By Betsy A. McLane
For everyone who hopes to become a successful motion picture editor and has questions how to get involved, get started, move from assistant editor to editor, and maintain a long-term career, John Rosenberg has answers.
In his new book “Editing for the Screen,” Rosenberg takes an unusual byline — “Edited by John Rosenberg” — rather than “Written by.” This is appropriate and telling. Rosenberg is a Motion Picture Editors Guild member, belongs to ACE, and is a long-time, multi-talented picture editor. He has worn several industry hats: He was an assistant who moved up to editor; he also produced films; and, as part of his multifaceted career, he teaches “The Aesthetics of Editing” at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
This book is organized as one might build an extensive career in editing. Chapter One deals with “Getting Started,” Two with “Sticking It Out,” Three with “Finding Success,” and Five — as so many editors wind up doing — “Starting Again.” In each chapter, Rosenberg uses various approaches to get to the good and not-so-good realities of working as an editor.
Enjoyed 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles? You can be an editor.
For example, Chapter One begins with a personal essay by Yu Jung Hou, “Could we Please Talk About Assistant Editing?” After graduating from USC film school in 2015, she worked in cutting rooms for 10 years and shares an anecdote familiar to many editors: “My very own parents still don’t know what editors do, let alone assistant editors.” Hou, like most of the book’s contributors, writes in a clear and candid way, well aware of the missteps and mistakes as well as successes during what I always call “the 10-year struggle from film school to overnight success.” To conclude, the first chapter offers a report on the specific responsibilities of assistant editors and advice from editor Toi Juan Shannon: “The personality of an editor is if you were the kind of kid that enjoyed 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, then you probably have the fortitude and patience to be an editor.”
It would be a mistake for seasoned professionals to miss this book. The insider stories that dot the pages will bring a knowing chuckle (or grimace) to those who have spent many, many hours in editing rooms. Seasoned editor Bill Yahraus, who left editing as a full-time gig to shoot, direct, and edit his own documentaries, recalls being hired by producers to work with first-time directors to talk about coverage, among other needs. Yahraus and Rosenberg are among many who were hired by producers to totally recut a film. Once, Yahraus was hired by an actress who was also a producer to change entirely the trajectory of her performance, and although he loves working with good actors, he adds: “What’s horrible is when you get a famous actor who’s not really good. Then you have to spend the entire editing process going around his foibles.”
Virtually every editor profiled in Rosenberg’s book emphasizes the importance of networking, making and keeping contacts, and following up with industry people. MPEG is often mentioned as an excellent way to do just that, as well as to have the pay scale, health insurance, and working condition benefits of union membership. More than one interviewee explains how they got into the union and what it means to them. Support for other entertainment industry unions, even when it can create personal hardship, is also presented as a regular part of supporting the community.
Finding the right mentor — an experienced editor who is willing to teach you and go to bat for you — is cited by many as the most important thing networking can bring. Some, like Bruce Green, were lucky enough to be mentored by filmmaking legends like Haskell Wexler and Michael Kahn. My favorite story of mentorship/partnership is told by Rick Shaine about working with the British director Michael Apted. Shaine first approached Apted with a letter, got an interview via connections, and landed a job. The two eventually collaborated on seven movies and two TV pilots. It was Apted’s interest in directing all types of films, from low-budget independent features to thrillers and big budget live-action/ animation, that meshed with Shaine’s own interests in diverse subjects.
Some contributors stress that being in Los Angeles is the best way to build a career, and this is mostly reinforced by Rosenberg’s bias toward Hollywood and, naturally, USC. As a graduate of USC film school myself, I understand this but wish that “Editing for the Screen” offered greater geographic diversity.
The book allows Kris Fitzgerald to share the ups and downs in his career as an editor in animation. He fell in love with editing only after training to become a director and starting his own production company in Los Angeles making music videos, commercials, and trailers. His first job after moving to LA from graduate school in Hawaii, and being rejected for every industry job he pursued, was as a surfer. After a low point selling sock puppets at a farmer’s market and bartending, Fitzgeral got a lead from two customers while bartending and was hired to work on “Transformers Prime.” The only hitch was that the series was cut on Avid and he had worked almost exclusively on Final Cut and Premiere. With a lot of time, effort and help from colleagues and mentors, Fitzgerald succeeded; he went on to work on the television series “Bob’s Burgers” and “Central Park” and was eventually brought on as lead editor on “The Bob’s Burgers Movie.” Fitzgerald puts a positive spin on his experiences and even looks forward to working with an emerging technology dreaded by many: “AI will be just another tool to help me do what I do, tell stories. And whatever is down the pipeline for me and my fellow editors, I am confident that our creative passion, persistence, and humanity will carry us through.”
“Editing for the Screen” is part of Focal Press’s PERFORM series, subtitled “Succeeding as a Creative Professional.” Other books in the series include “Writing for the Screen,” “Acting for the Stage,” “Creative Arts Therapy Careers,” “Non-fiction Filmmaking for the Screen,” and others.
Rosenberg is also the author of two other editing books: “The Final Rewrite: How to View Your Screenplay with a Film Editor’s Eye” and “The Healthy Edit: Creative Editing Techniques for Perfecting Your Movie.” While its back cover states the current book is meant for students, the personal stories, insider tidbits, and humorous asides make it a fun read for anyone in the business. It is especially important for anyone trying to move from assistant to editor, and to those who feel their career might be off track. It can be reassuring to learn that even the most assured pros can wind up there, too.
