Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1277477
25 F A L L Q 3 I S S U E W H A T O U R M E M B E R S D O your first break? My interest in editing and my first b re a k c a m e a t o n ce. W h e n I wa s a n assistant at HBO, I'd get to watch all the dailies. There was a film that they were having trouble marketing, and I told my boss I had an idea for a trailer. Out of sheer frustration, she let me try it. They let me use a final cut bay where I taught myself Final Cut Pro. I cut a trailer that they really loved and I was off to the rac- es! I had discovered how much creative input an editor can have on film and fell in love with the craft. Q What was your first union job? "Single L adies" (2011), a scripted series for VH1. It had a nice run, four seasons. We cut in Atlanta, so I got to know the city very well over the years. Q What credits or projects are you proudest of, and why? I am proudest of my doc- u m e n t a r y w o r k b e c a u s e i t requires the most effort, bar none. "Bhutto" (2010) has a special place in my heart. It also won me a Peabody. Q What was your biggest challenge in your job (or on a particular project) and how did you overcome/solve it? The biggest challenge is the politics of the job. Learning to juggle multiple per- sonalities and having patience can be the most arduous part of the job to manage and took me a long time to master. It's difficult to give an example because it's very situational, but generally speaking, a director or producer might ask you to do something that you've already tried and know won't work. It's never good to be the person who is always saying no, so I often have to go through the m o t i o n s t o s h o w m y c o l l a b o r a t o r s "my work" so to speak. I consider it an occupational hazard. Q What was the most fun you've had at work? I made some lifelong friends on a Bravo show called "Imposters" (2017). The showrunners, Adam Brooks and Paul Adelstein, created an open and creative environment which allowed for ideas and people to flourish. The other two editors on the show came from features and brought with them a more family style habitat where we all ate lunch together. It's something I have taken with me on other shows and try to facilitate. In my opinion, the sheer act of stopping down and having a bite with others really im- proves work/life balance. Q Jobwise, what do you hope to be doing five years from now? I'd love to be a successful director/ed- itor like Mike Flanagan ("The Haunting of Hill House," 2018). He was able to be a showrunner, direct, and edit on the series that he created. That's the dream. Q What are your outside activities, hobbies, passions? I love to travel, snowboard, and box. Unfortunately, my back has made the latter two less frequent these days. Q Favorite movie(s)? Why? "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" (1988), "Amélie" (2001), "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015). These films may seem very different on the sur- face, but they all left me in awe with their 'Politics is the biggest challenge. Juggling multiple personalities took me a long time to master.' unique visual styles and solid storytell- ing. My favorite films are those that leave an indelible mark on my psyche. These each had a visceral component that has never left me. Q Favorite TV program(s)? Why? So many!! "Breaking Bad," "Game of Thrones" (sans the last season), "Golden Girls," "30 Rock." I'm forever in awe of imagination. A great show can come from any genre; it's about how the stories are told, not the backdrops. Q Do you have an industry mentor? Not really. Q What advice would you offer to someone interest- ed in pursuing your line of work? Start cutting! Pull footage off YouTube, shoot some stuff with your phone. You just gotta get in there and do it! Q Was there ever a circum- stance when you had to rely on the Guild for help or assistance? I've been lucky not to need the Guild for anything other than positive reasons. I enjoy the mixers, bowling, and screenings. Q Is there anything you'd like to say to your fellow Guild members, some words of encouragement? I've had the honor to work pretty consistently over the past 15 years. My best advice is to come from a place of Yes. Go the extra mile to get noticed, even if it is just a "chance." You'd be surprised how far that can take you. ■ Compiled by David Bruskin Interested in being profiled for this feature? Reach out to Scott Collins at scollins@editorsguild.com.