the best in the world. Driving alongside the team's hotshot rookie, Sonny soon learns that the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.

Stephen has spent the past thirty years building an impressive body of work.  Unlike many editors who begin their journey into postproduction as assistants, Stephen made a name for himself right away as an editor in the indie film world.  His work with directors Doug Liman (Getting in, Swingers, Go) and Jill Sprecher (Clockwatchers, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing) quickly established Stephen as a creative force to be reckoned with in the cutting room.

Soon after Stephen would meet a director who would have a significant impact on his career...Steven Soderbergh.  Their time together would begin with the film Traffic.  This would not only be the first of Stephen's three Oscar nominations, but also his first Oscar win.  Following Traffic, Stephen would take on the duties of editing Soderbergh's "Ocean's" films, starring an actor that would eventually become a prominent director in his own right, George Clooney.

When Clooney began looking for an editor for his first project, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Soderbergh recommended Mirrione.  The creative partnership between Clooney and Mirrione would result in seven feature films.  Not one to rest on his laurels too long, over that same time period Mirrione would also edit five of Alejandro G. Iñárritu's films (21 Grams, Babel, Biutiful, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and The Revenant).

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Streamline your postproduction pipeline with Shade

Hear Stephen talk about his work with George Clooney on THE MIDNIGHT SKY

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT'S Michael Giacchino and Jeffrey Ford have had many occasions to work together in the past, but never quite like this.  While WEREWOLF BY NIGHT is Michael's first time in the director's chair for Marvel Studios, he's been the composer on five of their features, two of which were also cut by Marvel stalwart, Jeffrey Ford.  However, this special presentation for Disney + marks their first time collaborating as director and editor.

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT begins after the death of legendary monster hunter, Ulysses Bloodstone.  Five experienced monster hunters are summoned by Ulysses' widow, Verussa, to Bloodstone Manor where they are instructed to participate in a competitive hunt to determine their new leader.  The object of their hunt is to retrieve the powerful Bloodstone from an unknown foe.

In addition to his work as composer on WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, Michael has also scored the Marvel features; DOCTOR STRANGE (2016), SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017), SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (2019), SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021) and THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2022).  Outside of the MCU, Michael's work can also be heard on; RATATOUILLE (2007) - for which he won an Oscar®, JURASSIC WORLD (2015) and Taika Waititi's upcoming feature, NEXT GOAL WINS (2023).

While Jeff Ford's career has been punctuated by the excellent work he has done in smaller projects such as; ONE HOUR PHOTO (2002), BLOODWORTH (2010) and THE COMEY RULE (2020), it is his impressive and unmatched roster of eleven MCU films (plus THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER and WEREWOLF BY NIGHT for Disney+) for which he is most well known.

In our discussion with Michael and Jeffrey, we talk about:

• Honoring the horror films of the past
• The advantages of having the editor on set
• Brad Bird getting inside of your head
• The Easter eggs of Fireball Island
• How to transpose for a flaming tuba

Visit ExtremeMusic and get Michael Giacchino's music for you next project

See this episode with Michael and Jeff on YouTube

Hear Jeffrey Ford discuss AVENGERS: ENDGAME and SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

Check out all the latest features in Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube and SEE editors Jeffrey Ford, ACE and Leigh Folsom-Boyd, ACE discuss SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

AMSTERDAM editor, Jay Cassidy ACE has cultivated an impressive career spanning almost fifty years and approximately sixty different projects.  Cassidy has worked extensively with directors such as David O. Russell and Sean Penn, as well as documentarian Davis Guggenheim.  Thrice-nominated for an Oscar for his work on Penn's INTO THE WILD (2008); as well as Russell's SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2013) and AMERICAN HUSTLE (2014), Jay is not one to settle for status quo when it comes to making the most of technology in the editing room.  He continues to lean into new developments in hardware, software and color science for his craft.

AMSTERDAM is a 2022 period/mystery/comedy/thriller film directed, written, and produced by David O. Russell. It stars an ensemble cast, led by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington; featuring Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Rami Malek, and Robert De Niro.  The film follows three friends—a doctor, a nurse and a lawyer—who are caught in the mysterious murder of a U.S. senator in the 1930's.  Filmed in Los Angeles from January to March 2021, AMSTERDAM marks Russell's first film since JOY (2015).

