Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/990701
47 Q2 2018 / CINEMONTAGE Parcone says the entire show has over 200 external 4tb drives to hold all the data at the ready, including all the media from approximately 600 contestants per season. "We have to keep all that media organized," he states. All of the competitors and hometown packages are live on the ISIS; the runs go into the back-up process before they go into the library. Each season adds another 15 to 20 external drives to the library. "It's a gigantic job," he acknowledges, "and I try to keep my team working as fast as possible on our normal groupings and bringing in contestant media for the current system." Last season, a camera mistakenly recorded over some footage, but Parcone saved the day (it actually took three days) by recovering the footage from the camera's FMU [Flash Memory Unit]. "But the craziness is not recovering footage," he says. "It's the strategic planning on which cameras to bring in first, what footage will get processed first, how you know what LUTs to use and which cameras need to go through Resolve. Then we transcode all of it. It sounds basic, but it can get quite convoluted. If a card gets misplaced, it throws a wrench into the workflow." Editing ANW is such a specific process that not all editors click with it. Gagnon has seen it evolve through the years. Training new editors is one of the challenges. "We get some fantastic editors from big reality shows, and you can see them realize that this is not the same beast," he explains. "It's unlike any other show out there. It's a slow process to 'getting it.'" He points to Michelle Messina, who joined American Ninja Warrior as an editor this season, cutting the runs, doing notes and helping get the shows together for the first pass. "I've done a plethora of unscripted reality for over a decade, but with Ninja, it's been a while since I've felt so challenged," she concedes. "There's a right and wrong way to do every cut, and it's been a little humbling to step back and re-adjust my workflow. However, this is a great team of people who are all helping each other constantly." Messina continues: "Working on Ninja is never cookie-cutter; every piece is created specifically to tell that person's story. I enjoy combining the elements of a live sports show and a narrative. The amount of footage is always challenging, especially because the schedule is tight. You have to keep it moving but still deliver top quality. "Ultimately," she concludes, "it's inspiring to work on such an uplifting show where all the editors are A-list and at the top of their game." f Michelle Messina. Last season, a camera mistakenly recorded over some footage, but Parcone saved the day by recovering the footage from the camera's Flash Memory Unit.