Rob Feld
The assembly team cuts the murder mystery “Best Sister” is a case study in the post-production network.
Gershon Hinkson is working with series co-creator Olivia Milch for the first time, and has worked on “Ocean’s 8.” “We clicked right away,” Hinkson said. “When she called me ‘better sister’, my answer was ‘hell!’ because where I came from, if not Hell is…,” Hinckerson’s voice fell behind.
Erica Freed was attracted in part, partly because of Hinkson. “Once I heard Gershon was on it, I knew I definitely wanted to join the show,” she said. The two collaborated remotely, out of reach for “dismissal” and immediately began to map out how their collaboration worked this time. Jonah Moran put the team together and made it through Freed’s insistence suggestion: “Whenever Erica calls and asks, ‘What are you doing?’ My thought is, ‘You tell me. “Moran recalled. “That’s it. ”
“Best Sister” is based on Alafair Burke’s best-selling novel, an eight-episode thriller on Amazon Prime. It centers on high-profile media executive Chloe (Jessica Biel) and her estranged sister Nicky (Elizabeth Banks), who was forced to reunite after Chloe’s husband Adam (Corey Stoll) was murdered. When sisters emerge from their traumatic shared past, long-standing family secrets. These contents provide editors with a lot of sound and ways to play content, as characters move back and forth by making the front and center of the editing process move back and forth.
Movie: What is the editing workflow in this show, and how much input do you have to do with how it is structured?
Gershon Hinkson: Early debates about whether to block or cross the board, Erica and I realized that if we just blocked the edits, we would be stuck between plots. At one time, they wanted us to start alone and complete the first two episodes alone. But we see in the schedule that episode one and the second will be a week apart. That’s not enough. We had to convince the producers and the postal team to let us cross: Erica would take the first episode, I cut the second episode, and then she would do three episodes, and Jonah would stay four. This is a difficult sale because, on the contrary, the opposite efficiency seems to be more efficient. But once the video starts to enter, we know how it looks – how easy it can be for a neat schedule to spread.
Erica Freed: They are block shots, and in the past they mean shooting an episode, cutting an episode, turning it over. Then it becomes a director shoots twice immediately, and the editor can do both at the same time – because we’re used to the daily newspaper all day. The system stayed for a while, but as editors, we started pushing backwards. We need to dig deeper, not just cut assembly lines. Therefore, we propose a case: Editing block. Now, I see more shows adopting the model, and it’s much better.
Hinkson: Jonah also changed a lot. Another factor is who your performer is. Book [Watkins] Run it like a feature – time is not a problem, it is quality. This flexibility reminds me of the “She Must Have” series that worked with Spike Lee. When your performer’s voice is determined, there is often more room to do the work correctly.
Movie: How did you develop the editorial voice or grammar of the show throughout the season?
release: The pilot is very independent. It was directed by Craig Gillespie and first ruled by Tatiana Riegel that I took it down. Many of their structures remain in place. It sets the tone, especially how we play with memory and perception, but it is not the style we use later. A person is heavy. Everything else is about unraveling. We had an early conversation about setting memory and flashback rules, and we then violated those rules. It turns into: “Why is that guy on the scene? He’s dead.” But then we realize: “Yes, it’s a memory. He’s not here.” This gives us a license to show any real feeling to the character’s experience at that moment.
Movie: What kind of coverage are you using? Is it consistent or does it vary by director?
Hinkson: It changed. Some directors prefer touring cameras, while others prefer to keep locked spaces. But overall, I would say the coverage is very easy to use – don’t be too smooth or too styled. This helps to get the audience rooted in the story. This is a strategy I’ve seen before. I remember talking to DP who once was a Warrior, who described a similar approach.
Moran: It gives us a lot of latitude. We can change the pace, reorder the scenes, truncate or expand the moments – perfect for building advance plots. Because it’s a thriller, we have to keep things moving, but also know when to let the tension breathe. Coverage does allow us to make these adjustments.
Hinkson: If it is more stylized, we will be locked into a method. But this gives us a choice.
Movie: Have you struggled for a moment and found that the solution will teach you something about the show or your team?
Hinkson: To me, this is the tone. In the second episode, there is a scene in the interview room. I cut it out for some creepy – tension between the detective and the suspect. It worked, but once the rest of the season starts to merge, it doesn’t match the tone we’re building. The performance stayed the same, but I redesigned the rhythm and score to keep it in line. The first version is not wrong, it does not belong to the version of this show. Once you walk, you can find the path.
Moran: I came last time and since I only had two episodes, I also performed a lot of side tasks. Ben would call and say, “I have something for you – let this scene play.” We would speak for a few days (usually flashback or surreal moments) and see how far we can push. Some scenes are moved, dropped or reused. Sometimes it’s: “What happens if we just add this little visual blur?” It’s exciting. The editorial team structure gives us the flexibility to continuously develop the visual language of the series.
release: These flashbacks – we keep reinventing them. Some are written as full scenes of conversation, but on screen, they feel too long. We cut them into one rhythm, which makes this moment more emotionally impactful than the entire script scene. Then we will return to the present moment in that memory turmoil. Jonah finally had the bird’s eye view, so he went back and pulled the debris to a new place. The pacing is getting tighter and tighter. This is what you want to be in an editorial team – able to work like this – but not always. Here, that’s true.
Hinkson: Finally, they sent us a link to all the finished episodes and I was shocked by what Erica and Jonah did. I remember watching the opening of episode 8 and thinking, “This is incredible.” We were all very focused in the process – heads were lowered and trying to reach the deadline. We don’t have time to appreciate each other’s work. Once the showcaser is locked, the whole thing is actually clicked. I will think of chicken skin ump. It was a great experience – everything was one of the jobs that were all in alliance. This is a show I think people want to watch from beginning to end. This will not be troubled by series fatigue.
Moran: I thought I was signing for a thriller, but it turned out to be more. There are these emotional moments, and then there is a sudden humor. Watching Erica and Gershon layoffs, I will laugh at unexpected moments. Choices are always surprising and active. It’s not just one thing – it’s a lot of things – and that’s what makes it exciting.
