Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/309120
36 CINEMONTAGE / MAY-JUN 14 Editing, Visual Effects and a Special Achievement Award for Williams. It was Disney's first real animated hit in decades. After editing The Rocketeer (1991) for Joe Johnston and The Last of the Mohicans (1992) for Mann, Schmidt was again approached by Zemeckis to edit Death Becomes Her (1992). "I said yes, yes, yes. I'll be there whenever you start," the editor remembers responding. Soon came Forrest Gump (1994). Zemeckis began by shooting with the child actor playing Forrest, so actor Tom Hanks could pick up the mannerisms and personality traits of this boy, who'd never acted before. Forrest, a mentally challenged man whose life story followed recent American history, was a difficult character to get right. "I tried hard not to overcut, or milk the material to evoke false emotion," Schmidt comments about his editing approach. "The editing had to be as simple, honest and as direct as Forrest's character. Forrest edited that film." Paramount was nervous about the $55 million movie and Hanks' quirky character. "It was a big risk to make that film," the editor says. "We took it to San Jose to where we'd first previewed Back to the Future." It was the best preview Paramount had ever had. Forrest Gump would win six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Film Editing (Schmidt's second). Schmidt finally got a chance to edit for director Nichols on The Birdcage (1996). It was the first film he cut on the Avid. "Thankfully, I had great assistants to import and export the footage and guide me through the process," he says. "I do miss handling film. It gave me time to think about what the next cut was going to be. This was a big mental adjustment to make. "Mike is such an easy, wonderful director and so terrific with the actors," he adds. "He let me cut the film as I saw it. Most of the time we were in sync and what changes were made were relatively minor." When Schmidt received the script for Cast Away (2000) from Zemeckis, "I felt like I'd read a manual on desert island survival," he explains. "But Bob, being the terrific director that he is, made it interesting." When Chuck Noland, played Flight (2012) @ (additional editor) The Chumscrubber (2005) (credit shared with William S. Scharf, A.C.E.) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) # (credit shared with Stephen E. Rivkin, A.C.E., and Craig Wood, A.C.E.) Cast Away (2000) @ ## What Lies Beneath (2000) @ Primary Colors (1998) Contact (1997) @ Chain Reaction (1996) (credit shared with Don Brochu, A.C.E., Dov Hoenig, A.C.E., and Mark Stevens) The Birdcage (1996) Congo (1995) (additional editor) Tales from the Crypt (1995) @ (TV, "You, Murderer" episode) Forrest Gump (1994) @ * # + Addams Family Values (1993) (credit shared with Jim Miller) Death Becomes Her (1992) @ The Last of the Mohicans (1992) ## (credit shared with Dov Hoenig, A.C.E.) The Rocketeer (1991) Back to the Future Part III (1990) @ (credit shared with Harry Keramidas, A.C.E.) Back to the Future Part II (1989) @ (credit shared with Harry Keramidas, A.C.E.) Beaches (1988) (additional editor) Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) @ * ## + Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (TV, "You Ruined My Life" episode) (1987) (credit shared with Barbara Palmer Dixon) Ruthless People (1986) (credit shared with Gib Jaffe, A.C.E.) Back to the Future (1985) @ + (credit shared with Harry Keramidas, A.C.E.) Fandango (1985) (credit shared with Stephen Semel, A.C.E.) Firstborn (1984) The Buddy System (1984) The Escape Artist (1982) The Idolmaker (1980) (credit shared with Neil Travis, A.C.E., and Steve Potter) Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) ** ## The Jericho Mile (TV movie) (1979) # ++ Jaws 2 (1978) (credit shared with Neil Travis, A.C.E., and Steve Potter) The Last Remake of Beau Geste (1977) (credit shared with Jim Clark) Marathon Man (1976) (additional editor) The Fortune (1975) (assistant editor) * Academy Award ** Academy Award nomination # ACE Eddie Award ## ACE Eddie Award nomination + BAFTA Award nomination ++ Emmy Award @ Directed by Robert Zemeckis Arthur Schmidt, A.C.E. SELECTED EDITING CREDITS A scene from Back to the Future (1985). Photo courtesy Universal Pictures/Photofest CineMontage_May-Jun_14-3b.indd 36 4/16/14 2:36 PM