When nearly 20 million U.S. viewers — and more around the world — tuned in to the Oscars’ live broadcast on March 2, few were probably aware that some Los Angeles-based Local 700 members were behind some of the evening’s most memorable moments. And while audiences are accustomed to seeing picture editors, sound editors, sound mixers, and other post-production pros being honored in their respective award categories on Hollywood’s biggest night, this year’s ceremony featured some of their memorable handiwork directly on screen — in one instance, in costume for a comedy bit.
Picture editor Alan Maxson joined the broadcast in one of the most unique ways possible: as a giant sandworm from “Dune” playing “Chopsticks” on the piano as part of host Conan O’Brien’s opening musical number.
“When I’m not editing for TV, I spend my time as an actor, primarily as monsters and creatures,” Maxson explained. “One day out of the blue, I received a phone call from my friend Richard Dorton, who said, ‘A very prestigious show is in need of a creature actor.’ Once I confirmed my availability, my name was put on the list of potential applicants. A couple days later, I was notified that I had booked the gig!”
He said he was originally only supposed to perform as the sandworm playing the harp at the halfway point of the show, but after the rehearsal, he received a late-night email on Friday saying that the producers loved the sandworm so much, they wanted to add him to O’Brien’s musical number as well.
On show night, Maxson said there was an “indescribable energy” in the air. “Everyone was excited to be there and the amount of talent in front of and behind the camera was enormous,” he said. “Moments felt surreal. I was standing next to a giant sandworm on the wings of the stage, watching Conan O’Brien, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Adam Sandler perform. Then before I knew it, I was inside the worm and being wheeled out onto the stage.”
When he’s not on stage performing as a sandworm (or as other creatures as an actor, such as one of those who did the motion capture for King Ghidorah in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” in 2019), Maxson is a television editor. He’s been working in post-production in LA since 2007 and joined the Guild in 2012. He’s currently editing a project for Paramount and previously wrote and directed a feature film called “Alien Planet.”
Likewise, fellow editor Matthew Shaw got to be a part of a special—and equally silly —moment to set the tone in an effort to say, “Welcome to Conan O’Brien’s Oscars.”
Following a short film montage that producers wanted to serve as a “love letter to LA,” and a special live musical performance from Oscar nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to open the show, one of the year’s most noteworthy films, “The Substance,” served as the backdrop for an entertaining spoof backstage with the first-time host.
“Conan’s original idea was to include the stage manager knocking on the door, and it just blossomed from there,” said TV and film picture editor Matthew Shaw, who edited the hilarious pre-taped segment. “It’s a really cool thing to have said I’ve done and with an insane but simple concept. We filmed the actual ‘Substance’ side of the piece [with Oscar nominee Demi Moore’s ‘body’] about a week and a half before the show, and essentially had it locked by Monday.”
Shaw, who currently serves as lead editor on “Conan Must Go,” the comedian’s popular travel show on Max, said he’s been in the “Conan orbit” for about 13 years off and on. That means he’s been able to get to know O’Brien and his writers’ instincts and how to drive the edit sessions in a way where the team feels happy with what they’re turning out while having the kind of late-night daily show urgency of the ticking clock.
“I loved the discussions of ‘what take was best for Conan’s hair emerging?’ or ‘do we like his nose getting caught on the flesh more as he emerges?’” he said. “The one certainty we came away from the show was when we saw Conan fully descend into Demi’s ‘body,’ we knew it had to be in the piece in its entirety. It’s just too fantastic to not use.”
By the Wednesday before the event, the team filmed the stage manager scenes, and within an hour, had the piece locked and ready to present to the show producers for the first time. “Every time we’d watch it in the edit, everyone died laughing, so I had that comfort knowing at the very least we all found it hysterical, no matter what the reaction was in the audience,” he said.
Still, the live reaction was more than he could’ve asked for. “Seeing it live was hilarious,” he said. “I knew what was coming after the opening ‘Wicked’ musical number and was giddy to show something grotesque in such a prestigious setting. The idea of Conan climbing out of a body seemed like something we couldn’t broadcast that early, so I got a lot of joy seeing it with all those factors. My family back in Wisconsin had a watch party, and I think it’s the first time they’ve done anything specifically for something I edited, so that was really special, too.”
He recently served as additional editor for the documentary, “Andre is an Idiot,” which won the Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in January. But it’s his ongoing relationship with O’Brien and team that helps him feel confident he’s in the right business.
“I love my job as an editor,” he said. “I love working in comedy and love having the opportunity to jump into a project like ‘Andre is an Idiot,’ knowing that I have their support to take on other projects when they come up…I can honestly say they’re like a second family.”
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