What Editors Look for in an Assistant

What Editors Look for
When Choosing an Assistant

by Bruce Green

SECTIONS:

An Informal Survey
It's Not My Job
Coffee Anyone?

An Informal Survey

Why do some assistants go months and even years between films while others receive multiple offers? If you believe it's because their uncle is an editor or producer, or because they're "just lucky" you're wrong.

An informal survey of picture editors about why they hire and re-hire particular assistants was very revealing. Predictably, technical skills and credits play a large part but apparently enthusiasm and personality can make the difference. Editor Paul Dixon says he looks for "an emotional click" with an assistant. He hires people who are talented but also are emotionally supportive. Mia Goldman wants an assistant with a "positive emotional state of mind." She avoids those who are "angry or cranky or have a chip on their shoulder." Sidney Wolinsky is, like some other editors, willing to put up with a little less skill in return for extra enthusiasm. He is very Avid savvy and has readily helped assistants learn the computer - it's their "positive attitude" he cares about most. What really ticks him off are assistants who are unpleasant or acerbic on the phone. Most editors talk of their crew as being their representatives. Editors want a friendly, well-organized editing room, and they also want to project an image of harmony and control to the world.

When talking about the role of a good first assistant Sidney spoke of people who were "sensitive to the swirl of editing room politics and knew what to say to whom, and what not to say." The need for these diplomatic skills was echoed by all the editors I spoke with. John Wright's ideal first assistant "takes the initiative and deals with the problems that come up every day." He doesn't want to be interrupted in the middle of editing unless it's an emergency.

Kent Beyda believes the skill that separates a first from a second assistant is "being able to anticipate a problem and solve it" - the hallmark of a great assistant. Music editor Laura Perlman adds the caveat that "a bad assistant is one who thinks they know more than they do and takes the ball and runs with it - the wrong way."

All the editors I talked with look forward to showing cut sequences to their assistants and use them as soundingboards. They weigh the opinions of their crew carefully and some are particularly interested in reactions to their editorial experiments or sleight of hand. Some, like Joanna Cappuccilli, are very proud of the number of their assistants who have gone on to become editors.

Mia spoke of wanting a film-literate crew who understand story and will be able to participate intelligently in discussions about the film. Most editors seem to want assistants that share the aesthetics of the director and editor. They don't want a wildcard in the editing room.

It's Not My Job

When probed, editors will tell their "assistant from hell" stories. If you're the assistant whose phone skills led both the lab, the optical house, and the sound editors to call and complain to the editor about your cursing and abusive behavior, you might find you're more suited to driving a taxi in New York. If you're the assistant who told the editor, when he asked your opinion of a scene, "It's not my job to give you ideas" or on the first day of work said, "My psychiatrist is changing the prescription for my mood stabilizers and if I start to cry all of a sudden, please don't worry" it may be time to consider a different career.

Directors and producers demand a lot of the editor and the editor demands a lot of their crew. Paul said it well: "You have to love the process and be excited about being part of it, over and above any particular project. The dedication you need exceeds any reasonable job description."

Coffee Anyone?

Editors want from assistants what directors and producers want from them: intelligence and enthusiasm. Twenty years ago, when the studio system was in place and union senority rules were in force, getting your first job and then advancing owed far more to who you knew than what you knew. With the changes in the editing room, it's now a question of what you know and what you project. If you love and respect the process, and don't mind getting coffee, if you can say "No it's O.K., I can find someone else to take my front row seats to the Rolling Stones concert. I'd rather work all weekend" and smile, then you have a big jump over all the other assistants. And you've invested in the possibility of a constantly interesting, creative and rewarding career as an editor.

At the time this article was written,
board member Bruce Green had just finished
cutting 'Phenomenon' for director Jon Turteltaub.

