Y Crazy Mind

The intersection of a Venn diagram is where the commonality is found of the different subsets. This is the connection in which the different parts relate. This is an appropriate metaphor for the work of editor Xiaoyao Shen (aka Andy Shen) on Outdooring . Director Maxwell Addae was fully aware that the film was relatable to a portion of the general public but he needed it to be also accessible to those who had no direct connection with the characters depicted in the story. Still, Addae was convinced that the proper editor would be able to grant insight from a perspective that was unfamiliar with the circumstances of the main character Kobby and those around him. After seeing Andy’s work on Armistice which clarified complex characters and arcs, the director was convinced that he’d found the ideal editor in Shen. This decision is vetted by Outdooring ’s win for Best Drama Short as well as a nomination for Shen’s editing (both for the International Film Awards) as well as a nomination at...

Editing a film is far more than simply putting shots together. It is an art form, making connections where there weren’t any before. It is about discovery, figuring out how to turn endless footage into a cinematic masterpiece. It is about storytelling, captivating audiences by cutting together the most emotional takes. It is about passion, something Canada’s Graham Fortin knows better than most. Fortin is a renowned film and television editor in Canada, working on many acclaimed projects that millions around the world have been entertained by. Films like Free Spirit, Roam, and Pour Retourner and television shows such as Mister Tachyon and Abandoned showcase his vast talent and versatility, and he has no plans on slowing down. “As an editor, I can be away from most of the chaos and craziness on a set. Not that I don’t enjoy popping in from time to time, however, for the most part I like being alone in my edit cave and figuring out what I’m working with,” he said. ...

When Shuo Wang was only nine years old, a Chinese television series named My Fair Princess began airing. Wang became enthralled and credits the show for sparking her interest in film and television. It was the first time she became aware of the magic that film can create. “I could be happy, sad, nervous, or even mad depending on what happened in each episode. It is a story that happened in China a hundred years ago, but from this TV series, it made me feel like I was also in that story following the characters’ emotions,” she said. After watching the show, Wang became curious of how such television series and movies were made, and what the behind-the-scenes of a production would look like. She decided at that young age that she wanted to pursue filmmaking as a career path and has since dedicated her life to bringing that magic to the big and small screen. Now, Wang is an internationally in-demand editor, working on countless award-winning films including Mire, 100 Day...

Most audiences never understand the power and importance of having a great editor on a film. Conversely, most directors are incredibly attached to working with editors they not only trust but whom also challenge them. As in any great partnership, equal amounts or support and inspiration make the whole better when it comes to filmmaking. Editor Tianying Jiang has a number of “true believers” in the directing world. Two very different recent productions in which she has served as editor validate her exceptional talent. A new beginning and a new ending are not vague terms when applied to the award winning film Ms. Piggy and My Wife is a Chicken . When she became frustrated with both films not achieving their highest potential for maximum emotional impact, Jiang created a new direction for these films; ones met with overwhelming gratitude from her directors. As the editor herself states, “I always believe that editing is more like problem solving. There are problems which occur during th...

Whether you work in television, music, or any other creative industry, becoming a hit is only part of the struggle. It takes an immense amount of talent and hard work to get noticed; it takes even more to stay there. While the faces on television hits like American Idol and American’s Got Talent are essential, they are only the most obvious part of their success. The massive community of artists and professionals behind the scenes are the iceberg factor that comprises the eighty percent of work and talent that you don’t see. Editor Angus Emmerson has contributed his time and skill to both of these TV institutions. It’s often his work which is the first thing viewers see. Working closely with Simon Cowell and the producers of these programs, Emmerson is a vital part of why audiences are so excited when these shows come on the air. One of the surest indicators that you have reached the level of status that permeates all of society is when you are referred to with only one name...

One of the most important and all too often overlooked roles in film and television production is that of editor. The men and women who take part in this vocation do much more than simply linking parts of the footage shot by the director, cinematographer, and actors. Yu Jung Hou is an editor known for her work on a wide variety of productions from Disney’s The Incredibles 2 to The Profit (TV series) and many more. She is highly renowned in the indie film scene. Two productions of this past year illustrate the utilization of completely contrasting approaches by her to propel the story. Chaos and order both have their proper place in Yu Jung ’s professional universe and as long as the film becomes better, these tools are warranted. ( Photo: Jared Nickerson ) When producer Destiny Lilly and director Michael Markham contacted Yu Jung about editing The Decades of Mason Carroll , it was based on glowing recommendations and her impressive prior work. Their work together required ...

There are a number of well-known sayings which lend themselves to the idea that the world is eternally balancing itself out: “When one door closes, another opens” or to put it in more scientific terms, Newton’s third law which states, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Speak with anyone involved in the entertainment industry and they will expound on its fulfillment and creative empowerment as well as the challenges it brings. They will also communicate the absence of a “normal” life that it demands. No one knows this better than those who are editors. While much of the production process is collaborative and social, editors are those who weave and bind the stories which are created…doing so in a small solitary room by themselves (with intermittent appearances from the director and producers of said productions). Vishnu Perumal has spent a large portion of his life in this type of surrounding and concedes that while it extracts a certain social content fr...