A long, long time ago, in 1976, I was a grad student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and learned the craft of film editing. I edited an award-winning short, “F.N.G.”, which led to a teaching assistant position working with an Oscar-winning professor. […]
When I was growing up, Hollywood felt so far away because the films themselves were so otherworldly. The notion that someone could write and capture these images was mind-blowing to me. […]
How ‘Top Hat’ lifted spirits – and launched a career […]
The author nearly took a job with the national security agency – until his love of storytelling took over […]
Patrick McMahon, ACE, cut many horror/suspense projects, including the original, “A Nightmare On Elm Street.” He’s also edited seven pilots (five of which went to series) and documentaries including HBO’s Emmy Award-winning “Baghdad ER.” […]
Whatever you read about — news, politics, history, race, psychology, robots, the Poem-a-Day in your inbox—informs your vision. Empathy is a vital skill. Dabbling is beneficial. […]
Advice from George Lucas led to a career. […]
Igrew up in a little town in the middle of California called Atascadero, which loosely translates to “mud hole.” My hippie parents and I lived on a small ranch where my chores were feeding the sheep, pigs and chickens we raised. This was not a job I enjoyed. […]
It all started in 1955, when my Mom t ook my sister Joy and me to see a kiddie matinee. I had never seen a movie and this was before our family owned a TV. […]
How an animated film inspired a young editor […]
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