Portrait by Wm. Stetz
Thanks for the Mentoring
Thanks for the wonderful article on my friend Monty DeGraff (“Monty the Mentor,” CineMontage Q1 2018). Lynne and Monty have been a part of my wife’s and my circle of friends for 20 years — sharing many dinners, talking shop and generally enjoying each other’s company.
But not until I read your informative article on the inner workings of the editor through Monty’s eyes did I come to understand the whole mentoring side. This proposition of helping up-and-coming young people in any capacity in the business totally inspires me. The article brought back so many memories of what this business used to be like! I’ve been a working actor for 50-plus years and remember those days.
The personal benefits of mentoring are so obvious that I find it hard to believe more people don’t take Monty’s lead. When you explain how you do something in detail to another person, it not only passes the mystery on to someone else, it perks your memory bank and sharpens your fundamental techniques.
I could go on and on, but let me cut to the reason for this letter, which is to thank writer Debra Kaufman for shining a light on Monty’s special work.
Peter Jason, Actor
