Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1203636
A tribal council from "Survivor: David vs. Goliath." The end is near: Probst extinguishes Kelley Wentworth's torch. P H O T O : M O N T Y B R I N T O N / C B S R O B E R T V O E T S / C B S E N T E R T A I N M E N T 39 S P R I N G Q 1 I S S U E Barefoot: One of the great things about being an editor on "Survivor" is that we've always been free to try new things and mix it up. We have a distinct editing style on the show, but we're also free to break those rules whenever it feels right. Lately, we've been doing more flashbacks and out-of-chronological order storytelling. Anything to keep it feeling fresh. Van Wagenen: Technology has ush- ered in more changes. When we switched to HD in 2007 we developed a more cine- matic style. Recently, drones and GoPros have given editors more options to tell stories in unique and new ways. Schumacher: Part of the secret sauce that has made "Survivor" so successful for 40 seasons is that everyone, in every department, is always trying to make the show better. It helps that all the other de- partments are always upping their game, embracing new technologies, utilizing better cameras, better sound, finding better contestants, and coming up with innovative themes. A r m s t ro n g : A m e r i c a n a t te n t i o n spans have never been shorter. Our view- ing choices now consist of YouTube or Instagram clips lasting all of one minute. Inevitably "Survivor" will feel some of the effects of that: Challenges have been cranked up, season opens are cut shorter, and the season recap blazes through. On seasons with larger twist elements, we must get extra creative to make room for them while maintaining the lynchpins of "Survivor" that audiences know and love. Van Wagenen: What I love about our editors is that they love to be challenged. Each season we ask ourselves how can we tell a story differently and how can we tell it better. But the truth is, at its core, "Sur- vivor" still is and will always be about the human experience. ■ Mike Bloom is a freelance writer and diehard "Survivor" fan. F E A T U R E