Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1513564
Lame CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34 WOMD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 Gemstones CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 72 C I N E M O N T A G E exactly correct, that it has been confirmed on the workprint, and has been confirmed on the cut list, so all of their information is correct, and it's all matching." If there was a discrepancy, which could potentially happen, the negative cutter would catch it before a cut was made, and inform the editors. They would investigate it, correct it, and issue a new list. "Having a negative cutter who is very methodical and very careful is a really important part of the process," said Fay. "For 'Oppenheimer,' we had negative cutter Simone Appleby, who cut 'Dunkirk' as well. It was so reassuring to have someone so methodical and diligent with their work, to report back if there were any questions, and to make sure that what they were doing was exactly correct. There were 3,300 cuts in the whole movie. Every single one of those is carefully considered, and carefully cross- checked, and then needs to be executed. Ultimately, Simone was joined by additional negative cutter James Manke. With so many cuts, it took a bit longer to do (a little over three months). The two of them are amazing." For all the challenges, the finished prod- uct is in many ways a tribute to the medium of film, in all its old-fashioned grandeur. In fact, Hoytema is seeing a renewed interest in film with his students. He said, "When I give master classes, students are always in awe of the medium. They think that you need very specific precision and you need to follow a lot of rules. But, even if you're a little bit rough with your light readings, the chance that you end up with an image that is interesting or inviting is pretty high. I always encourage people to just do it; don't be afraid of it and drive it like you stole it. Don't be too precious. You'll very quickly see an interesting result or something that is useful – something that can capture a little bit of the soul of what you're observing in real life. It's easier than you think." Lame added: "It's dicult to find people who can learn the film workflow quickly since it isn't taught anymore, which is sad. What's nice, though, is there's always a correlation between the digital workflow and film workflow, since the digital is based on the film world. So when you explain the film world to someone who hasn't had the experience, they can start to understand it pretty quickly when they think about the digital workflow." ■ Jennifer Walden is a freelance writer specializing in postproduction technology. someone interested in pursuing your line of work? B e h u m b l e , b e p a t i e n t , a n d s t a y prepared; opportunities will present them- selves when you are ready. Q: Was there ever a circumstance when you had to rely on the Guild for help or assistance? Fortunately, I haven't needed it, but I'm confident the Guild will be there for me should the need arise. Q: Is there anything you'd like to say to your fellow Guild members, some words of encouragement? Being a member of a union and the p o s t - p r o d u c t i o n c o m m u n i t y i s t r u l y fantastic. I feel honored and enthusiastic to collaborate with so many talented and dedicated individuals, and I look forward to many years of creating stories with them for audiences worldwide to enjoy. ■ some evening peepers, and a 17- year cicada recording I had recorded a few years back, which adds an eerie, sort of otherworldly effect to the swam. Rachel Wardell, our sound eects editor, very creatively added in some stampeding animals, a motorboat engine, and processed helicopter blades to give the whole swarm a bit more body and shape to it. Whenever the swarm would "reach out," like a hand of God trying to grab someone, we added a low-end bass drop eect to give it a final sell. On the Foley side, our team of Marko Costanzo, George Lara, and Ailin Gong did a fantastic job covering the hundreds of locust wings, flybys, and insect impacts. (Ed. note: To read more about Ailin Gong and her work, please refer to the "What Our Members Do" feature on page 20.) CineMontage: Justin, is "Gemstones" a show that changes a lot in post from a picture-editing perspective? Bourret: The scripts are very strong. Sometimes we rearrange scenes, but it's more about cutting out things that we just don't need. We say, "Do we need to say that line that many times?" Or "This scene says it better than that scene, so let's eliminate the middle scene." Danny lets the editors bring their own sense of style. He loves style and creativity. Every once in a while, we get a scene that maybe is not popping the way we wanted it to, and he'll turn to us to come up with creative ways to execute what he was looking for. Sometimes it may be to make a montage out of something that wasn't a montage. Ettinger: It's a testament to Danny's ability to bring people into the world, and that includes the actors, the DPs, and everyone who has to buy in. If I were in his shoes, I don't know if I'd be able to describe what I wanted. He does such a good job of communicating that vision and getting everyone onboard, and that's a huge part of the success of the show. ■