Major Project: Inspired Editor Lee Smith
An editor who has inspired the editing and the way I want to edit my documentary is Lee Smith. Now, Smith doest actually edit documentaries he is a film editor. However, because his style of editing is very extrodinary and experimental, especially with the film Dunkirk, the action matches but the timeline doesn’t. Whilst again, this isn’t documentary, I found it really interesting the way this is done and has inspired the way I have edited and to have confidence in a timeline that is neither liner or chronological. In Assumed Guilty because we are speaking to so many different people it is easy to get confused with the storytelling. The basis of some of the best documentaries I have seen recently have been brought together by the editing style, and not every documentary is as linier as it looks.
Researching his style and technique really inspired me, especially with Dunkirk, which was a spectacular film with editing that really stood out for its ability to chnage time, and not have it look or appear jarring which is very difficult to approach.
Some tips I was able to pick up from this video was:
1. Read the script at the beginning that the director is intending to make and pass on any comments on how it reads and also be there the entire time of the shoot. Keep up with the camera and keep to the sequence and make sure it makes sence and you have the coverage. Expensive day-by-day if somehting is missing you need to speak up. Interestingly as DoP myself I shot to edit which was a strong intention of min so I was able to get what I wanted and flag up to Jack the director before shooting. Unlike Lee Smith I was around throughout the entire pre-produciton process, which was mainly due to co-producing the project alongside Jack.
2. When offered a job be careful in an interview especially with someone new as its a lot of time and post-production is intense and you need to get on as a team. Being like-minded works and talking about the movies or documentaries you love and hate.
3. You start testing eachothere views and what works and what doesn't. The director/editor relationship is important and there are long term relationships formed.
4. Moving from air to sea and air again in the early stages of production was quite confusing and it needs to get to a point where the audience understands. Good and bad confusuin. This was useful ot me to ehar because we have three different stories in a timeframe of around 25minutes so it is important to work and try different ideas from ourselves and also from our mentors such as Simon and Helen, whilst also people from industry who are invited in to watch our project.
5. They would screen every friday to themselves and a couple of people who hadn't seen the film in the editing room as progress and they would chnage ideas and structure and it would coompletely chnage the next time. But they would see the way it was edited would damage the emotional side or the way it is carried.
6. Produces the sound as he is going usually.
7. Music sound and VFX are handled seperately. They never used CG elements so most of the film is real comps and they would mask in real planes etc in the special effects.
Challenges:
Keep accecible to the audience so they didnt get confused and give up
Keep tension up and emotional release was critical
Keeping true to reality and not letting it be inendated with CG enhancements. A real look.
Overall my research into Lee Smith as an editor has been insightful and whilst his projects are feature films, I found I could relate to a lot of what he was saying and how every screening something is different every week and how much of an impact that has on the narriative and the way tensions and emotions are carried. Music is something I would definitely want to work on a truely master as it can be the difference between a good and a bad piece of work.
Researching his style and technique really inspired me, especially with Dunkirk, which was a spectacular film with editing that really stood out for its ability to chnage time, and not have it look or appear jarring which is very difficult to approach.
Some tips I was able to pick up from this video was:
1. Read the script at the beginning that the director is intending to make and pass on any comments on how it reads and also be there the entire time of the shoot. Keep up with the camera and keep to the sequence and make sure it makes sence and you have the coverage. Expensive day-by-day if somehting is missing you need to speak up. Interestingly as DoP myself I shot to edit which was a strong intention of min so I was able to get what I wanted and flag up to Jack the director before shooting. Unlike Lee Smith I was around throughout the entire pre-produciton process, which was mainly due to co-producing the project alongside Jack.
2. When offered a job be careful in an interview especially with someone new as its a lot of time and post-production is intense and you need to get on as a team. Being like-minded works and talking about the movies or documentaries you love and hate.
3. You start testing eachothere views and what works and what doesn't. The director/editor relationship is important and there are long term relationships formed.
4. Moving from air to sea and air again in the early stages of production was quite confusing and it needs to get to a point where the audience understands. Good and bad confusuin. This was useful ot me to ehar because we have three different stories in a timeframe of around 25minutes so it is important to work and try different ideas from ourselves and also from our mentors such as Simon and Helen, whilst also people from industry who are invited in to watch our project.
5. They would screen every friday to themselves and a couple of people who hadn't seen the film in the editing room as progress and they would chnage ideas and structure and it would coompletely chnage the next time. But they would see the way it was edited would damage the emotional side or the way it is carried.
6. Produces the sound as he is going usually.
7. Music sound and VFX are handled seperately. They never used CG elements so most of the film is real comps and they would mask in real planes etc in the special effects.
Challenges:
Keep accecible to the audience so they didnt get confused and give up
Keep tension up and emotional release was critical
Keeping true to reality and not letting it be inendated with CG enhancements. A real look.
Overall my research into Lee Smith as an editor has been insightful and whilst his projects are feature films, I found I could relate to a lot of what he was saying and how every screening something is different every week and how much of an impact that has on the narriative and the way tensions and emotions are carried. Music is something I would definitely want to work on a truely master as it can be the difference between a good and a bad piece of work.
Comments
Post a Comment