Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/637797
35 Q1 2016 / CINEMONTAGE character Poe to be a wisecracker." Meanwhile, Brandon insists that The Force Awakens is not a reworking of the original Star Wars [1977], beginning with its female protagonist, Rey (Daisy Ridley), who's very different from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). "She is barely surviving her lone existence," Brandon emphasizes. "Her attitude toward space and adventure is completely different; she only very reluctantly leaves the planet. That's the beauty of our film: You might find yourself in a familiar setting but our new characters have very different lives. I was very aware of this fact while I was cutting. Han Solo [Harrison Ford] doesn't show up until 35 minutes into the film, and when he does, I made sure his interaction with Rey and Finn [John Boyega] was through their point of view. With the exception of the soft wipes we used for transitions, I believe we made a truly unique and original J.J. Abrams film." According to Markey, "Han's introduction seemed perfect to us — bringing him and Chewie back to the Millennium Falcon while it is being piloted by Rey and Finn. The situation itself makes for the perfect blend of old and new. We did do some re-structuring to find the right moment to introduce Leia [Carrie Fisher], whom we originally met earlier in the film, but in a less meaningful way. Seeing her for the first time through Han's eyes was so much more touching." And why do Brandon and Markey believe they were nominated by their Academy and ACE peers? "That so many reacted so positively to the movie — both Star Wars devotees and Star Wars newcomers — says to me that the movie speaks to them," responds Brandon. "If I can cut a movie that does that then I know I've made the right choices in putting it together. I'm guessing the members of ACE and the Academy must have felt that way too, which is so rewarding." Adds Markey, "Of course, it's hard to say what led our fellow editors to nominate us, but here are what I think some of the strong points of the cutting are: I always try to keep the characters, their natures, psychology and emotions paramount when I am editing. So no matter what might happen in a scene — no matter how strong the line of dialogue or how funny the joke — if it is not serving the truth of the character, it doesn't belong. I try to keep the characters' emotional states highlighted at the center of action scenes, too, always balancing the cut of a visual effects- or sound effects-heavy scene with shots that show how our characters are experiencing the moment to keep them the center of the action." Editor's Note: The Oscar-nominated picture editors will take part in "Invisible Art Visible Artists," a panel discussion at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday morning, February 27, the eve of the Academy Awards. For more information, see ad on page 67. f Mary Jo Markey. "A challenge with Spotlight was to take a film about reporters making phone calls, knocking on doors and making spreadsheets, and to keep it interesting — and to make it feel suspenseful." Tom McArdle