In our discussion with AMSTERDAM editor, Jay Cassidy ACE, we talk about:

• Balancing context setting and character development
• The benefits of monitoring in the DCI-P3 color space
• Working with actors in the cutting room
• Collaborating with Oscar®-caliber additional editors
• The world's most amazing microphone

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS FOR PRO EDITORS HERE

Listen to AMSTERDAM additional editor, Alan Baumgarten ACE discuss his work on THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO SEVEN

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

For over twenty years editor Terilyn A. Shropshire ACE and director Gina Prince-Bythewood have worked hand-in-hand to entertain and inspire audiences with films dating back to Gina's directorial debut, LOVE & BASKETBALL (2000).  Following their hit action film, THE OLD GUARD (2020), Teri and Gina have joined forces once again to create an epic tale about the Agojie, a fierce sisterhood of African warriors who fought for the kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s; with skills and a ferocity unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, THE WOMAN KING follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar®-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life.

In our discussion with THE WOMAN KING editor, Terilyn A. Shropshire ACE, we talk about:

• Caring about characters to create better action
• "Getting it right" so studios will give the next generation a chance
• How to make an action movie "intimately epic"
• Staying away from temp score created by your composer
• Trusting your audience

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS FOR PRO EDITORS HERE

Listen to Terilyn talk about her work on the film, THE OLD GUARD

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Director Doug Liman sat down with us at his NYC office in 2011 to discuss his early beginnings in the film business as well as his thoughts on; film school, editing and "making it" in Hollywood.

Doug Liman is known for directing the films; SWINGERS (1996), GO (1999), THE BOURNE IDENTITY (2002), MR. AND MRS. SMITH (2007), JUMPER (2008), FAIR GAME (2010), EDGE OF TOMORROW (2014), CHAOS WALKING (2021).

Doug is currently in production on a remake of the Patrick Swayze classic, ROAD HOUSE.  A sequel to EDGE OF TOMORROW is also rumored to be in the works.

In our discussion with director Doug Liman we talk about:

• Life before SWINGERS
• Whether anyone ever really "makes it" in Hollywood
• The merits of film school
• Knowing how to use an NLE vs knowing how to edit

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS FOR PRO EDITORS HERE

Listen to editor Doc Crotzer ACE talk about his work on the Doug Liman film, CHAOS WALKING

Hear SWINGERS and GO editor Stephen Mirrione ACE talk about cutting THE MIDNIGHT SKY

EDGE OF TOMORROW editor, Laura Jennings on editing MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

With offices in; Los Angeles, Baton Rouge, Montreal, Atlanta, New York City and Vancouver, Crafty Apes is a full-service visual effects company. Beginning as a VFX studio for film and TV, Crafty Apes has grown to include a talented roster of creative and production supervisors that offer set supervision, VFX consultation and high-end CG and previsualization services.  Their cinematic work can be seen in such films as; WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (2022), DR. STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (2022), THE BATMAN (2022), GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE (2021), LICORICE PIZZA (2021) and SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021).  The work of Crafty Apes also features heavily in TV/Streamer shows like; STRANGER THINGS, THE ORVILLE, MOON KNIGHT, PEACEMAKER,  STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and COBRA-KAI.

Sarah has worked as a VFX Producer on; WHERE THE CRAWDADS SINGS (2022), OUR KIND OF PEOPLE (2022), RAY DONOVAN (2019-20), COBRA-KAI (2019) and a VFX Coordinator on HOMELAND (2016-17), SANTA CLARITA DIET (2017) and TRUE DETECTIVE (2014).

Kolby's work as VFX Supervisor can be seen in; WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (2022), HIGHTOWN (2021) and BLACK LIGHTNING (2019-20).  He has also served as Compositor on NOBODY (2021), PENNYWORTH (2019) and THE ORVILLE (2019).

In our discussion with the Sarah McCulley and Kolby Kember of Crafty Apes, we talk about:

• The major phases of VFX
• Different roles within the VFX process
• Where communication begins between production and VFX
• How VFX in television compares to feature film
• How to cut corners without cutting quality

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Check out the Rough Cut episode on VFX Editing

Contact the Rough Cut with your feedback and requests

Download your free trial of Avid Media Composer Ultimate

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

THIRTEEN LIVES editor James D. Wilcox joins the Rough Cut to talk about cutting Ron Howard's latest film.  James first collaborated with Howard on the series, Genius, and received an ACE Eddie award for his work on the episode, "Einstein - Chapter 1".  From there, James would do another episode of Genius ("Aretha"), as well as cutting Howard's adaptation of the J.D. Vance book, HILBILLY ELEGY; which would be Wilcox's first feature editing job.  Unlike most feature editors who started their journey in post as an assistant, James actually started out as an editor, but working in news and sports.  This experience proved invaluable to him later in his career when he started cutting scripted shows and features.