Reprinted from
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter
Vol. 16, No. 6 - Nov/Dec 1995

Guild Home | Newsletter Home | Top of Page

Copyright © 1996, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776


	What Editors Look for When Choosing an Assistant by Bruce Green *SECTIONS:* An Informal Survey It's Not My Job Coffee Anyone?
	An Informal Survey	Why do some assistants go months and even years between films while others receive multiple offers? If you believe it's because their uncle is an editor or producer, or because they're "just lucky" you're wrong. An informal survey of picture editors about why they hire and re-hire particular assistants was very revealing. Predictably, technical skills and credits play a large part but apparently enthusiasm and personality can make the difference. Editor Paul Dixon says he looks for "an emotional click" with an assistant. He hires people who are talented but also are emotionally supportive. Mia Goldman wants an assistant with a "positive emotional state of mind." She avoids those who are "angry or cranky or have a chip on their shoulder." Sidney Wolinsky is, like some other editors, willing to put up with a little less skill in return for extra enthusiasm. He is very Avid savvy and has readily helped assistants learn the computer - it's their "positive attitude" he cares about most. What really ticks him off are assistants who are unpleasant or acerbic on the phone. Most editors talk of their crew as being their representatives. Editors want a friendly, well-organized editing room, and they also want to project an image of harmony and control to the world. When talking about the role of a good first assistant Sidney spoke of people who were "sensitive to the swirl of editing room politics and knew what to say to whom, and what not to say." The need for these diplomatic skills was echoed by all the editors I spoke with. John Wright's ideal first assistant "takes the initiative and deals with the problems that come up every day." He doesn't want to be interrupted in the middle of editing unless it's an emergency. Kent Beyda believes the skill that separates a first from a second assistant is "being able to anticipate a problem and solve it" - the hallmark of a great assistant. Music editor Laura Perlman adds the caveat that "a bad assistant is one who thinks they know more than they do and takes the ball and runs with it - the wrong way." All the editors I talked with look forward to showing cut sequences to their assistants and use them as soundingboards. They weigh the opinions of their crew carefully and some are particularly interested in reactions to their editorial experiments or sleight of hand. Some, like Joanna Cappuccilli, are very proud of the number of their assistants who have gone on to become editors. Mia spoke of wanting a film-literate crew who understand story and will be able to participate intelligently in discussions about the film. Most editors seem to want assistants that share the aesthetics of the director and editor. They don't want a wildcard in the editing room.
	It's Not My Job	When probed, editors will tell their "assistant from hell" stories. If you're the assistant whose phone skills led both the lab, the optical house, and the sound editors to call and complain to the editor about your cursing and abusive behavior, you might find you're more suited to driving a taxi in New York. If you're the assistant who told the editor, when he asked your opinion of a scene, "It's not my job to give you ideas" or on the first day of work said, "My psychiatrist is changing the prescription for my mood stabilizers and if I start to cry all of a sudden, please don't worry" it may be time to consider a different career. Directors and producers demand a lot of the editor and the editor demands a lot of their crew. Paul said it well: "You have to love the process and be excited about being part of it, over and above any particular project. The dedication you need exceeds any reasonable job description."
	Coffee Anyone?	Editors want from assistants what directors and producers want from them: intelligence and enthusiasm. Twenty years ago, when the studio system was in place and union senority rules were in force, getting your first job and then advancing owed far more to who you knew than what you knew. With the changes in the editing room, it's now a question of what you know and what you project. If you love and respect the process, and don't mind getting coffee, if you can say "No it's O.K., I can find someone else to take my front row seats to the Rolling Stones concert. I'd rather work all weekend" and smile, then you have a big jump over all the other assistants. And you've invested in the possibility of a constantly interesting, creative and rewarding career as an editor.
	At the time this article was written, board member Bruce Green had just finished cutting 'Phenomenon' for director Jon Turteltaub.
	Reprinted from The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter Vol. 16, No. 6 - Nov/Dec 1995 Guild Home \| Newsletter Home \| Top of Page Copyright © 1996, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776