Rob Field
For ACE’s Jamie Kirkpatrick, the road to editing began in the Midwest, where, as an only child, he entertained himself by crafting elaborate narratives with action figures. This early love for storytelling led him to film school in Boston. His big break came unexpectedly during an internship on the Paramount film Little Giants, where he found himself under the influence of Academy Award-winning editor Donn Cambern, Billy Weber ) and guidance from a stellar team of Michael Tronick. Under Camborne’s guidance, Kirkpatrick had his “aha” moment, realizing the profound creative control an editor has. Watching the film’s executive producer, Steven Spielberg, perfect the final cut without extensive reshoots solidified his passion for editing.
This formative experience laid the foundation for Kirkpatrick’s career and his ongoing collaboration with director Percy Ponceiroli, most recently on “The Greedy Man.” After the success of the indie western “Old Henry,” the two discovered a shared passion for genre films. Their latest project differs from their previous work, taking inspiration from the Coen brothers and blending a bizarre murder mystery with multiple character perspectives. Kirkpatrick was immediately attracted to the script’s unconventional narrative structure and the opportunity to explore a different tonal landscape.
Greedy Man is a darkly comic crime thriller set in a small town, where the suspicious death of a wealthy businessman is unraveled and entangled in a tangled web of deceit and ambition. The story is told from multiple perspectives, following the investigation led by police officers Will (Himesh Pate) and Terry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). As they delve deeper, the film reveals the greed and hidden agendas of various townsfolk, from bitter spouses to power-hungry officials. Each character’s retelling adds layers to the mystery, revealing the true nature of crime and the lengths to which people will go to satisfy their desires. Kirkpatrick draws from his past and deftly balances familiar genres to create a satirical world that satirizes human greed.
Movie montage: Talk to me about making Greedy’s overlapping genres work.
Jamie Kirkpatrick: This is tricky. There aren’t many black comedies these days, and they’re always tricky because depending on how dark they are, you’re walking the line between leaning into the funny moments and not mitigating the stakes the characters face. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out the nuances. Most of our actors have a comedy background or have been in funny movies, so they know how to be funny. We have the opportunity to capitalize on this and move away from serious sequences where the stakes are raised. We can punctuate or create a transition with something lighter or funnier, even if it’s just a line or a visual joke. These laughs make the audience gasp because the whole thing can’t be all gloom and doom. The black comedy fights allow the audience to release tension and learn that there are fairy tale elements in the film. One thing I discovered is what an incredibly straight man Himesh Patel is. Joseph Gordon-Levitt had the bigger laughs, but Himesh’s subtle reactions added such nice little buttons to what Joe was saying. The way Will tries to figure out his new partner Terry still makes me laugh out loud. Straight people in movies never get the credit they deserve.
Movie montage: Do you have to find those shots and play hard?
Kirkpatrick: Yes. Sometimes it was a discussion, such as whether to use a shot where Joe tells a bigger joke or a more subtle shot where Himish gives the best reaction. It depends on what we want the audience to pay attention to. Do we want a clown here? We created shots by using the reactions of one shot and the delivery of lines from another shot and stitched them together. We had to be careful not to increase the visual effects budget because this is still an independent film.
Movie montage: I’m interested in those transition buttons. Does it have to be a certain type of joke to make the transition from black to humor? Did you need an ironic moment to make this transition? Did you express it that way?
Kirkpatrick: This is a very good question. The key to these transitional moments is often a descent into absurdity. For example, Will’s reaction to witnessing violence is to laugh because all of his problems are solved. For once, Himesh didn’t smile, just looked in disbelief. But for me, it’s never been a problem. That shot was great because that’s what I wanted the audience to feel. Some people involved in the film questioned whether we wanted him to laugh, but our argument was that he laughed not because it was funny, but because it was ridiculous and ironic.
Movie montage: After you selected that shot, did you have to go back and make sure everything was in place to win that moment?
Kirkpatrick: Once we decided to keep the shot, we had to go back and make sure the humor beats were consistent with that moment. We removed some of the bigger comedic moments to maintain balance and make sure the movie wasn’t slapstick. Potsy does a great job of making sure all the actors are in the same movie and consistent with the overall cast.
Movie montage: You had a great mentoring experience. Can you work with some guidance?
Kirkpatrick: The idea of mentorship is very important to me because that’s why I became Editorial Chair. The editor I worked for had me cutting scenes and being in the room while I was dealing with the director. While working remotely, these opportunities become fewer and fewer, but I try to include my assistants in them whenever possible. For example, my dailies assistant Blake Pruitt was encouraged to cut scenes when she wasn’t busy. He has since graduated and edited a documentary that attracted some attention. My mentee Amanda Romero became a real hero when we resumed filming from our long hiatus. She handles technical issues and mistakes and ensures we deliver everything on time and completely. This is a very important thing to me. I encourage other editors to take the time to look at what their assistants have cut, even if it’s just once a week. It’s hard to do that now, and I fear we’re creating a generation of assistants who are technically proficient but lacking in soft skills. When working from home, I try to shorten that distance.
Movie montage: What was it like when Spielberg stepped in to help complete Little Giant?
Jamie Kirkpatrick: It’s a bit surreal. I was lucky enough to get an internship in Los Angeles and Don Cameron liked me and recognized my passion. I became the unofficial second assistant editor. It’s obvious that I’m here to learn, not just run errands. Towards the end of his internship, Spielberg, who served as executive producer on Silence , decided to step in and work with the editors for a day. Sitting behind two Oscar-winning editors and watching them work with Spielberg was an incredible experience. Using only existing footage, they restored the film without the need for reshoots. Spielberg’s ability to see the finished product in his mind and communicate it effectively is eye-opening. It made me realize how much creative control and influence an editor has over a film.
Movie montage: Can you recall specific lessons or solutions from that experience?
Jamie Kirkpatrick: It’s fascinating to see how they changed the movie by adding ADR lines, using off-screen lines, and even pulling reactions from different scenes to enhance the narrative. For example, if a child’s reaction is funnier in another scene, they will take advantage of this and zoom in to hide continuity issues, such as the wrong shirt color. It was the little things like these that made me understand how an editor can turn a good movie into a great one. Spielberg has this ability to see what’s missing and what could be done better, such as realizing that a scene isn’t working well because it lacks the right reaction or needs an ADR line. This is a masterclass in fresh perspective and creative problem solving.
