Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/737949
POSTING EPISODIC TV www.postmagazine.com 26 POST OCTOBER 2016 just like we used to screen film dailies. It gave me a big jump as the editor — Jonah and I would discuss what he was looking for in performances and putting scenes together, and Paul would explain his ideas for the look of the show." Semel's big challenge on the pilot was trimming his first cut from 111 minutes to 65 minutes running time while "continuing to tell an exciting, coherent story," he says. "Jonah's directive to the editors is to show everything that's in the script: Don't cut any lines. He wants to see 100 percent of what's intended in the script." J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Lisa Joy and Nolan ex- ecutive produce Westworld. Semel has worked with Abrams and Nolan before and likes their practice of trying "to house all the key departments in the post production process under the same roof. We have VFX supervisor and designer Jay Worth on the same floor as the editors. Music editor Chris Kaller also lives with us and is involved from the presenta- tion of the editor's cut to the director. All hands are on deck from the beginning. Everyone thinks com- prehensively about what the final show will be, and during the editing process we try to get as close to the final product as we can." "Bruce [Dunn] and Steve have established a collaborative and supportive culture," Seklir says. "We're a tight-knit group with everyone pulling in the same direction. Not all shows are like that, but I think it's one of the keys to a successful series." This collaborative workplace enables the team to "take a holistic view of the show instead of be- ing focused on just your episode," says Seklir — an important perspective to have when the 10-epi- sode first season is "more like cutting a 10-hour movie than 10 episodes of TV," according to Semel. At several points in Season 1, the editors have been crucial in "shaping the narrative between episodes" and moving scenes between episodes if necessary, says Seklir. Otherwise, Westworld is a rather "classic" HD edit. Shane Harris at Encore is the show's color timer; Encore also handles picture finishing. "The look of the show is baked into the film," says Semel. "Shane helps draw the contrast between the dif- ferent aspects of the show — the western exteriors and the technological world." Atomic Sound performs the audio post, super- vised by Tom DeGorter, MPSE. Semel worked with the company on Lost and Person of Interest, and has a "high level of comfort, familiarity and com- munication" with its staff. "Working with film again is kind of nostalgic," says Seklir. "I started in the industry on film, and it's inter- esting to see it again. Even with the occasional light leak or scratch, film has a unique look and feel that digital can't reproduce, so I'm really enjoying it!" DESIGNATED SURVIVOR When the US President delivers the State of the Union address, a member of the Cabinet is always absent and housed in an undisclosed location. That person is the "Designated Survivor." In the event of a catastrophic attack on the US Capitol that wipes out the presidential line of succession, the Cabinet member is sworn in as President. This unthinkable scenario plays out in the new series starring Kiefer Sutherland as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Tom Kirkman, who was headed for replacement on the day of the Designated Survivor is shot in Toronto on Arri Alexa. Designated Survivor is shot in Toronto on Arri Alexa. Designated Survivor Kiefer Sutherland stars in the new ABC series.