Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1014407
36 CINEMONTAGE / Q3 2018 principle with all the dailies within each scene is laid out by shooting order inside each scene bin. We tried to keep it as simple as possible, adding markers for retakes or restarts. CM: Let's talk about selecting performances. DM: In doing the assembly, I found a lot of group scenes with multiple characters in one room. One thing I kept in mind was using the reaction shots wisely to drive home the idea of that particular moment. The performances were all so good you could just stay on them and wouldn't have to cut away. But I used the reaction shots and the cutaways judiciously to reinforce the point of what the character was feeling and to bring the audience into that character's mindset. CM: How are you both notating great moments in performances as you're watching dailies? DM: I'm going through it pretty much old-school. I watch all the footage, make notes on each take and write it down. So when I started assembling the scene, I had a list of my favorite or most effective pieces. In the past, I've done selects reels or added markers but, for whatever reason, in this particular case I just found it most helpful to take notes and then just refer back to them and use those as the anchor point in the scene. Gus, my impression was that you just remembered your favorite pieces from the set and went right to them. Was that the case? GVS: To an extent. There were few enough takes that I did know there were moments I was happy with. As I was editing, my process was just to go through all of the takes again and make marks. CM: A lot of editors avoid going to set because they don't want to be influenced by knowing what happens on set. Obviously, you didn't have that option. Do you feel your deep knowledge of the shoot helps or hurts in the edit room? GVS: As one of the editors, I know I'm going to be bringing that from the set. That's something I try to be aware of — not to be married to something just because of an enthusiasm for it that happened on the set. After filming, the scenes have different levels of power and execution of theme. For directors, you're always trying to think more like the audience than as the director. CM: With the group scenes, are you concerned with keeping them alive? Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot. Amazon Studios "I start to build a mental framework of how the scene will play as I'm watching the dailies. After I've seen all the footage and made notes, I start piecing it together shot by shot." - David Marks