How Post-Production Makes or Breaks a Film, Part 1: The Editor's Process

The difference between a film that has some good moments and a full-fledged, unhindered story hinges on how it's treated in post-production. That success starts with the delicate navigation of the editor. At Sundance 2018, a handful of talented post-production artists who worked on some of the most cutting-edge indie films of 2018 sat down with us to discuss how they work to make brilliant, award-winning films. In Part 1 of this podcast, we focus on the role of the editor, their process of working with directors, and how they articulate the nuanced philosophy behind their craft.

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It was amazing to have such a big group of talent at the NFS house this past Sundance, whose combined IMDB credits and resumes equal nearly a thousand brilliant independent films. These are post-production artists who participated in our roundtable:

• Keiko Deguchi, Editor
• Nyneve Laura Minnear, Editor
• Patrick Lawrence, Editor
• Mark Samsonovich, Artist & Animator
• Sam Daley, Colorist
• Nat Jencks, Colorist
• Seth Ricart, Colorist

Our talented roundtable group sitting down to talk all things post-production.Credit: Hugo Faraco

Here is a list of the films and their editorial strategies that are discussed on this episode:

The first documentary to ever premiere in the NEXT category at Sundance, 306 Hollywood is a magical realist documentary about two siblings recreating the life of their deceased grandmother by animating her belongings, edited by Nyneve Laura Minnear over a period of several years.

Patrick Lawrence discussed his work on Clara's Ghost, where Bridey Elliott casts her fairly famous family members in this humorous-yet-terrifying family gathering where a ghost wreaks havoc on an inebriated dinner.

Here is a behind-the-scenes shot of production on 'Clara's Ghost' directed by Bridey Elliott.Credit: Donald Stahl

Production versus Post-Production on Clara's Ghost.

Here is a behind-the-scenes look at Patrick Lawrence's editing set up on 'Clara's Ghost.'Credit: Patrick Lawrence

And Keiko Deguchi explained the myriad of strategies employed on the post-production of the volatile, dream-like story of We the Animals.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this Post-Production discussion, focused on coloring and finishing.

This episode of The No Film School podcast is sponsored by Musicbed. Get 20% off your next on-site license with coupon code "NF20."

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This episode was edited by Jon Fusco.