Balancing Work And Family One Working Mom's Approach by Maryann Brandon-Brighty I have been working as an editor for the past 16 years. I started out as an assistant in New York and made my way out to Los Angeles about ten years ago. It was a rough transition at the time, or so I thought, but the hardest transition of my life was having a family and trying to keep up my career. I now have two children, and though it has been very difficult at times, so far so good. And, with a little help from my friends, colleagues and other kind hearts, I managed to go to work with my two-month-old baby. The film was 'Grumpier Old Men' the director, Howard Deutch; the editor who hired me as his co-worker, Billy Weber, to whom I'll always be grateful. I was nine months pregnant, the phone rang, it was Billy Weber saying that he's going to need help on this film and could I go meet the director. Now, there is no way to hide 48 lbs. of baby sticking straight out in front of you, so I bit the bullet and went, thinking this guy is going to laugh me right out of his office. But instead, we bonded over the fact that his wife and I shared the same OB/GYN. In fact the meeting went so well that not only did Howard approve me as a co-editor, he insisted that I bring the baby to work with me. I started the job when Francesca was two months old, brought a cradle, some blankets, diapers and a change of clothing for her and me. She slept most of the time and when she was awake there was always a willing assistant who wanted to hold her and play with her. What was most fascinating was, as people on the Warner Hollywood lot became aware that there was an infant in the cutting room, they started dropping by just to see her. I think it made people feel happy just having her around. I must admit as great as it was having her with me, it did make it harder to get my work done. Eventually, I decided to have my husband pick her up around 3:00 every day. One of the advantages of freelancing is that sometimes one can bend things to fit a particular situation. Of course all good things come to an end and now that she's three and my son is seven, it's harder to work out everyone's complicated lives. Last year I had to go on location for 'A Thousand Acres' to Rochelle, Illinois alone. (My husband was on location in San Francisco.) I managed to hook up with a retired school teacher who lived in town and hired her to tutor my son and the director's son at her farmhouse. We split one nanny in the afternoons, and I brought a nanny from L.A. for my daughter. Very complicated, but that's another story. Wherever my cutting room, I try to set it up so that it's kid friendly and all kids are welcome.   You can contact the Guild's Family Life Committee on the web or (213) 469-0988.   Reprinted from The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter Vol. 19, No. 4 - July/August 1998   Guild Home | Newsletter Home | Top of Page   Copyright © 1998, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776