Film editing is a magical art form that very few people truly understand. Frankly, there are people within the film industry that don't understand the power the editor yields in shaping the finished product.
In this episode I have an in-depth conversation with Steven Hullfish, a feature film and tv editor, instructor, and author of multiple books on editing (and the entire post-production process) including his latest book Art of the Cut. Steve and I chat about his journey preparing for and compiling over 50 interviews with editing legends, and beyond just the interviews themselves how he was able to find a narrative within all of his various conversations that led to amazing insights into the process of film editing and storytelling. We talk about many different areas of film editing well beyond the basics like understanding story structure, pacing, timing, rhythm, the process for reviewing dailies, and much more.
If you're interested in taking your knowledge of editing to the next level and you want to truly understand what it takes to be a magician in the edit bay, this interview is a great first step, and then picking up a copy of Art of the Cut after you're done listening is a great second step.
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Topics of Conversation:
- Steve's journey from college student to post-production master
- The addicting rush of increasing your editing efficiency
- Determining which of the 4 types of editors you are
- Steve's strange techniques for parsing through interviews
- Asking the questions that editors never get to ask other editors
- Common industry misunderstandings about editing
- Strategies for fighting editor's block
- Creative advice from the industry's greatest editors
- The subjective art of watching dailies
Useful Links:
Art of the Cut: Conversations with Film and TV Editors
Guest Bio:
Steve Hullfish is a feature film and TV editor, with credits including Courageous, War Room, Champion and the theatrically released feature documentary, Clinton Inc. In addition to Art of the Cut, he is the author of five other books, including The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction and Avid Uncut. He also trains editors and colorists around the world.
Show Credits:
This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, the show notes were prepared by Jakin Rintelman, and this show is executive produced by Kanen Flowers. We are a member of the THAT STUDIO podcast network.
The music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Dorian Cheah from his brilliant album ARA.