Where are you currently working?
Titmouse Animation just wrapped up production in November.
An unannounced adult animated comedy from Netflix.
In the animation medium, animation is the rough, often black-and-white blueprint of a television show before it is animated. Directors and storyboard artists draw characters in key poses, choose camera angles and movements, and pre-record dialogue from the script. As an animation editor, I create animations based on storyboard sequences and audio that is usually edited by a separate dialogue editor. I’ll start by doing general time editing, which includes choosing the pacing of dialogue and action, and filling in temp sound design and musical scores as needed.
The animation stage is where we do most of the pacing, whether it’s comedy, action or drama, and swap in different bits of dialogue as needed. It was very collaborative, and it was fun trying to figure out how to use the tools in the toolbox to manipulate images and sound to make things work in ways that might not be possible with live-action footage. I developed a unique set of skills for this workflow that I had never been exposed to in the live-action world, such as eliminating breathing in dialogue to speed up the actors’ natural shots.
How did you first become interested in this industry?
I didn’t come to Los Angeles to edit; I originally wanted to be a comedy writer. My first exposure to editing was in a high school film studies class where we used iMovie to shoot and edit projects. In college, I continued using iMovie to edit photo slideshows to music without even realizing I was editing. This led me to a post-production course where I was introduced to Avid, Apple’s Final Cut, Adobe’s After Effects, Photoshop and Illustrator. I fell in love with these shows and started editing projects voluntarily, whether or not they were part of my TV production course.
After moving to Los Angeles, I had some success working small freelance editorial jobs. As I started doing more editing/post-production work, I realized how much I enjoyed doing it and shifted my goal towards becoming an editor.
Who gave you your first break?
I’m grateful to a few people for giving me my collective first break during my first year in Los Angeles. One of them was a director for whom I did freelance visual effects. I’m excited to apply my basic After Effects knowledge and develop that skill on a small project. The director liked my work and gave me more to do, including hiring me as his personal assistant on a pilot he was producing. I gained a lot of great hands-on experience, allowing me to get direct feedback from creative professionals as well as working on low-budget film shoots.
Another “breakthrough” for me was when I was hired as an editing intern for a music documentary, thanks to Guild member and amazing editor Ishai Setton. Ishai was a great early mentor who taught me the important fundamentals of Final Cut Pro and how to organize projects and sequences in a scriptless environment.
What was your first union job?
Technically, I worked for a month on an unscripted union show, “Project Runway: Thread,” which was Project Runway but with kids. However, I was not employed long enough to join the union. That didn’t happen until a few years later, when I started doing animation work. A couple of editors pulled me aside and said they wanted to talk to me. [Guild organizers] Rob [Callahan] and preston [Johnson] On turning the company’s editorial team into a union. I was fully involved with the company from that point on and have been a union member ever since.
What credit or course are you most proud of?
“Frog and Toad.” Not only was I nominated for two Emmys as an animation editor, but it was one of the most rewarding and fulfilling shows I’ve ever worked on. Everyone involved is passionate about the characters, and from top to bottom, the staff takes great pride in keeping the show true to the tone of Arnold Lobel’s story.
When I was hired, it was obvious that I would be respected for my talent and creative input. This show has made me come a long way as an animation editor, feeling in control of both the timeline and the storytelling. I am honored and delighted to be considered an integral part of the creative team.
Once the show was finally released, I was able to show it to my children, and it was an incredibly humbling and exciting experience as a parent of young children.
What is the biggest challenge in your job (or on a specific project)?
When I was working on the show Animals at HBO, I was asked to edit some live-action footage, in addition to my day-to-day tasks of editing and reviewing animated reshoots and facilitating other parts of the final post-production process.
While I was excited to edit scripted live action, I had yet to do it professionally, but after the first few weeks it became clear that I didn’t have the mental bandwidth or time to handle this additional responsibility.
I expressed my concerns to the producers, who understood and hired another editor to work on the live-action footage.
While it felt like I was “giving up” part of what was being asked of me, I’m proud that I learned how to speak up for myself and accept the creative limitations of my time. In the long run, this is best for the show.
What’s the happiest thing about your job?
