Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1203636
67 S P R I N G Q 1 I S S U E J U M P S 'Black Panther' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 it's a constant pivot. So it's helpful when you have to re-imagine something for a film or show or whatever you're cutting. I had to go on location in New York for "The Photograph," and that was the toughest decision I think I had to make. Just ask all the many, many people I went to for advice when I was trying to decide whether I should go. I asked so many people what I should do, and not one person said, "Don't go." And I'm so glad I listened. My husband was so great and sup- portive, too. At one point when I was waiting on the go-ahead to be hired from the studio, he told me, "If you get this, you have to take it. We'll figure it out." And when he said that I felt okay with the challenge I knew we would have in front of us. My son was barely three months old when we left for New York, the week before production started. My son and I stayed in New York the entire eight months, and my husband and our five year-old daughter came for a couple months over the summer. Being split was tough, but judging from what little sleep I got with one kid, I might've had a meltdown if I'd had to share myself with two. But what also ended up happening is my daughter got to spend a summer in NY, and I'm so happy I was able to show her the city. I think one of the keys to balancing is to also have a director that gets that family is a big chunk on my personal pie chart. Stella was super-supportive. I was breastfeeding, and she never once made me feel bad when I had to stop to pump. Little things like that make a huge difference. I don't know if it's a woman thing, but the women on our post staff (an all-woman post staff by the way) were all super supportive. I'm a nurturer by nature, so it was nice to feel like my home life was being "cared for" by the people I was working with. The post execs at Universal (who were male, so maybe it's not a woman thing) were also supportive. I gave them a few "asks" that I thought I would absolutely not get, and was pleasantly surprised when they found a way to make it happen. I'm learning that you MUST ask for help. L ooking back on the journey, I'm so glad I did it. Working on "The Pho- tograph" turned out to be so fun, so rewarding, and such a career high for me. Don't get me wrong, it was A LOT of work, but I can honestly say it was all worth it, and with everything I've learned, I can't wait to dive into the edit again. ■ Photo Shop CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 my bags and dragged my then girlfriend ( a n d n o w w i fe) a c ro ss t h e c o u n t r y, where I was lucky enough to have been accepted to the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles as an editing fellow. Phil Linson's editing program was second to none. I got to study under amazing editors including the legendary Donn Cambern, ACE, whose mantra "Don't Bore — Don't Confuse!" continues to echo in my head. Upon graduating, I had edited nine short films (one of which received a student Oscar award) and I was honored with a nomination for an ACE Eddie in the stu- dent category. In short, I thought landing that post-graduation job was going to be a piece of cake. After graduating, I was able to cobble together my non-union hours and joined MPEG, but spent years seeking that first union gig. Finally, through an AFI alum, I was introduced to Claudia Castello, who had edited "Fruitvale Station" and, like me, believed that film, at its best, could be a vehicle for social change. We hit it off and she took a chance on me. I ended up working with Castello on a couple of projects before she recommended me for a position on Marvel Studio's "Black Panther" — my first credit on a major motion picture. On Black Panther, I got the opportuni- ty to work with editors Mike Shawver and Debbie Berman, ACE, who encouraged me to share feedback on cuts and talk story with them and the director, Ryan Coogler. I also got to work alongside some amazing assistant editors and one of the best post supervisors in the business. I learned as much from them as I've learned from anyone. After working on "Black Panther," a lot of friends joked that I should retire from the business because I had already hit my filmmaking/societal impact pin- nacle. But clearly, there is a lot of work to be done in regard to representation and whose stories we tell. As filmmakers, we have the rare ability to humanize a wide range of life experiences. Further, the best way to make sure we depict people fairly and accurately is to have a diverse team — post-production included Stories are important. They helped shape me. Film and television are pow- erful. They both help shape society and influence the way individuals perceive the world. I'm proud to be a gatekeep- e r o f s t o r y a n d t h r o u g h t h e u s e o f sound and images, be a champion for social change. ■ Steve Pristin worked as Assistant Editor on "Black Panther," and has been Editor on numerous other projects.