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12 C I N E M O N T A G E W H A T O U R M E M B E R S D O in my office or sometimes in a small theatre. There's a lot more to it than just the above, but those are the broad strokes. The most important part of the job is supporting the editor and director and ensuring their needs and expectations are being met. Q: How did you first become interested in this line of work? Well, the TL;DR is that I used to be a security guard at a film studio in Vancouver called the Bridge Studios where I eventually moved into a building maintenance posi- tion. Between those two jobs, I got to know everyone and eventually asked for a job on one of the TV series filming there. Q: Who gave you your first break? M i c h a e l S . M c L e a n ( e d i t o r / p o s t supervisor). I had asked him for a job in the visual effects department on the TV series "Stargate SG-1," but there wasn't an opening. Instead, he offered me a position in the dub room, making copies of dailies and cuts on VHS and distributing them to the appropriate people. In the dub room, we supported up to three television series and some movies-of-the-week (MOWs) at any given time. It was a great environment to learn in. Q: What was your first union job? I was an assistant editor on "Stargate SG-1," which was a trial by fire because it was also the first episode they had shot on HD instead of 35mm film. Additionally, the editing was to be done on Avid, but I had been learning on Lightworks up to that point. I had about five days to learn every- thing I could about an HD workflow and how to use an Avid system. HD workflows were not common yet, and production had rented the same cine-modified Sony F900 HD cameras that George Lucas had used for the Star Wars prequels. I was mostly left alone to figure it out, which was a challenge, but I was happy for the opportunity. Q: What credits or projects are you proudest of, and why? I'm especially proud of my most re- cent project, "Twisters." Working with editor Terilyn Shropshire, director Lee Isaac Chung, and visual effects supervisor Ben Snow was a great experience. The movie turned out well and had a lot of heart. They involved me a lot in the creative pro- cess, which is always very rewarding. Q: What was your biggest challenge in your job (or on a particular project) and how did you overcome/solve it? The f ilm "Fast & Furious P resents: Hobbs & Shaw" had an extremely aggres- sive 16-week postproduction schedule. We had over 2200 shots, yet they never locked the cut, so at one point we previewed three different versions of the film on the same night at the Universal lot. We worked six- and seven-day weeks for six months and found it challenging to keep up with the constantly changing edit. But in the end, the movie was a lot of fun to watch, so I'm quite proud that the other visual effects editors and I pulled it off. Q: What was the most fun you've had at work? That's a tough call. It could be when I worked in the dub room at MGM in Van- couver. It was a relaxed environment full of people willing to share knowledge and encourage growth, plus a healthy dose of crazy hijinks. We watched the latest cuts together as a team and everyone would give feedback and encouragement. I also had fun on "The Foreigner" with Angela Catanzaro, ACE and director Martin Campbell. Working with those two was a great vibe. We were a small but very relaxed team that was all in on making a good film, and there was zero drama behind the scenes. Martin finished his cut early but didn't want to turn it in, so he'd sit in my office and we'd watch movies together. Poor Angela would have to endure his grumbles when she had to break it up because she needed me to do something, haha! Q: Jobwise, what do you hope to be doing five years from now? I'm probably giving the same answer as most: I'd like to cut full-time. I am, however, quite happy with the niche I've carved for myself over the years. Q: What are your outside activities, hobbies, passions? I spend a lot of my free time as an avid photographer (pun intended). For me, it's a form of meditation; I can concentrate on creating images somewhere and escape the stress of work and life. It's a great excuse to get out of the house and explore. Q: Favorite movie(s)? Why? "Taxi Driver" — Amazing performanc- es, and it explores the dangers of loneliness. "Double Indemnity" — A great thriller with witty dialogue. "Strangers on a Train" — Another great thriller, with commentary on the idle rich and celebrity. " T h e S h i n i n g " — A m a s t e r p i e c e psychological thriller; I watch this every Halloween. "Alien" — The perfect blend of science fiction and horror. Q: Favorite TV program(s)? Why? "The Sopranos" — Extremely engaging writing and performances. "Band of Brothers" — Every episode felt like a movie, and it hammered home the horrors of war. "Dark" — A German sci-fi thriller that kept me guessing for three seasons. "Fawlty Towers" — The most awkward- ly funny comedy ever. "Battlestar Galactica" — When I was a kid, it was like a new "Star Wars" every week! Q: Do you have an industry mentor? I've been very fortunate to work with many incredible people who have taught me a lot over the years. But I would have to say that Angela Catanzaro and Chris Rouse have probably had the most significant impact on my career and how I approach my job. Both are superb editors and highly collaborative, but they also share a com- passion toward their crews, which is rare in our business. I've learned a lot from both of them, not just creatively but also how to be professional and compassionate towards the people you're working with. I've also worked with other excep - tional editors like Michael Tronick, Teri Shropshire, and Joel Negron. They are similar in that all three are creative yet compassionate and willing to teach and mentor their crews. SEE PAGE 52