Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1504875
By Kristin Marguerite Doidge M any of the moments from the HBO drama series "Succession" h av e a l re a d y b e c o m e i c o n i c. Created by Jesse Armstrong in 2016, the Emmy-winning series explores themes of power and family dynamics through the eyes of billionaire media mogul and fam- ily patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his four grown children, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Siobhan "Shiv" (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck). The fourth season, which debuted on March 26, boasted a then-series record high of 2.3 million viewers, while the series finale on April 30 drew 2.9 million, according to Nielsen and network data. The picture editors for the series — Ken Eluto, ACE, Jane Rizzo, and William (Bill) Henry, ACE — were drawn in by some of the same aspects of the stylish series that viewers tune in for each week: the grand hip-hop-orchestral score of Nicholas Britell ("it's like a concert in four parts," says Rizzo), razor-sharp writing, and stunning performances from the actors. CineMontage recently spoke with the editing team about the show's ground- breaking fourth season and what they'll take away from the intense but rewarding experience of working on the hit series. CineMontage: How did each of you first get involved with "Succession"? Eluto: I think it was 2018 when I got a call from my agent saying the people from "Succession," which I hadn't heard of at the time, wanted to interview me. I went to the studio where they were prepping. They had already shot the pilot [directed by Adam McKay, who executive produces the series with Will Ferrell], and I met with Mark My- lod who was going to be directing the first couple of episodes and was also going to be on as an executive producer. I went out to the studio and we just got along really well. He's such an easy person to get along with and just a really nice guy. We started talking about the pilot and how much we loved the style of it — the writing, the acting, and the music. A few days later I had a call with Jesse, who was in London at the time. I think I was the first editor hired after the pilot was done. They were shooting in New York, so they wanted editors in New York as well. I've been on since the first season. There were some breaks in between where I'd go and do another show and come back. Now it's about over, but it's been a great run. Rizzo: My agent sent me the script. The reason they had reached out was because Mark [Mylod] was a fan of this small indie f ilm I had edited called "Compliance" (directed by Craig Zobel) in 2012. So I met him and we mostly connected on our mu- tual love of tennis and Roger Federer. I go back and forth between New York and Los Angeles editing movies and television, so I was pushing for them to hire Bill [Henry] since we had worked together on two shows previously. I've worked on seasons 1, 3, and 4. We each take turns with episodes. This season, I edited two of them. Henry: I had worked with Jane [Rizzo] on the AppleTV+ series "Dickinson," and that's how I f irst got involved in "Suc- cession." She'd pitched me to [producer] Dara Schnapper and Mark and Jesse. I had watched the series and thought, "Oh, these people are so reprehensible." But then I got to episode six and binged the last four episodes of season 1. I left to do "The Gilded Age," so I missed season 3. CineMontage: Do each of you have a favorite sequence or episode you're particularly proud of? Eluto: I've been fortunate because I did the final episode for three out of the four seasons, and those are the ones that always have the big surprises. But I remember I really loved working on the last episode of William (Bill) Henry, Jane Rizzo, and Ken Eluto. 32 C I N E M O N T A G E F E A T U R E A Family Affair 'SUCCESSION' EDITORS EXPLAIN THE SHOW'S MYSTIQUE