CineMontage

Q4 2019

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40 C I N E M O N T A G E P E R S O N A L H I S T O R Y with an agent, who has helped me take my career to the next level. Coming up in the ranks of editing, I had learned that agents can be very helpful in opening doors to people and projects I would have not been aware of otherwise. So for me, this was another big step in my journey. By this time, it had been nine years since working with John and James on "Two Lovers." But we had always stayed in touch, and John was about to start another James Gray film, "The Lost City of Z." He was finishing up "Krampus" and was unable to start James' film during production, so he called me up and asked if I would like to go to Belfast for three months to edit. I of course said yes, and the next week I was on my way to Belfast with my assistant editor, Scott Morris. John joined the team once production wrapped, and he, Scott, James and I tackled the Amazon. I recalled the way John and James worked together on "Two Lovers," and what I learned guided me once James was behind me working through scenes on "Lost City." This also provided me the chance to share with Scott what John and Tom had instilled in me on "Two Lovers." He was brought in to observe how both John and I worked with James, and he was able to edit scenes, as well. John and I had so much fun editing together on "Lost City" that we decided to continue our partnership on "Papillon" and then "Ad Astra." I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for kind and open people I have had the chance to work with throughout the years. It has been a lot of hard work, but I cannot thank those people enough for helping me accomplish my dreams. I ' v e fo u n d t h a t t h e re's n o s i n g l e path to becoming an editor. My career, like those of many others, has taken twists along the way, but I've always been focused on the goal of becoming an editor and seized each moment that has gotten me closer. That focus, along with the strong relationships and the opportunities I've been afforded, are the key ingredients in my career thus far. I continue to be inspired by the people I meet and the stories we tell, and I hope to do the same for others. ■ LEE'S TIPS How to super-charge your post career Build your network You never know where the next opportunity may come from - or from whom. Enlist a mentor Find someone you can confide in to ask questions and seek honest feedback. Edit, edit, edit Take any editing opportunity you can to hone your skills, whether it be cutting an extra scene here or recutting a short film there. Learn the rules Observe the dynamics of the relationships, listen to the director's spoken and unspoken vision, and develop patience. Think outside the box Develop creative solutions and share your fresh perspectives to help the director achieve their vision. both film and TV, including a live action show for Cartoon Network called "Level Up." This is where I met another crucial person in my career, the show's post producer, Karen Mayeda. Karen and I collaborated throughout the show and she became a big advocate for moving me into an editor position. She offered opportunities for me to showcase my ideas, and I took each and every one, no matter how small. During the first season of "Level Up," I only edited two shows, but they went so well that I was brought on as one of the full-time editors in season two. I was making progress in my career, but I still wanted to make the jump back into film. Between seasons, I had my chance. Karen was working on a film called "Re- pentance," starring Forest Whitaker. The producers were looking for an editor to take another look at the film. I talked her into letting me watch the film, and I saw so much opportunity in it. I pitched my ideas to her on how I would approach the film from a new direction and she agreed with them. Karen shared my thoughts with the producer, Nina Yang Bongiovi. I submitted a cut to Karen and Nina, and I got the job. I built a great relationship with Nina and Forest on "Repentance," so when another one of their films needed an editor, they gave me a call. That film was "Dope," which became another turning point in my career. I interviewed with the director Rick Famuyiwa and we hit it off. Once again, I was fortunate to find great people and an amazing story to work on; for the first time, I felt like I was on the ground floor of a great collaboration. "Dope" went on to get rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and I was even awarded the first-ever editing award from Sundance. The honor reflected the team effort we had built in the editing room, and I was in awe that I was a part of it. The success of "Dope" led me to sign 1 2 3 4 5

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