Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/501792
36 CINEMONTAGE / SPRING 2015 TEAMWORK PREVAILS Just as the show itself tells the story of an organized team of spies, agents, heroes and adventurers on a mission to protect the world from nefarious forces and shadow conspiracies from realms near and far, the editorial mission requires a similarly dedicated team largely built out of editors and assistants previously connected to some of the show's producers on past projects like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fringe, Psyche and others. The show currently features three editors: Charson, David Crabtree and Eric Litman. Each has a full-time dedicated assistant editor: Jennifer MacFarlane, Kelly Stuyvesant and Benni Pierce, respectively, while a fourth, Ryan R. Moos, functions as visual effects editor, responsible for collaborating with the visual effects department on an average of 150 visual effects shots per episode. Each editing team rotates episodes and works, for the most part, autonomously on individual 43-minute, six-act shows throughout the season. With each episode usually shooting for eight days of principal photography (plus two-to-four days of second unit work), the editorial cycle typically only permits editors three days to craft a first cut before cycling through collaborative sessions, first with directors, then producers, before allowing the studio and network time to provide notes. From the last day of dailies to locking picture, the team normally gets 10-to-12 days to complete each episode, but schedule crunches at certain times during the season can compress that time frame even more, according to the editors. Crabtree suggests that while the cutting methodology is standard in many respects, "The tremendous amount of footage for some episodes can make for a really big challenge to make sure we are finding the best stuff, to be sure." Operating out of what Crabtree calls "a crazy bunker" at Culver Studios in Culver City, the editorial team works in a dedicated office alongside visual effects supervisor Mark Kolpack and in close proximity to writers, producers and the show's primary stages. Given the huge volume of material generated for each episode, having the show's braintrust ensconced together at Culver really pays off, according to MacFarlane. "The amount of footage is truly director-dependent, but on a really big action episode there can also be an action unit day in there, which results in double the footage," she relates. "Since the show is shot at Culver Studios, it's a huge benefit to have the writers, crew and post staff right there. Any time there is an issue or question, our post producer, Chris Cheramie, can go to set and deal directly with the appropriate department. As a result, our workflow is pretty streamlined. Specific to post, having the actors at the same location helps our post producers interact directly with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Kelsey McNeal/ABC