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shot and make sure the camera moves all worked together harmoniously and had a good rhythm. I was also focusing on finding the best reactions from our cast and the kids. When I spoke to Quinta and the other executive producers before we started, I said that a lot of comedies really want to go for breakneck pace and cutting. But for me, I really wanted to be able to establish some moments you can sit in so that it's not just joke, joke, joke. CineMontage: Sarah, what are the chal- lenges of working in the mockumentary style? Sarah Zeitlin: It's absolutely different than other shows because the camera has to feel like it's extemporaneously discovering the moments. The camera wouldn't anticipate the story because the camera is another member of the audience. If you see some- body walking down a hallway and then you see them walking out the door, in the time sense, it has to feel real. It can't feel manu- factured, ever. CineMontage: Richie, how important are reaction shots in mockumentaries? Edelson: The reaction shots ground things. They make things feel very real because you're in the moment with these people, even if they're not speaking. We also spar- ingly use talking-head interviews, which I think also sells the mockumentary tone of it. Zeitlin: There are three cameras at any g i ve n t i m e a n d yo u h ave to b e t r u e to where three cameras can run concurrently and not show each other. You'll never see something through the omnipresent. The camera is witnessing and adjusting to what the unpredictable characters are going to do and say next. The actors' reactions to the camera will give clues to the subtext and in that way you get to be in on the joke with the character. CineMontage: Given that you have three cameras rolling, is there a lot of material to work with in the cutting room? Edelson: I wouldn't say that we shoot a mountain of material on this show. It's not overwhelming, but you definitely have a fair amount of choice. For my first pass, a lot of it is just instinctual. I go through each take and decide where the cuts are going to feel right. I lay out how I want the dialogue to play, and then I usually go back and figure out where I want reactions or where I want to be wider and not so intimate. Zeitlin: You try to stick with the script, but as I go through it, I pay attention to my first reactions and I take copious notes. If some- thing gets a laugh out loud the first time I see it, I'm definitely going to have to use that or going to have to try it, at least. Then I'm looking for the truth of the performance. I look for who is paying attention and being true in the moment from their character's perspective and how the characters would honestly interact and relate to one another. CineMontage: What's the typical work- flow on an episode? Zeitlin: They shoot for five days, so I'm ed- iting while they're shooting. Two days later, a total of seven days, I deliver the editor's cut. Then the director comes in for up to two days. That can be different with each director. When the director signs off on a cut you're both happy with, Randall will come in and he'll take a look. He's really funny, really sharp. And then ultimately Quinta weighs in. Her instincts are spot on. Edelson: Quinta really gets editing. She un- derstands what's possible. She understands when you show her why you chose a certain thing. She is very astute at knowing what we're doing. CineMontage: Do either of you have favorite episodes among the two seasons to date of "Abbott Elementary"? Edelson: The second season premiere, which was called "Development Day," was really, really challenging to get right, and I thought that one came together really well. We were trying to reset between seasons, which is always something that needs to be done clearly but not hit you over the head with it. We're trying to make sure that we're catching up to Janine's story and resetting all of the characters, but also telling a new story in the episode. You're getting the lay of the land, but you've got the time con- straints. You want to make sure that you're keeping in all the story that you need to get across, but also keeping all of the humor that you can. Zeitlin: "Development Day" is a favorite of mine as well. It's packed. For me, I love the [season 2] episode "Mom," because my relationship with my mom has defined who I am as a person, either in similarities or re- actions. My mom has a big, loud personality, and I tend to be quieter and more cautious. We both are social and love people, but the ways we go about it are different. That being said, our differences are not as extreme as those characterized by Janine and Vanetta [Janine's mother, played by Taraji P. Hen- son]. On the show, there is more selfishness a n d m a n i p u l a t i o n i n t h e re l a t i o n s h i p Ruth Adelman. Richie Edelson. 26 C I N E M O N T A G E F E A T U R E