THIRTEEN LIVES recounts the incredible true story of the tremendous global effort to rescue a Thai soccer team who become trapped in the Tham Luang cave during an unexpected rainstorm. Faced with insurmountable odds, a team of the world's most skilled and experienced divers -- uniquely able to navigate the maze of flooded, narrow cave tunnels -- join with Thai forces and more than 10,000 volunteers to attempt a harrowing rescue of the twelve boys and their coach. With impossibly high stakes and the entire world watching, the group embarks on their most challenging dive yet, showcasing the limitlessness of the human spirit in the process.

In our discussion with THIRTEEN LIVES editor, James D. Wilcox we talk about:

• The evolution of his collaboration with director, Ron Howard
• Cutting in a language you don't speak
• Maintaining the scale and geography for the audience
• Creating tension with an underwater soundscape
• Winding an unseen clock

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS FOR PRO EDITORS HERE

Hear James talk about his work on HILLBILLY ELEGY

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

BODIES BODIES BODIES editors Julia Bloch and Taylor Levy combined their editorial talents, albeit not always at the same time, to craft a sly and satirical take on the horror genre.  Although the two NYC-based editors had never (really) met before, each had a few "prerequisite" genre films to their credits and that experience served them well in the cozy confines of their shared cutting room.

The film's distributor, A24, describes the plot of BODIES BODIES BODIES as such; When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game goes awry in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong.

Julia Bloch has edited such films as; Chaos Walking (2021), His House (2020), Hold the Dark (2018), The Wall (2017), Green Room (2015) and Blue Ruin (2013).

Editor Taylor Levy's work can be seen in; Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2021), Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021), Drunk Bus (2020) and Yellow Rose (2019).  He also assisted on the critically-acclaimed film, Manchester-by-the-Sea (2016).

In our discussion with the editors of BODIES BODIES BODIES, we talk about:

• Finding the right tone between comedy, horror and satire
• Using sound to help the audience with geography
• Handing off a film from one editor to another
• The tight-knit filmmaking community of New York City
• Knowing when a joke or a scare is working

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Download your free trial of Avid Media Composer Ultimate

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

PAPER GIRLS editors Rob Komatsu and Emily Greene make their triumphant return to THE ROUGH CUT, having previously visited to discuss their work on the FX/HULU series, MRS. AMERICA (2020).  Although Ivan Victor and Jennifer Barbot are joining the podcast for the first time, both editors bring with them a wealth of tv editing experience in documentary/reality, comedy, sci-fi and drama.

PAPER GIRLS follows four young girls who, while out delivering papers during the dark morning hours after Halloween in 1988, become unwittingly caught in a conflict between warring factions of time-travelers, sending them on an adventure through time that will save the world. As they travel between time periods, they encounter future versions of themselves and must choose to embrace or reject their fate.  It is based on the 2015–2019 comic book series of the same name written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang.

Editor Rob Komatsu is know for his work on; AMERICAN HORROR STORY (2011), HALT AND CATCH FIRE (2014-17), THE X-FILES (2016-18) and MRS. AMERICA (2020).

The work of editor Emily Greene can be found in; THE BLACKLIST (2015-17), AMERICAN CRIME STORY (2018), MRS. AMERICA (2020) and FOUNDATION (2021).

Editor Ivan Victor has edited such tv series as; PARKS AND RECREATION (2009-12), THE GOLDBERGS (2013-14), LODGE 49 (2018-19) and KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF (2021).

Editor Jennifer Barbot's work can be seen in; UGLY BETTY (2007-10), JESSICA JONES (2018), THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE (2019) and RAISED BY WOLVES (2020).

In our discussion with the editors of PAPER GIRLS, we talk about:

• Finding time to explore the characters between the sci-fi set pieces
• Building a killer robot battle
• To keyframe or to not keyframe
• Running ADR over Zoom
• Using less score for bigger impact

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Hear Rob Komatsu and Emily Greene talk about their work on MRS. AMERICA

Download your free trial of Avid Media Composer Ultimate

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

BULLET TRAIN editor and Iceland native Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir is widely known for her work on high-adrenaline action films such as JOHN WICK (2014), ATOMIC BLONDE (2017), DEADPOOL 2 (2018) and Marvel's SHANG CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (2021); the first three of which were helmed by BULLET TRAIN director, David Leitch.

