The editing process can be a time-consuming and lonely one. There are moments of extreme frustration, but also times that are incredibly rewarding. The postproduction phase is really about deconstructing the entire film and then constructing it again. The past few months have been spent re-evaluating the story, characters, and themes. I can no longer rely on what my intentions were when writing the script. All I have is what was shot and now I have to let the film speak for itself. I now serve the film, rather than the other way around.
I’ve lost count of exactly what cut I’m on now. My guess is somewhere around 4 or 5, but it could actually be more. I’ve been meeting regularly with two advisors, Ula Stoeckl (my mentor throughout the film and a brilliant director) and Mark Gerstein (who taught me everything I know about editing). My skin has gotten much thicker throughout the course of our screenings. The film already varies quite drastically from the script, but it has all been for the past. I’ve had to cut some of my favorite shots and some really good scenes, because they ultimately didn’t add to the film as a whole. But that’s what the Deleted Scenes feature is for, right?
In the next few weeks I will be at a point where I feel comfortable enough to open the film up to other people (as opposed to the 3 that have seen it now) and get more feedback. We’re still on target to have a completed film by the end of the summer.