I can’t think of specific moments, but I love premieres and parties, lunches, after-get off work outings, etc. is also very important.
During working hours, it’s always extra exciting to attend recording sessions and mixes. Watching actors record lines and then working on those recordings and memorizing what was going on in the room is a great way to understand the process and learn more about making audio. I also enjoy mixing in the final stages because it’s fun to watch other types of editors in their environment.
Work-wise, what do you hope to be doing in five years?
Honestly, I love doing what I’m doing and I hope I’ll still be doing it in five years. Now, I feel like I’m at the cusp of my career where less experienced editors in my field look to me for advice or as a role model. In that regard, I hope to keep giving and strive for better pay, recognition, and exposure to animation editing and the animation field in general.
What are your outdoor activities, hobbies and passions?
I have loved music and sports my entire life. I started taking piano lessons at the age of five and picked up the trumpet and guitar along the way. I played in jazz and concert bands in high school and formed an instrumental rock band with two friends to perform locally in my hometown. We even recorded two albums in a real studio, which probably helped spark my later career interests. I still play and (slowly) collect guitars and gear, and occasionally write and record my own music. I also love going to concerts.
I loved playing basketball when I was a kid, and I always hoped that I could play better than I do now. I grew up in Boston in the late 1990s/early 2000s when the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics were all winning championships, so I’m a very loyal Boston sports fan, though I’m not giving up My “r” and say “evil” all the time.
I’ve been trying to pick something besides the popular choices; Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Back to the Future all come to mind.
I’m a huge comedy fan, so if I had to choose a non-series movie, I’d probably choose Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Clips from that movie often pop up in my mind, and it might be fun to drop a line or two at the right time (or better yet, the wrong time).
Favorite TV show? Why?
Comedy – The Office and Arrested Development were major influences on my original goal of becoming a comedy writer. Before graduating from college, when I was doing an internship program in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to intern at “The Office” for a semester. It was a great opportunity to see the show at its peak during production and I made some great connections.
TV series – “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men,” “The Wire.” I love the “advanced television” type of storytelling, where you spend years with the characters as the series develops.
Do you have any industry mentors?
As an Assistant Animation Editor, I learned quickly and efficiently from my first few editors: Kris Fitzgerald, Luke Guidici, and Robert Anich. Everyone had their own way of protecting me or pushing me to learn the necessary tools to work as an editor.
What advice would you give to someone interested in doing your job?
Learn as much as you can about the craft and how to “operate the machine.” Learn the basics and how each software program performs them.
Practice by taking your own home videos, downloading footage, drawing your own stick figures, recording your own voiceover narration or dialogue – whatever audio and video you need so you can get a feel for and feel comfortable in the editing environment.
I also like to preach how to make your workflow more efficient—hotkeys, keyboard shortcuts, macros, anything you can do to speed up frequently used or repetitive tasks. Once these things become muscle memory, you’ll never want to go back.
When you have the opportunity to work on a project as an assistant or apprentice, observe and absorb as much as you can from the editor, especially during the editing process. These are things you don’t learn in school; it’s about figuring out the creative instincts of the people you’re working with, and ultimately knowing when and where to offer your input.
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to rely on your guild for help or help?
During the base negotiations for 2021, when we authorized a strike and IATSE was about to pull the trigger, I had to contact my field representative, Olie, to help navigate the interesting political situation. At the time, the Guild and my employer had a single contract that said if IA went on strike, we would not strike. However, the company leadership did not know that an IATSE-wide strike would not affect us. Ollie kept saying we weren’t going on strike and I told my production staff I would still be working, but leadership was confused and eventually the president of the company emailed me directly. Due to his request, I graciously provided him with Ollie’s information and they discussed the situation on the phone.
Is there anything you would like to say to guild members?
I know times are tough right now and a lot of people are out of work. I feel for everyone and hope things get better soon. What I love about this community is the passion I see for crafts. Even in difficult times, talking one-on-one with another editor about these passions is inspiring. I hope we can continue to do this even if the work dries up. We are a group of talented, talented, amazing people who help create and tell stories that the world can see, enjoy, critique, and share with the people they love. We shouldn’t take this for granted.