Based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle (published in English as Bullet Train) by Kōtarō Isaka, the film tells the story of Ladybug (Brad Pitt), a trained killer who wants to give up the life but is pulled back in by his handler Maria Beetle (Sandra Bullock).  His mission is to collect a briefcase on a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto with only a few stops in between.  Onboard the train, he and other competing assassins discover their objectives are all connected.  The question becomes, who will make it off the train alive and what awaits them at the terminal station?

In our discussion with BULLET TRAIN editor, Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir we talk about:

• Working with a director who is also a stunt coordinator
• Jumping right into the action and saving the exposition for later
• Teaching a class in action editing
• Editing action in claustrophobic confines

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Hear Elísabet talk about her work on SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

THE ORVILLE: NEW HORIZONS editors Tom Costantino and Hillary Wills forged their future working relationship on the bridge of The Orville itself.  After not so subtly stalking Tom, who had already cut Season One, Hillary expressed her desire to join the Planetary Union as its newest assistant editor.  Being the master of understatement that he is, Tom casually said to Hillary, "job's yours if you want it".  Along with the rest of the editorial team, the pair would go on to collaborate on Season Two of the show (its last on Fox Television) and the third season for Hulu, dubbed "THE ORVILLE: NEW HORIZONS".

Created by and starring Seth Macfarlane as series protagonist Ed Mercer, an officer in the Planetary Union's line of exploratory space vessels in the 25th century, THE ORVILLE is set on the titular spacecraft: USS Orville (ECV-197), a mid-level exploratory vessel for the Planetary Union. The show consists of adventures encountered by the ship's crew, usually involving planet exploration and visits to various parts of the galaxy.

Editor Tom Costantino is known for his work on; 48 HOURS (2004-2015), SCARRED (2007), CSI: MIAMI (2010-2012), AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR (2014-2015) and 9-1-1 (2018-2019).

Assistant Editor / Editor Hillary Wills has worked on such projects as; CALL 911 (2009), VANISHED WITH BETH HOLLOWAY (2011), THE BRIEFCASE (2015) and THE NIGHT SHIFT (2016-2017).

In our discussion with the editors of THE ORVILLE, we talk about:

• Navigating the change between network tv and streaming
• Seth Macfarlane....audio post professional
• Taking temp effects to the limit
• Working with a 75-piece, excuse me, 90-piece orchestra
• Advice on moving up from assistant to editor

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Download your free trial of Avid Media Composer Ultimate

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Assistant Editor Jared Simon's new book, Every Frame Counts - An Assistant Editor's Reference Book, covers everything an assistant editor needs to know, and then some.  Topics covered in Jared's book include:

• Setting Up The Show - Everything you need to know to get up and running for the first day on the job—from setting up the printer to setting up the NEXIS.
• Media Composer and FileMaker - A deep technical dive into the tools assistants use in the context of a cutting room.
• Dailies Workflow - Soup to nuts coverage of the dailies process in excruciating detail, including a nifty downloadable checklist! You'll love it.
• Audio - ADR, full 5.1 workflow tips, how to address complex music sync notes, and an overview of the mix stage.
• VFX - Tips for creating temp VFX and managing the workload of a VFX editor. Yeah, we're gonna talk about FileMaker.
• Digital Intermediate - What to expect when you're expecting to spend time in the DI. Color pipelines, Titles, Review sessions… you name it.
• Screenings - How to prepare for screenings—internal, external, and preview screenings.
• Turnovers - Let's make sure our naming conventions are consistent, and our encoding is efficient.
• Best Practices - What do we do when the editor is, well, editing? Manage versions, communicate using markers, make sure the project is backed up… and more!

Jared Simon is an editor and assistant editor with selected credits including Ad Astra, The Piano Lesson, Chevalier, and Come From Away. He frequently works with editors John Axelrad, ACE and Leslie Jones, ACE.  Jared earned a BFA in Film Editing from the School of Visual Arts. In addition to his professional pursuits, he's tried every flavor of La Croix and enjoys collecting physical media.

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Get your copy of Jared's book in Kindle or Paperback!

