EDITOR'S NOTE
The Girls of Summer
by Tomm Carroll
 Tomm Carroll |
It’s summertime, when a young man’s fancy turns to action movies. But while these films are almost always aimed at males (from teenagers to thirtysomethings), usually feature masculine heroes and are generally written and directed by men, there are frequently females involved behind the scenes, chiefly in post-production.
As our cover story reveals, at least two of this summer’s action films were edited by women. But this is not a case of gals invading yet another guy-only stronghold. Maryann Brandon, Mary Jo Markey and Terilyn Shropshire––all of them members of the American Cinema Editors (ACE)––aren’t buying into that gender bias. They got their gigs on Mission Impossible 3 and Waist Deep because of their talent, collaborative skills and working relationships with their directors. The women talk with writer Laura Almo about their work on these films, their desire to stretch creatively and their resistance to being pigeonholed as a certain kind of editor.
As far as summer movies go, potentially the biggest is Superman Returns, the reactivation of the venerable franchise after a 19-year absence from the big screen. A virtually all-digital picture that required an unprecedented 12 (count ‘em) Avids in the post-production suite, director Bryan Singer’s update of the original superhero employed a pair of editors and a vast team of assistants.
Robin Rowe speaks with editors John Ottman (who also composed the score) and Elliot Graham, as well as first assistant Liza Espinas-Regnier, about the technical aspects of bringing the 21st century Man of Steel to life, while Michael Kunkes interviews Espinas-Regnier and other assistants about their many assignments on this show. Kunkes also investigates the sonic regeneration of the late Marlon Brando’s voice from the 1978 Superman: The Movie for the new film, with the help of sound editor Craig Berkey and first assistant sound editor Warren Hendriks.
While a lot may be riding on big summer (hopefully) blockbuster films to revive the sagging hopes of the theatrical exhibition business, one man has a plan. Multiple-Oscar-winning filmmaker (and Guild editor) James Cameron hopes to save the cinema-going experience with the new technology of digital 3-D projection. Following his keynote speech at the Digital Cinema Summit at NAB in Las Vegas this spring, Cameron discussed his brave new ideas with Patrick Gregston. Gregston also delivers a report on the exhibit floor of the world’s largest electronic media show.
Summer 2006 marks the 25th anniversary of the debut of MTV, which began cable-casting in August 1981. While the successful music video network is obviously still with us, so is its legacy: the quick-cutting editing style that continues to affect film and television programs a quarter century later. Writer Debra Kaufman gauges the network’s impact by interviewing several editors who were either involved early on with what has come be termed “MTV-style” editing or else acknowledge being influenced by it. Meanwhile, acclaimed film critic Elvis Mitchell weighs in on the slice-and-dice editing of music videos and considers the antecedents of the style to be in the European cinema of the pre-swinging Sixties.
Also celebrating its silver anniversary this year is the Guild’s West
Coast Retiree Luncheon, which occurred in May and has been chaired for its duration
by Board member Bill Elias. Inside this issue, you’ll find pages of photos
covering both coast’s annual salutes to the union’s retirees.
Enjoy this edition, and have a great summer!