Hear Jared and editor John Axelrad ACE discuss their work together on ANTEBELLUM

Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

NOPE editor Nicholas Monsour has been collaborating with writer/director Jordan Peele since their days together on the comedy sketch tv series KEY & PEELE (2015).   When the comedy team took their talents to the big screen with the Peele-penned feature, KEANU (2016), Monsour knew it would be a big leap for him to take on the editorial duties, but made his best pitch anyway.  The bet paid off and Nick found himself behind the Avid for his very first feature film.  Peele would reach out to Nick once again for his sophomore film directing venture, US (2019).  Prior to reteaming with Peele for US, Nick continued to refine his cutting chops on tv series such as; BROCKMIRE (2017), COBRA KAI (2018) and WHISKEY CAVALIER (2019).

NOPE was written, directed, and co-produced by Jordan Peele under his Monkeypaw Productions banner.  It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea and Michael Wincott.  In the film, two ranch-owning siblings, with the help of a tech salesman and a renowned cinematographer, attempt to capture and sell video evidence of an unidentified flying object.

In our discussion with NOPE editor, Nicholas Monsour we talk about:

• His incubator post process at Universal
• Not sacrificing tone in favor of tempo
• Jaws meets The Wizard of Oz
• The anatomy of a "social" thriller
• The impact of IMAX on NOPE

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

LUCY AND DESI's Robert A. Martinez has built a career working as an assistant editor and editor on documentary films like; THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - THE TOURING YEARS (206), THE APOLLO (2019), PAVAROTTI (2019) and THE BEE GEES: HOW DO YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART (2020), for which Robert received an ACE Eddie nomination.  All of these projects were great preparation for LUCY AND DESI, for which Robert has received an Emmy nomination.

From director Amy Poehler, LUCY AND DESI explores the unlikely partnership and enduring legacy of one of the most prolific power couples in entertainment history. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz risked everything to be together.  When Lucille was finally granted the opportunity to have her own television show, she insisted that her real-life spouse, Desi, be cast as her husband. Defying the odds, they re-invented the medium, on the screen and behind the cameras. The foundation of I LOVE LUCY was the constant rupture and repair of unconditional love. What Lucy and Desi couldn't make work with each other, they gave to the rest of the world. LUCY AND DESI is an insightful and intimate peek behind the curtain of these two remarkable trailblazers – featuring interviews with Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, Norman Lear, Desi Arnaz Jr, Carol Burnett and Bette Midler.

In our discussion with editor, Robert A. Martinez we talk about:

• Building a doc around newly discovered, private audio tapes of the pair
• The relationship between writer and editor on a documentary
• Telling the story through the voices of Lucy and Desi
• The power of ScriptSync in documentary editing
• Making the jump from janitor to editor

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you

Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

ELVIS editors Matt Villa and Jonathan "Jono" Redmond are no strangers to director Baz Luhrmann's unique style of cinema.  For that matter, neither is Sound Designer and Re-recording mixer, Wayne Pashley.   Matt and Jono first worked together on MOULIN ROUGE! (2001) with Jono serving as 1st assistant editor and Matt doing VFX editing.  Wayne Pashley goes all the way back with Baz Luhrmann to Baz's first film, STRCITLY BALLROOM (1992).  But it was Luhrmann's THE GREAT GATSBY (2013) where Matt, Jono and Wayne first worked together on a film for the acclaimed Aussie director.

Delivered in Luhrmann's trademark style of lush soundscapes and rich, high-energy visuals, ELVIS is told through the voice of  Elvis Presley's former manager, "Colonel Tom Parker".  While on his deathbed in 1997, Parker recalls how he discovered the future King of Rock and Roll and chronicles their time together throughout Elvis' ascension to icon status, as well as the downward spiral that ultimately led to Presley's death in 1977.

Matt Villa is known for PREDESTINATION (2014), The Great Gatsby (2013) and The Lego Batman Movie (2017).

Jono Redmond is known for his work as 1st assistant editor (digital) for MOULIN ROUGE! (2001) and editor for THE GREAT GATSBY (2013) and THE GET DOWN (2016-17).

Wayne Pashley is known for Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), The Great Gatsby (2013) and Daybreakers (2009).

In our discussion with the ELVIS editors we talk about:

• Keeping it moving, keeping it transitional
• Protecting the king at all costs
• The three different voices of Elvis from the 50's, 60's and 70's
• Cutting concert performances compared to cutting the narrative
• Applying the "poetic glue"

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

See what's new with Avid Media Composer

Subscribe to The Rough Cut for more great interviews with the heroes of the editing room!

Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube!