Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetle-Edited! (feat. Editor Jay Prychidny)

Get ready to scream with laughter (and maybe just a little bit of fright)! This spooky season, Finding the Frame kicks off with the strange, unusual, and utterly delightful. Join your hosts Chris Haigh and Steven Napolitano as they sit down with the incredibly talented Jay Prychidny, CCE, the editor behind Tim Burton’s wildly anticipated sequel, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.

This isn’t just about jump scares and striped suits. Jay takes us on a journey through his career, from his childhood fascination with film to his collaborations with visionary directors. He spills the secrets behind the editing magic of Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, revealing how he captured the film’s unique blend of manic energy, heartfelt emotion, and visual spectacle. Plus, he shares a surprising revelation that will have you shouting, “It’s Showtime!” (or maybe just “It’s Bob!”).

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FROM VHS SPLICER TO HOLLYWOOD EDITOR: JAY’S JOURNEY TO THE CUTTING ROOM

Jay’s path to becoming a film editor began, as it does for many of us, with a childhood love of movies. But Jay wasn’t just watching films; he was dissecting them. He was fascinated by how stories were constructed, and how shots were pieced together to create an emotional impact. This led him to experiment with splicing VHS tapes, creating his own mini-trailers and mashups. It was clear from a young age that Jay had a knack for visual storytelling.

“From a very young age, I was just fascinated by movies,” Jay shares. “I loved watching films, and probably about when I was about eight or nine, I was just hooking up VCRs together and splicing movies… making my own pseudo trailers.”

This early experimentation evolved into writing scripts and directing his friends in homemade films. While he initially thought he’d pursue directing, he discovered a deeper passion for the art of editing during his university years. It was in the editing room where he truly felt at home, shaping narratives and crafting performances.

BEYOND BEETLEJUICE: EXPLORING JAY’S DIVERSE FILMOGRAPHY

Jay’s talent for crafting compelling stories through editing isn’t limited to the world of the afterlife. He’s also lent his skills to a range of projects, including the critically acclaimed Netflix series Wednesday.

In the Wednesday series, Jay masterfully captured the show’s dark humor and gothic atmosphere, perfectly complementing Jenna Ortega’s iconic portrayal of the titular character. He discusses the challenges of editing a performance that relies heavily on subtle nuances and facial expressions, highlighting the importance of emotional awareness as an editor.

“So much of editing is connected with human emotion,” Jay explains. “To be a successful editor, you really need to be kind of emotionally aware and emotionally open, and just allow yourself to feel what the footage, what emotions the footage is generating.”

Of course, we can’t forget his work on Scream VI, where he navigated the complexities of a beloved horror franchise, balancing fan expectations with fresh, innovative ideas. Jay’s ability to seamlessly blend genres and tones is a testament to his versatility as an editor.

COLLABORATING WITH A VISIONARY: INSIDE THE EDITING ROOM WITH TIM BURTON 

Working with a director like Tim Burton is a dream for many filmmakers, and Jay offers a fascinating glimpse into this collaborative process. He describes Burton’s hands-on approach to editing, visiting the cutting room multiple times a day during filming and providing constant feedback.

“He’s very involved in editorial, like every day of the shoot,” Jay reveals. “If he had time, he would come to editing like two or three times a day if he was able to.”

Jay also discusses the challenges of working with Burton’s limited coverage. This contrasts with the abundance of footage he received from the directors of Scream VI. This required a different approach to editing, relying more on careful shot selection and subtle adjustments to create the desired effect.

“BOB” THE BREAKOUT STAR: A HAPPY ACCIDENT

One of the most delightful surprises of Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice is the emergence of Bob, the lovable (and slightly dimwitted) shrunken head employee. What makes this even more delightful? Jay himself provides the voice of Bob!

This unexpected role came about when the sound designers were struggling to find the right voice for the shrunken head characters. Frustrated, they turned to Jay, who had a clear understanding of Tim Burton’s vision.

“The sound designer just got fed up and he was like, ‘You understand Tim, you know what he’s talking about. You just do it,'” Jay recalls. “So I just went in the booth and I just recorded all of Bob’s bits.”

And the rest, as they say, is history. Bob has become a fan favorite, proving that sometimes the best creative decisions happen spontaneously.

MORE THAN JUMP SCARES: THE NUANCES OF EDITING “BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE”  

Jay delves into the specific techniques he used to create the film’s distinctive style. He discusses the use of abrupt transitions. These are often accompanied by jarring sound effects or music cues, to reflect Beetlejuice’s chaotic energy. He also highlights the importance of subtle physicality in the “land of the living” scenes. To do so, they capture the characters’ grief and trauma through nuanced movements and gestures.

“A lot of the characters do have this kind of morose energy,” Jay observes. “I became very fascinated by that, just like the moments where the actors have these kind of subtle, kind of quiet, introspective moments.”

Jay also reveals the challenges of managing the film’s multiple narrative threads. Thus, ensuring that each storyline flows seamlessly into the next. He discusses the use of visual transitions and thematic connections to create a cohesive narrative experience.

And of course, no discussion of Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice would be complete without mentioning the unforgettable “MacArthur Park” wedding sequence. Jay breaks down the creative process behind this musical mashup, revealing how he and Tim Burton deconstructed and reassembled the song to create a truly unique cinematic experience.

This episode of Finding the Frame is a must-listen for any filmmaker interested in the art of editing, the collaborative process of filmmaking, and the magic of bringing a beloved character back to life (or should we say, afterlife?). A special shoutout to Jay Prychidny, CCE for sitting down with us. Tune in now and get ready to be inspired!

Filmmakers Academy Post-Production Courses:

• Terms and Techniques of Editing

• Essential Skills Every Assistant Editor Should Know

• Music Licensing and Selection with Musicbed

Book a Private Coaching Session with Joaquin Elizondo!

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Advanced Cosmetic Fixes: DaVinci Resolve Tutorial

In the world of film and television, even the most flawless actors may require subtle enhancements to their appearance. Traditionally, the realm of cosmetic fixes has been the domain of visual effects artists, armed with sophisticated tools and techniques. However, with the advancements in color grading software and techniques, colorists now have the power to address a range of cosmetic imperfections directly within the color suite.

As Master Colorist David Cole points out, “A lot of the time this will be done in visual effects… but sometimes you just need to do a quick fix in the DI.”

This is an excerpt from lesson 2 of the Advanced Color Grading Techniques course. In the course, David Cole also covers mastering efficiency in the color suite, cosmetic fixes, object removal, advanced tracking, tracking dead pixels, flicker removal, sharpening out of focus footage, and seasonal color transformations. Additionally, lesson 2 (behind the premium paywall) covers how to take care of blemishes.

In this lesson, we will explore the art of cosmetic fixes in color grading. Prepare to learn how to address common issues like blemishes and under-eye circles with finesse and precision.

You’re going to learn: About blemish removal Under-eye circle reduction Maintaining texture Color balancing Dynamic color correction Shot-specific problem-solving

REDUCING UNDER-EYE CIRCLES: THE POWER OF LIGHT

Dark circles under the eyes can add years to a subject’s appearance and detract from their overall vitality. While heavy-handed blurring might be tempting, a more sophisticated approach involves emulating the effect of fill light to subtly lift the shadows.

Begin by drawing a kidney-shaped mask around the under-eye area, ensuring a soft blend with the surrounding skin. Track the shape to maintain its position throughout the shot.

Next, reduce the contrast within the masked area. This will lift the shadows and bring down the highlights, effectively filling in the dark circles. 

However, reducing contrast can also lead to a desaturated and gray appearance. Counteract this by carefully color balancing the area to match the surrounding skin tone. 

Finally, add a touch of grain or noise to the corrected area to maintain textural consistency. 

Reducing contrast often diminishes the appearance of natural skin texture, so reintroducing grain helps to sell the effect and avoid an artificial look.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A SHOT-SPECIFIC APPROACH:

It’s important to remember that every cosmetic fix is unique. The specific techniques and tools you employ will depend on the nature of the imperfection, the lighting conditions, and the overall aesthetic of the shot. Always prioritize a natural and seamless result, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different approaches to achieve the desired outcome.

CONCLUSION: ADVANCED COSMETIC FIXES

Cosmetic fixes in color grading offer a powerful way to enhance the visual appeal of your work without relying solely on time-consuming and costly visual effects. 

By mastering techniques for blemish removal, under-eye circle reduction, and other subtle corrections, you can add another layer of polish and refinement to your color grading artistry. 

Remember, the goal is not to create a plastic, artificial look, but rather to subtly enhance the natural beauty of your subjects and create a captivating viewing experience.

Advanced Color Grading Techniques

Transform your footage with expert color grading and pro techniques!

• 6 Lessons
• 1+ hours of instructional videos

Dive deep into the world of advanced color grading with renowned Master Colorist David Cole. This immersive course will equip you with the tools and knowledge to streamline your workflow, achieve stunning visual effects, and enhance your storytelling abilities.

From lightning-fast shortcuts to surgical precision in removing imperfections, this course covers it all. Discover the secrets of advanced tracking, object removal, and automated solutions that will save you time and elevate your results.

Want to add that extra touch of magic? Learn to manipulate hues, tones, and textures to create visuals that transport viewers to other worlds. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this course will take your color grading skills to the next level.

Advanced Color Grading: Mastering Efficiency in the Color Suite

The art of color grading requires a delicate balance of technical skill and artistic vision. While the creative aspects often take center stage, the ability to work efficiently within the color suite is paramount. 

As master colorist David Cole wisely notes, “Time, especially in the Color Suite, is money.” 

In this lesson, we will embark on a journey to optimize your color grading workflow, learning strategies and techniques to maximize your productivity and unlock your full creative potential. 

You’re going to learn: How to optimize your workspace  How to streamline Node Structure Enhancing communication and collaboration techniques Maximizing efficiency in the color bay

THE FOUNDATION OF EFFICIENCY: A PERSONALIZED WORKSPACE

Whether you’re working in a state-of-the-art grading theater or a modest home setup, the first step towards efficiency is establishing a comfortable and personalized workspace. Color grading software offers a plethora of customization options. 

Take advantage of these features to tailor the interface to your preferences. Create keyboard shortcuts for frequently used commands, design custom layouts, and save user presets for color correction tools and settings. 

Overall, this consistency across different setups empowers you to transition seamlessly between projects and environments, saving valuable time and mental energy.

BEYOND THE MOUSE AND KEYBOARD: CONTROL SURFACES

While a mouse and keyboard are essential tools, consider elevating your workflow with a dedicated control surface. 

These hardware devices, equipped with physical controls such as balls, knobs, and wheels, provide a tactile and intuitive way to manipulate color and image parameters. 

By minimizing reliance on the graphical user interface (GUI), control surfaces enable faster adjustments and foster a more immersive and creative experience.

NAVIGATING THE INTERFACE WITH FINESSE:

Efficiency in color grading extends beyond hardware. It’s also about mastering the software interface. Keyboard shortcuts are your allies in this endeavor. Invest time in learning and memorizing the shortcuts specific to your color grading software. These shortcuts provide lightning-fast access to commands and functions, reducing reliance on mouse clicks and menu navigation.

PRO TIP: Invest time in learning the tools and shortcuts.

For those seeking even greater control and speed, consider investing in an advanced color grading panel. 

Above all, these panels boast a vast array of physical buttons, dials, and trackballs, providing dedicated controls for a wide range of color correction tools and parameters. While they represent a financial investment, the time saved and the creative freedom gained can be invaluable.

The ability to check between the continuity of grades, along with other functions, needs to be readily available for instant control. “Time in the color suite equals money,” says Dave, “so you want as much of that money as possible to be seen on the screen, not spent dialing around and struggling with an interface.” 

THE POWER OF NODE STRUCTURES:

In the realm of node-based color grading software like DaVinci Resolve, the way you organize your nodes can significantly impact your efficiency. Instead of haphazardly adding nodes as you work, consider adopting a predefined node tree structure. 

PRO TIP: A predefined node tree can speed up your workflow.

This structured approach offers numerous benefits:

EFFICIENCY WITH COLOR RIPPLE

When you make global color adjustments at the beginning of your node tree, these changes ripple through subsequent nodes, saving you the effort of manually adjusting each node individually.

Dave prebuilds nodes in case he needs them later, which helps keep the node tree as structured and consistent as possible. That’s because as soon as things start becoming inconsistent from shot to shot, you may rely on your rippling color; but if the nodes are labeled incorrectly then you can start getting into trouble. 

PRO TIP: Dave recommends first building the node tree while anticipating what you think you will use on the project

STREAMLINED COPY-PASTING

With a consistent node structure, you can easily copy and paste grades or effects between shots or scenes, accelerating your workflow.

ENHANCED COLLABORATION

A well-organized node tree promotes clear communication with other colorists and assistants. It allows them to quickly understand your grading approach and make informed adjustments if needed.

PRO TIP: Use markers to leave notes for collaborators.

BEYOND THE BASICS: COMPOUND NODES

To further enhance organization and flexibility, explore the use of compound nodes. These nodes encapsulate a series of color correction operations within a single node, decluttering your main node tree and making it easier to manage complex grades. 

Additionally, you can apply global corrections on top of the compound node, affecting all the encapsulated operations simultaneously. 

PRO TIP: Create a compound node for organization.

If Dave were to create an effect where he is detuning the lens, like a lens aberration blur, he would usually place the node near the end. He wouldn’t put it at the very end because he prefers to have his grain node come after it.

Why is that? Think about the real world: the lens is detuned, but the grain is always going to be in focus because it is happening behind the lens. In DaVinci Resolve, this is what would be considered a compound node. Dave prefers to work his detunes in a compound node to obscure them from the day-to-day node tree and stay better organized.

Additionally, Dave could select a series of shots, right-click, and choose Create Compound Nodes to create a compound node, which he can subsequently label as “Detune.”

Then, the effect can be established in the compound node by opening it up (right-click and select ‘Show Compound Node’) and creating the effect inside.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY:

Efficiency isn’t just about individual speed, it’s also about effective communication and collaboration. Most importantly, leverage the built-in tools within your color grading software to facilitate seamless interaction with your team. 

Use markers and flags to highlight specific shots or areas within the timeline, enabling clear visual communication with editors and other collaborators. 

For example, notice the red marker in the Timeline View where collaborators can easily navigate to it in the image below.

As a result, with the marker overlay on (by toggling on ‘Show Marker Overlays’), they can see what the note is right away.

PRO TIP: Add colored flags for quick access to various shots.

With the flag system, you can add flags and establish a routine with the editor; for example, all new visual effects are flagged pink.

Then, you can navigate to the top menu, click the Clips dropdown menu, and select Flagged Clips to filter all of the pink flags.

Establish consistent naming conventions and standardized workflows to ensure smooth handoffs and minimize confusion. 

CONCLUSION:

Mastering efficiency in the color suite is an ongoing journey, but the rewards are substantial. By optimizing your workspace, mastering navigation techniques, leveraging node structures, and fostering clear communication, you can create a streamlined workflow that empowers you to focus on what truly matters: the art of color grading. 

In conclusion, as you continue to hone your skills and refine your approach, remember that efficiency isn’t just about saving time. In short, it’s about unlocking your creative potential and delivering exceptional results.

​​Advanced Color Grading Techniques

Transform Your Footage, Elevate Your Storytelling!

• 6 Lessons
• 1+ hours of instructional videos 

Whether you’re seeking lightning-fast shortcuts or aiming for surgical precision in removing imperfections, this course has you covered. Uncover the secrets of advanced tracking, object removal, and automated solutions that will not only save you valuable time but also elevate the quality of your work.

Furthermore, learn to manipulate hues, tones, and textures to craft visuals that transport viewers to other worlds. Regardless of your experience level, this course is designed to take your color grading skills to new heights.

Course Features:

• Detailed Written Breakdowns
• English Subtitles

Efficiency & Workflow

• 01-Mastering Efficiency in the Color Suite 

Image Restoration & Correction

• 02-Cosmetic Fixes in Color Grading
• 03-Object Removal & Advanced Tracking
• 04-Tackling Dead Pixels & Flicker Removal

Creative Manipulation & Effects

• 05-Sharpening Out-of-Focus Footage
• 06-Seasonal Color Transformations 

Optimize Yourself and Your Filmmaking Career (feat. Zack Arnold, ACE)

Award-winning Editor Zack Arnold, ACE (Cobra Kai) stopped by Filmmakers Academy to join Lydia and Shane Hurlbut, ASC on the Inner Circle Podcast. A champion of wellness for his fellow post-production peeps, Zack shares healthy changes that filmmakers can start today that will make an astronomical difference tomorrow. And it all starts with your mindset. 

Zack recently semi-retired from his role as a Hollywood film and television editor, with a long list of credits that range from Empire to Glee and Burn Notice. Now in the next phase of his life, Zack transitioned to a career strategist and podcaster who specializes in helping artists and creatives establish balance and sustainability in their careers. 

Anyone who works full-time in the film industry knows that creating balance and sustainability is no easy task. That’s why Zack Arnold created Optimize Yourself, developing resources to design the more balanced, more sustainable career that filmmakers deserve. 

Zack Arnold even wrote some powerful e-books every filmmaker should keep on their virtual shelf. 

• OPTIMIZE YOUR CAREER
• OPTIMIZE YOUR NETWORKING
• OPTIMIZE YOUR TIME 

IMBALANCED HOLLYWOOD SUCCESS

Now, we use “retired” loosely as Zack is not entirely out of the game. He loves Cobra Kai and plans on returning to edit its final season to see it through to the end. 

So, you may be wondering, why would an editor at the top of his game want to retire from the film industry? 

Well, Zack considered the peak of his success in Hollywood simultaneously as hitting rock bottom. While this seems counterintuitive to most, there’s good reason for such sentiment. 

His moment of clarity happened while editing the first season of Empire. There he was, editing the biggest show at the time. For those who don’t remember, Empire was a cultural juggernaut and broke many records in ratings. In fact, it was one of the last shows to be considered appointment television. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about the show. And there Zack stood in the epicenter as one of the editors of Season 1. 

Start building your dream network today!

“Looking at the trajectory of my career, it’s like I’ve made it,” recalls Zack. “I’m sitting in this room, no windows, all by myself looking at a timeline. And a week from now 25 million people are going to see the editorial choices that I’ve made. This is what it’s all about. I’m also sitting in the same room putting my children to bed via FaceTime for the 100th time in a row realizing this is not the life that I thought it would be.”

THE NEED TO OPTIMIZE YOURSELF 

At one distinct moment, after putting his kids to bed via FaceTime, they thought the phone had hung up when it hadn’t. What he heard severely troubled him. Zack’s son asked his wife, “Why doesn’t Daddy want to put us to bed at night? Why doesn’t he love us?” 

“That’s when I said, ‘This is not the life that I signed up for. Like getting 25 million people to watch a show that I have my name on and it’s on all the trades and all the magazines, this is not the life that I designed and the life that I want.” 

This is when Zack realized that the definition of success in the industry is different from our own, even if we don’t realize it. Many filmmakers just don’t take the time to define it for themselves. 

It wasn’t long after when negotiations came around for Season 2 and Zack realized he had no negotiating power. He needed the paycheck to make a living and support his family. This was a huge wake-up call for him. 

He realized that there were certain things about his editing career that he loved, but he needed to start diversifying his skills and finding more fulfilling ways to generate income. 

“That was just the deep dark dive into learning about personal and professional development and the power of mindsets and how to strategize your career and how to build a network. Because I never wanted to be in the position again of ‘I have to take a job where I have to choose the work and the paycheck over my kids.’”

FUTURE-PROOF YOUR FILM CAREER

With the strike, we can see just how fickle the film industry can be. One day you’re putting in more hours than you could possibly manage and the next you could be out of work for weeks or months on end. Toss in the prospect of A.I. taking jobs and ask yourself, how sustainable is this all? 

Zack saw the writing on the wall eight years ago, which is when he devised his Optimize Yourself program. The way filmmakers will survive is through diversifying themselves in their careers. This is another reason why we at Filmmakers Academy preach the need to learn and master skills in every department. 

“It’s not just a matter of how long before I can go back to work,” explains Zack. “It’s will my career be waiting for me when I get there? And everybody else, I think, is collectively having this identity crisis of who am I if the only thing I do is this one job, and I can’t make a living doing it anymore? So I think that what we’ve done and building these different avenues of income and ways to provide value to others. I think that’s the wave of the future for everybody in the industry.” 

Start with a change of mindset

We allow ourselves to be defined but what we do in the industry. In Zack’s case, he saw himself purely as an editor until he pulled back and saw himself in a new light. Nevertheless, the long hours and stress led him to feel exploited. 

“The business was literally killing me.” 

To counteract the nature of the business, he was drawn to learning more about mindset, productivity, health, and wellness. What he discovered is that the strategy and tactics themselves to optimize yourself don’t actually matter. 

“If you don’t believe first that you’re capable of doing these things,” he reasons, “I can teach you everything available in the world and you’re going to do nothing with it. So belief is the foundation of all of it.” 

This was the toughest bridge for Zack to initially cross. He was an editor, after all! Today, he works with his students to overcome the struggle of transitioning or pivoting in their careers. The mindset they operate from is ‘I have to start completely over.’ According to Zack, that’s not even remotely true. 

Follow Zack Arnold to future-proof your career!

“If the narrative is this is all that we’re capable of, well, we need to start over to learn something else. And it took me a long time to figure this out.” —Zack Arnold, ACE

TRANSITIONING IN YOUR CAREER STARTS WITH YOUR MINDSET

When starting something new, especially in a creative field, it’s common to feel a sense of imposter syndrome. In Zack’s case, he thought, “Who am I to think that somebody’s going to pay me money to coach them to be healthier when I worked in Hollywood editing my whole career?” 

But he re-established his internal narrative and began to see himself as so much more. “I’m transitioning to be a wellness coach and a career coach,” says Zack. “It’s the essence of what I’m really good at.” Now, he uses his editorial mind in taking on disparate, disconnected information, story points, and narratives, then connecting them all together to communicate a larger idea.  

“Once I figured that out, it was just, I don’t have dailies that are coming into my Avid anymore,” Zack illustrates through the scope of an editorial analogy. “You are creating the dailies and it’s my job to help you edit them down and construct the narrative that you want for the next chapter of your story.” 

People don’t always realize that being an editor is much more than learning Avid or asymmetrical trimming. You juggle many personalities from the director to the producers and need to empathize with everyone to tell a common story. You need to be an expert communicator and meditate on the needs of others. 

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“Once I connected the dots and realized I’m really good at taking all of these story points, and simplifying and communicating them, and simplifying and communicating them in a really succinct narrative, that’s when I realized I can be a great coach. But it took a long time to connect those dots.”

TIME MANAGEMENT AND MINDSET

As a TV editor, one of the most popular questions Zack receives is, ‘What’s the most important skill?’ It’s all about time management. If you want to deliver great cuts and, as Zack puts it, “be part of the sausage factory,” you must be amazing at managing your time. 

Ultimately, when Zack established a better way for himself, there was more time for his family and personal well-being. 

“That’s when the transition was made over to coaching because my intuition kept saying, just this voice inside, you’re meant to be doing something different and better than what you’re doing now. But using the skills that you have.” 

Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset

This intuition that Zack experienced is connected to mindset. The way Zack puts it is there’s a difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. While a fixed mindset limits one to believe ‘I am who I am’ and they cannot change, a growth mindset allows one to believe they can learn and change any shortcomings. 

What Zack eventually realized was to set audacious goals for himself. He describes how he was really out of shape back in 2015. So, what did he do? He decided to train to become an American Ninja Warrior. It was about being bold with his ambitions. 

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“What I learned through this process is that we spend our entire lives telling ourselves, we can’t do things, and I realized that I am completely and totally full of shit. Because I would say I can’t do that. But then I would force myself outside my comfort zone, to try the hardest version of what I could do, and slowly build upon that. And I realized I’ve been lying to myself my entire life. Then again, it all came from having the wrong mindset, having the wrong programming, and all these limiting beliefs. And it was by putting myself in a position where I was forced to do something really, really difficult outside of my comfort zone, that’s where all of my growth occurred.”

TUNE INTO PREMIUM FILMMAKERS ACADEMY PODCASTS

Watch The Full Interview 

Did you like this episode of The Inner Circle podcast? The full video podcast is available exclusively to members, including Basic and All Access.

You’ll also love our other episodes about all things filmmaking on Spotify and iTunes — and pretty much anywhere else you listen to podcasts!

To get premium courses and lessons, become an All Access member today!

As an All Access member, you get full access to every course and lesson instructed by industry professionals, like Shane Hurlbut, ASC, David Cole, Jamee Ranta, and more. On top of that, you gain entrance into our exclusive community and can use the FA app to enhance your skills while on the job! 

Essential Skills Every Assistant Editor Should Know

No editor could possibly meet the high expectations of a TV show or film without a reliable assistant editor (AE). Nevertheless, your success depends on hiring the right kind of assistant editor for you and your project. 

Luckily for us, Joaquin Elizondo shares his hiring process and reveals how it works for newbies. This lesson provides some much-needed insight for editors searching for the best candidate and assistant editors who hope to land the job. 

You’re going to learn: What to look for in hiring an assistant editor How assistant editors can stand out from their peers About project setups and Joaquin’s method of organizing bins

WHAT DO EDITORS LOOK FOR IN ASSISTANT EDITORS?

1. LIST YOUR SKILLSET & INTERESTS:

The first thing you should consider when looking for an assistant editor is their skillset. 

• Are they experienced with Avid?
• Do they have experience in scripted TV or film? 
• Do they share similar interests? 

At first glance, that last question may seem a bit unnecessary, but you will be spending many hours with this person. So, you want to hire someone you will get along with while collaborating. 

Before the interview, Joaquin tries to learn more about the potential candidates by having them list anything from the kind of movies and music they’re into to their favorite hobbies. That way, he gains an understanding of the candidate by the time he gets to the interview. 

2. DESCRIBE YOUR CAREER GOALS:

When possible, Joaquin will bring on less experienced assistant editors. Although, the experience of the AEs you hire ultimately depends on the demands of the project. 

For example, if Joaquin is hiring for a project that will require a lot of VFX, he will need to go with AEs who have more experience. 

But if Joaquin is really vibing with a candidate with less experience, he will give them an opportunity to help them in their career if he notices their passion and hunger for learning. Assistant editors can show this passion by sharing goals and outlining where they want to be in five years. 

3. COMMUNICATION:

To keep getting hired as an assistant editor, learn how to effectively collaborate and provide compelling feedback. So, if Joaquin asks, “What do you think of this scene?” he expects honest feedback. 

If you’re shy or a bit of an introvert, Joaquin recommends breaking out of your comfort zone. Communication is part of the job, after all, and it undergirds the success of an editor. 

Say an editor brings you in and asks what you think about a particular scene. They rely on you to serve as a second set of eyes and to give objective feedback. Joaquin notes how there have been plenty of times when his assistant editor noticed something he overlooked because he was too close to the material. What you might do instead is pitch an idea or ask if he tried a technique he hadn’t considered. 

4. ORGANIZATION:

One of the most important functions of an assistant editor is organizing footage to set the project up for success. In fact, one of Joaquin’s most important questions during the interview process is, “How organized are you and can you keep the project tidy?” 

5. TIME MANAGEMENT:

Time management is also very important to keeping up with dailies and not getting stuck on one task. By effectively managing your time, you will ensure that you get through your day and stay on schedule. 

According to Joaquin, it’s all about keeping up with the camera and managing your time well. And sometimes you just have to move on from a particular task to stay on schedule. 

A CASE STUDY: While editing Narcos: Mexico, the editors had to create working subtitles as they worked on their edit. Of course, a company would eventually handle the final subtitles but for the sake of the director, producers, and other creatives, they were necessary while cutting the show together.  While Joaquin may be fluent in Spanish, his AE would be the one to incorporate working subtitles into the edit. The only problem was that his AE, Chris Cavanaugh, didn’t speak Spanish. But Chris was so eager and hungry to learn that he discovered a workaround with special headphones that translate the words in real time.  Chris helped a lot with the subtitles allowing them to keep up with the camera and not fall behind.

About Hollywood Editing Mentor Joaquin Elizondo

Joaquin Elizondo has over 20 years of experience as an editor and currently works in the world of scripted television shows in Hollywood. His most recent editing credits include Narcos: Mexico (Netflix), The Hot Zone: Anthrax (NatGeo), Dark Winds (AMC) and is currently working on Griselda, a new Netflix limited series starring Sofia Vergara. Before arriving in Los Angeles, Joaquin worked in unscripted television for several years in New York City where he edited content for HBO Sports, NBC, Telemundo, and was the lead editor on Bravo’s late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.

Joaquin majored in Film & Video Studies at the University of Michigan and grew up in the San Diego-Tijuana border region, where he began his career cutting a wide range of projects that included news, promos, commercials, and documentaries. As someone who has sought out and benefited from mentoring, Joaquin is now taking on the role of mentor by helping aspiring editors and assistants in navigating the path to achieving their career goals. He created the Hollywood Editing Mentor Program and Podcast to provide guidance and support for those trying to break into or advance their careers in post-production.

Doing It All In DaVinci – PART 6: Overview of Audio in Fairlight

Doing It All in DaVinci is a series of editing tutorials instructed by editor Dale Campbell that demonstrates exactly what the title suggests.

Dale and his team have given away one of the best editing courses online in their Doing It All In Davinci pack. Dale focuses on editing, color grading, and a little bit on sound design using a video that his team filmed for the launch of Aston Martin’s latest car.

Doing It All in DaVinci Tutorials

• Part 1: Introduction to Editing
• Part 2: Adjusting Color Temperature
• Part 3: Patch Replacer and Tracking FX
• Part 4: Power Windows & Tracking
• Part 5: Lighting Effects
• Part 6: Overview of Audio in Fairlight

Part 6: Overview of Audio in Fairlight

In this final part, we will be looking at how we deal with audio in the Blackmagic Davinci Resolve Fairlight panel.

For this project, Dale and his team finished all of the audio in Fairlight. Now, for the most part, that’s just balancing and you can do that in the timeline. Even though I made rough adjustments, being able to jump into the Fairlight panel is pretty cool. Especially because it gives access to all of the mixing and effects that are in there in a digital audio workstation.

It’s a much more suitable way of working when you’re working with audio and then you’ve got access to the faders to help balance off levels. We had the voiceover which has to balance with the background music. Then, I added insight and sound effects.

We’re trying to get across the idea of the power of these two machines, Concord and the Aston Martin. So the noise that they make is critically important.

And that’s what I was doing within this panel, just adding in those little engine roars and the sound of Concorde coming into land.

A lot of the time this marries with what’s happened visually on screen. So, for example, the car will be traveling from left to right across screen. I will add a subtle pan from left to right on the sound of the car passing. That way, it helps to knit it in with what people are seeing.

In Conclusion

Coming from an audio background, I really do like to get a little bit more involved and can add in a bit of multi-band compression. I find it really knits it all together and tightens up all of the different frequency bands that you’re working with. Essentially it’s like an equalizer combined with a compressor and it focuses on certain frequency bands. That way, you can control a little bit more what’s happening at the low-end compression versus the higher compression.

The biggest takeaway is that now we’re able to cover the entire project within DaVinci Resolve from the editing to the color correction to the audio mixing.

Doing It All In DaVinci – PART 5: Lighting Effects

Doing It All in DaVinci is a series of editing tutorials instructed by editor Dale Campbell that demonstrates exactly what the title suggests.

Dale and his team have given away one of the best editing courses online in their Doing It All In Davinci pack. Dale focuses on editing, color grading, and a little bit on sound design using a video that his team filmed for the launch of Aston Martin’s latest car.

Doing It All in DaVinci Tutorials

• Part 1: Introduction to Editing
• Part 2: Adjusting Color Temperature
• Part 3: Patch Replacer and Tracking FX
• Part 4: Power Windows & Tracking
• Part 5: Lighting Effects
• Part 6: Overview of Audio in Fairlight

Part 5: Lighting Effects

By this part, we’ve finished color correction and made additional adjustments. Now is the time to make some lighting effects just to add a little bit of magic.

In the last moving vehicle shot, I really wanted a slightly more striking look than what we ended up with. The clients were okay with a little manipulation. They had enough variation and detail. But on the day we didn’t get those awesome streaks of light cutting through. So for a final touch, I had a lot of fun and added a node with the light rays effect.

WARNING: This can very easily go overboard.

I’m going to take you through a little bit of what it looks like now, but if you’re tasteful with it, it’s a great effect.

If you have enough light in there and enough variation in the sky, it can actually give a really satisfying effect that just finishes everything off.

You see, if I’m bringing this in, it’s very subtle. You probably wouldn’t have even noticed it if I hadn’t disabled it and enabled it. You can see those rays of light just cutting through the clouds. Those are being motivated by the slightly brighter areas is if the sun is kind of behind a bit.

I’m going to take you through a little bit of what’s going on with it:

1. If we up the brightness, you’ll be able to see those streaks a bit more.
2. You can change the position so you can get a more convincing direction for what you’re doing, going up and going down.
3. You can make it so that it’s going sideways. Just position it where you want it.
4. You can have a ton of different things you can manipulate with this. So the link, the streaks, you can pull them right in, you can pull them right out so they go across the whole thing.
5. You can soften them too. But for me, I wanted more defined streaks (less softening).
6. As we’ve seen, we can adjust the brightness.
7. You could also adjust the color. You have got the pinky blueness at the top and then you got the white car in the middle, separated by a row of slightly orange autumnal trees. So you are layering everything up in a nice sandwich. Green is important because it’s so one of those subconscious colors that people will recognize.

Because we’re filming at different times of day, it’s something that we had to be particularly careful about when we come to the grade, because the cloud is coming in, and we’re getting more or less direct sunlight. Sometimes things are backlit, and sometimes things are frontlit. So balancing that out so it’s not all over the place is pretty important.

Make it POP!

Finally, the car in the shot has got to pop. And up until the point that I added some of these final effects, it didn’t really do that.

I had to take it to a much greener green in the above correction. It’s not necessarily realistic, but it certainly feels more like grass because we’ve doubled up the white balance. I’ve taken it up to eleven thousand three hundred forty-seven, which is absolutely crazy, but it gave me what I wanted in the sky, which was what I was worried about at that point. So, I’ve just manipulated the grass to sit where it’s feeling a little bit more vibrant now.

When we do the color grade, you’re drawing the eyes of the customer. If something really stands out as not looking quite right then they might not look at the area that you want them to look at. You can see with the sky just there, it’s pretty simple, I’ve just used a gradient. I have pulled it down so we get a little bit more detail in the sky.

If you start with a completely blank canvas on this and reset everything on that grade – take all of the raw levels down and reset the white balance to 5600, tint, exposure, etc.

That’s what the shot is like before we interpret it, before we interpret the raw, before we interpret how we’re gonna do the creative grade, adding any LUTs, adding any corrections, etc.

Coming Up…

In the final part, we take a very brief look at how we used Fairlight to finish the audio for this project.

DOING IT ALL IN DAVINCI – PART 4: POWER WINDOWS & TRACKING

Doing It All in DaVinci is a series of editing tutorials instructed by editor Dale Campbell that demonstrates exactly what the title suggests.

Dale and his team have given away one of the best editing courses online in their Doing It All In Davinci pack. Dale focuses on editing, color grading, and a little bit on sound design using a video that his team filmed for the launch of Aston Martin’s latest car.

Doing It All in DaVinci Tutorials

• Part 1: Introduction to Editing
• Part 2: Adjusting Color Temperature
• Part 3: Patch Replacer and Tracking FX
• Part 4: Power Windows & Tracking
• Part 5: Lighting Effects
• Part 6: Overview of Audio in Fairlight

PART 4: POWER WINDOWS & TRACKING

In this part, we use power windows to draw around an object in frame. Then, we change the color of it and track that grade onto it as it moves through the frame.

The story of this project put our young girl in a modern home playing with a model Aston Martin.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to get hold of the correct model before the shoot date. So, we ended up with a silver model and the final car is a shade of white. That’s obviously going to be something we need to adjust here to get around it.

I drew a power window and then tracked that power window onto the model of the car as the girl moved it through the frame.

HERE’S THE PROCESS:

This part of the process is completed with the mouse.

1. Zoom in a little bit to move around the object you’re tracking. Move in a little bit closer and click around it.
2. Go over to the tracker window and pull the tracker up.
3. Set track forwards and it will do its thing.

That is one of the great things about DaVinci Resolve. I was sitting there with the client, and they mentioned the silver car and I said, don’t worry, we can fix that.

When we come to do the correction and they said, “Are you sure it’s going to look okay?” So I just fired up the tracker, put the window around, and hit track. It made me look like a miracle worker in front of the client. They were just blown away that it could be done that quickly and easily.

So, I got that tracker on. And all I would have to do then is go in and finesse some things. We can change the color and it fits seamlessly into the final sequence.

COMING UP…

In the next part, we’re looking at the button effects, specifically the lighting effects.

Doing It All In DaVinci – PART 3: Patch Replacer and Tracking FX

ADD PATCH REPLACER

1. Go over to the effects library.
2. On the right-hand side go down to the resolve revival set of effects.
3.  Within that looking down, you’re going to see “Patch Replacer.”
4. Drag that onto the project.

So, that works like the clone stamp tool would in Photoshop or After Effects. All we are going to do is pull the tab down. That’s because we need everything to be roughly where that speck of dirt is.

If this was a static shot, it would be really easy now just to leave that as long as nothing crosses in front of it. It would be fine. BUT we’re not dealing with a static shot. The car’s moving, the camera’s moving, so we’re gonna need to track it.

Here’s the process:

1. We go to our track panel
2. Within the track panel click the section that says window.
3. Scroll down to effects.
4. Once you’re there, you can add tracking markers in.

It’ll track those details moving forward.

Now, there are a couple of controls that you’ve got on the right-hand side that if, for example, you wanted to do a pure just clone, you could do it.

We’re doing the adaptive blend at the moment, but you might want to use the clone tool.

COMING UP…

In the next part, we’re going to take some of what we learned with tracking and use it to change the color of a little model car.

Doing It All In DaVinci – PART 2: Adjusting Color Temperature

Doing It All in DaVinci is a series of Assembling and cutting final shots to the required length in order to achieve the desired results.

Dale Campbell and his team at Still Moving Media are back with the second part of their Doing It All In Davinci series and today they’re looking at Blackmagic Raw and Color Temperature. If any of you out there have been debating using Blackmagic’s Davinci Resolve, Dale’s wizardry will hopefully steer you toward it! Take it away, Dale!

Doing It All in DaVinci Tutorials

• Part 1: Introduction to Editing
• Part 2: Adjusting Color Temperature
• Part 3: Patch Replacer and Tracking FX
• Part 4: Power Windows & Tracking
• Part 5: Lighting Effects
• Part 6: Overview of Audio in Fairlight

Part 2: Adjusting Color Temperature

In this part, we’re going to look at how having shot Blackmagic Raw we can interpret that footage and adjust the white balance and the color balance of everything in post to get the image that we want.

To bring back the detail in the sky, I pull the exposure down in the raw panel. I was able to either adjust the ISO or the exposure so it doesn’t feel too gray. Also, it is to add a little bit of texture and color. These adjustments meant that the car was a little bit darker than we wanted. So all we did is put some power windows on, tracked those onto the car and then we could adjust the car independently.

In this next bit…

Unlike with the model car, we’ve actually got a moving vehicle. The camera’s moving. The shot is a lot more dynamic. It doesn’t always translate to a single power window. So in that situation, put a couple of power windows on four different areas and bring those in. And that, if you need this workflow, also allows us to provide certain details like the Union Jack detailing on the back of the car.

Something I noticed was that the color temperature for the sky above was vastly different from that nearer the car so I can adjust from shot to shot with the qualify tool. Select the qualifier, select your area, and then if you need to just hone in on the area you can bring in a power window as well.

And just look at the color pop on the red just there. It’s quite subtle, but it’s enough just to make it sing a little bit so that when you’re looking at the shot, you got the sky and you’ve got a car sitting at the right exposure level. The sky is warm in the background. The red is now popping and we’ve corrected the white on the car. So, it’s all sitting a little bit more where we want it to.

Coming Up…

In the next part, I’m gonna take you through how I use the patch replacer to touch everything up, remove specks of dirt, etc. That way, we get a really clean finish for the client. That’s because on that white body, you’re gonna see absolutely everything!

Doing It All In DaVinci – PART 1: Introduction to Editing

It’s a great pleasure to be able to feature Dale Campbell with his editing tutorials on Davinci Resolve. Dale was a huge hit at our October 2016 Workshop. His company Still Moving Media is doing some incredibly cool stuff (take a look at their Facebook page too).

Dale and his team have given away one of the best editing courses online in their Doing It All In Davinci pack. Dale focuses on editing, color grading, and a little bit on sound design using a video that his team filmed for the launch of Aston Martin’s latest car.

Doing It All in DaVinci Tutorials

• Part 1: Introduction to Editing
• Part 2: Adjusting Color Temperature
• Part 3: Patch Replacer and Tracking FX
• Part 4: Power Windows & Tracking
• Part 5: Lighting Effects
• Part 6: Overview of Audio in Fairlight

Part 1: Introduction to Editing

Here are some of the key points made in Dale’s first video, Doing It All In Davinci – Introduction To Editing.

For this ad, the team shot in several locations and each had a very different requirement.

1. The Aston Martin factory                                                                                 
2. Working with Aston Martin’s designers where they had more controlled lighting with L.E.D. lights.
3. At an aerodrome capturing the actual car with a black arm stabilizer, vehicle rig, and chase car.
4. In the studio, they recreated a 70s set for the sequence with the child holding a Concorde model.
5. They also filmed in a modern house with a young girl playing with an Aston Martin car model.
6. At an Aerospace Museum to get a shot of the Concorde and the young actress together.
7. And finally, a few shots with an iPad just to show some of the renders of the inside of the car because that wasn’t possible to film.

In each scenario the team used Blackmagic cameras; the URSA PRO, the G2, and the Pocket 6k, shooting Blackmagic raw. 

Getting Started with DaVinci Resolve

Dale’s workshop on DaVinci Resolve begins with a rundown of his equipment and how the jog wheel (below) enables him to quickly trim footage, allowing him to keep his eyes on the page not have to worry about clicking with a mouse, grabbing an edit point and dragging it.

He then goes on to show us the Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel and how he can use it for more accurate adjustments in four easy steps:

Firstly

I’m going to go in and navigate to the raw settings and that’s going to be an initial pass. That’s really just adjusting everything to make sure that where, for example, we didn’t have time to perfectly white balance the front side. I can come in and just set the white balance to what I want it to be within here. I could be looking at scopes or making an accurate judgment on that. We’ve also got access to the ISO settings exposure, tint, and a whole cavalcade of other adjustments – like the highlight roll-off and the shadow roll-off.

We can just tweak everything to where it’s meant to be and make sure that all the clips are unified (all of the clips that we have access to that have Blackmagic raw that is) we can adjust those right here.

Secondly

I would go in and add a LUT or a plugin such as film convert, perhaps just to get a base to work with.

Thirdly

We’re going to start doing a corrective process. So that could be something as simple as removing an object, a speck of dirt or manipulating something with power windows. We’re also doing exposure adjustments or color adjustments on a more specific level. 

Finally

Everything as a whole needs to be checked to see that it’s going to flow from start to finish and that the shots are making sense. 

There are a couple of shots within this project that I would like to just have a look through that involve a couple of the more powerful tools that you’ve got available in the color correction pane within DaVinci.

Best Custom Keyboard Shortcuts for Premiere Pro

Ever wonder what keyboard shortcuts are the best for saving time while helping streamline your creative workflow? Editing mentor Joaquin Elizondo shares his favorite keyboard shortcuts for Premiere Pro to make his life easier in the edit bay.

Discover the Terms & Techniques of Editing

A solid foundation for video editors!

• 8 Lessons
• 1 hour and 45 minutes of instructional videos

In Terms and Techniques of Editing, editor Joaquin Elizondo (Narcos: Mexico, Dark Winds) sets aspiring editors on the path to success. He does so by revealing basic in-depth editing techniques including various ways to cut a scene, engineering montages, improving audio, and everything in between!

To enhance your understanding of narrative techniques, Joaquin uses scenes from award-winning short films as a reference. That way, you can get the feel of how to edit projects with high-production value.

• Detailed Written Breakdowns
• English Subtitles

CLICK TO ACCESS COURSE!

About Joaquin Elizondo

Joaquin Elizondo has over 20 years of experience as an editor, working in the world of scripted television shows. His most recent editing credits include Narcos: Mexico (Netflix), The Hot Zone: Anthrax (NatGeo), and Dark Winds (AMC). Joaquin is currently working on Griselda, a new Netflix limited series starring Sofia Vergara. Before arriving in Los Angeles, Joaquin worked in unscripted television for several years in New York City. There he edited content for HBO Sports, NBC, Telemundo, and was the lead editor on Bravo’s late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.

Joaquin majored in Film & Video Studies at the University of Michigan and grew up in the San Diego-Tijuana border region. He began his career cutting a wide range of projects that included news, promos, commercials, and documentaries. As someone who has sought out and benefited from mentoring, Joaquin is now taking on the role of mentor. He helps aspiring editors and assistants in navigating the path to achieving their career goals. Joaquin created the Hollywood Editing Mentor Program and Podcast to provide guidance and support for those trying to break into or advance their careers in post-production.

Where to Start with the Color Grade

Many colorists will approach a film in different ways. David’s approach comes from what he learned over the course of 25 years. Hopefully, there are some small nuggets you can use for your own approach to color correction. 

You’re going to learn: About the color grading process How and why to test in order to determine the color How and why to create a color bible/lookbook Why you should learn the rules before you break them Why you should be open to collaboration

THE DP / COLORIST RELATIONSHIP:

This is where your relationship with the DP comes in handy. They can ask how to make your life easier, the production might develop key art, reference a photographic style, etc. 

Say a cinematographer mentions that they are inspired by the work of Gustave Doré, who is known for a lot of contrast and heavy vignetting where the image is pushed into a little frame. Then, you know you’re doing fall-offs, dark vignettes, and isolations. 

The Inferno, Canto 21 by Gustave Doré

Over London – By Rail by Gustave Doré

This doesn’t mean that this is exclusively all you do, but it provides the inspiration and motifs you are trying to achieve. Remember, you can do essentially anything on a single frame, but making that work over the course of a shot and scene requires artistry.  

OVERVIEW OF THE COLOR GRADING PROCESS:

From a colorist’s point of view, the process can begin as early as pre-production or as late as when the film is cut in post. David’s approach varies based on his starting point. At the very least, David likes to get a version of the film once it is cut, even if it’s a director’s cut. 

He watches it so he can understand the nuance of the movie and what it is trying to say, in addition to learning the tones and beats. For example, if it’s a fantasy film, does the film wish to go full fantasy? Or, are there moods and swings that inform your decision? Are there day-for-night scenes? Are there emotional scenes or funny scenes? 

It’s important to know where the performance ebbs and flows, and the storytelling should inform where you take the color grade. 

Much like music swells up or falls silent in emotional moments, color grading should complement the mood and tone.  

TEST TO FIND THE COLOR:

If Dave joins the project in pre-production, he will design lookup tables (LUTs) and have a good idea of what the project will look like. This of course would also be the result of numerous camera tests. Like the cinematographer, the colorist tests cameras, lenses, focal depths, and wardrobe. These tests inform the LUT creation.

LUTs are basically a prefixed color correction. While you can make a particular shot look great with a LUT, it doesn’t mean it will work on any of the other shots. A LUT helps in a general sense with the testing process. For example, during test photography, you can make sure that the light is robust enough to work in varying exposures and lighting conditions. 

Learn about LUT theory and creation!

CREATE A COLOR BIBLE/LOOKBOOK:

If the production has the time and money, Dave is a strong advocate of creating a color bible or lookbook for the film. This would take place after the film has been shot but it doesn’t need to be fully assembled as a director’s cut. 

With the help of an assistant editor, the colorist goes through the process of selecting key shots from each scene – i.e. a wide, medium, close-up, or key points pivotal to the scene. Then, they string them together. The shots don’t need to be full length, they could just be one or a few seconds. So, overall, the color bible is a condensed version of the assembly and may only be between 15-40 minutes. 

The benefit of a color bible means that you can creatively lean in the direction of the intended vision, and open the collaboration between the director of photography and director. Plus, the bible can inform editorial and visual effects. However, just note that this is a rough idea that may get you 80% of the way. You never know until you get the final cut because shots around each shot will inform the colors and the DI suite. 

For example, if there’s a shot that will be Day-for-Night, production will leave lights on and put them through external windows, and things of that nature. When Dave darkens it up, he may still find bright points in the frame. 

LEARN THE RULES BEFORE YOU BREAK THEM:

Since you are often constrained by time, budget, and creative tool sets, you must learn how to be as efficient as possible. 

There are rules with every craft but it doesn’t mean that you necessarily always follow them. However, it’s good to understand the rules so you can pick and choose what to embrace and how it affects your work. 

Color theory is useful for how to separate a face of a foreground character from the background character. Hopefully, the DP shaped the lighting to create separation in color between background and foreground density shifts. 

You can also enhance it from the color bay. But there are some things that you should consider. Do you drive the colors further apart? Do you make them a little more saturated or will it cause a dilemma down the road? 

It’s all well and good if you have an image but don’t want to make it overly poppy and contrasty and crush the blacks. However, when you’re watching the film on a big 60-foot screen in a darkened theater, watching an image like that for potentially two and a half hours can be very fatiguing to the eye. 

Understanding why things do what they do on a psychological level is very important and is part of the skill set acquired over years of experience from the colorist. Just remember, the more you do, the more you learn. And the more you collaborate, the more you learn. 

OPEN YOURSELF TO COLLABORATION:

Dave always says, if he graded a movie how he felt, it would look one way. If the DP graded the movie, it would look another way. And if the director graded it, it would look a third way. But, together through collaboration, it combines all of the best perspectives. 

The ultimate win is when you get a fantastic-looking image on the big screen that tells the story you want to tell. 

Color Grading: From Concept to Creation 

Learn the principles of the Color Grading Pyramid and how to draw your audience’s focus!

• 7 Lessons
• 1+ hours of instructional videos 

Color Grading: From Concept to Creation presents an in-depth view into the color grading process with master colorist David Cole. From the points of conception to execution, you will learn how to approach color grading based on the Color Grading Pyramid. 

From color balancing to establish continuity to creating mood to polish and manicure the image, David reveals how to support the story for perfection! You will learn how to work with simple and secondary tools, including shapes, tracking, and keyframe animation. Then, David demonstrates how to enhance color contrast and separation with tools like curves and tones. 

• Detailed Written Breakdowns
• English Subtitles

01 Module — The Color Grading Pyramid 01-Where to Start with the Color Grade 02-Continuity, Shapes & Polishing Fundamentals  02 Module — Color Foundation 03-Color Balance & Skin Tones 04-Create Mood & Manicure Image to Support the Story 03 Module — Color Balance 05-Shapes, Tracking & Keyframe Animation   04 Module — Color Contrast  06-Shift & Enhancement with Keys & Shapes 07-Color Separation with Curves & Tones

Access the entire course and learn from master colorist David Cole!

Introduction to Sound and Music in Film

In Part 1, Joaquin Elizondo explores the importance of music in film and how to find the right soundtrack for your project.  

You’re going to learn: The history of sound and music in film, the use of diegetic sound, how music is used to escalate tension, and why needle drops are used in place of an original score.

THE HISTORY OF MUSIC IN FILM:

Today, music plays an essential part in cinema – but where did it all begin? Back in the early days of cinema, audiences were only greeted by the visuals on the screen. If music accompanied the film, a live orchestra played in the theater alongside the moving image. While the music added depth to the cinematic experience, it also had a more practical function – hiding the sound of the projector.  

Diegetic sound

It was in 1915 when the first score was composed for the film, Birth of a Nation. The score was created with classical works rather than original music. It wasn’t until 1927 with The Jazz Singer that diegetic sound was introduced to audiences. For example, if an actor played the piano, you would hear the sounds emitting from the piano. However, there was still no original music written for the film. 

DIEGETIC SOUND: Sound that originates from within the video of the world of the film. It may occur either on-screen or off-screen but transpires simultaneously with the action.

Orchestral Music

The first film with an original score was King Kong in 1933. Between the 1930s and 1940s, films primarily incorporated orchestral music. Then, in the 1950s, there was a transformation in the musical tone. Audiences were greeted with jazz music in place of orchestral music. One explanation for the switch up in musical tone was that the cost of orchestras was too high, whereas a smaller jazz quartet was much more affordable.  

Popular music

The musical tone evolved again in the 1960s, using popular songs of the time – particularly rock music that’s prevalent in such films as The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, and Easy Rider. 

Next, this brings us to needle drops and source music. This technique could be used while a character is in a car and listening to the radio or in a diner listening to a jukebox. While it is popular music, it is still used in the way that you utilize score to enhance the story.

NEEDLE DROP: The use of an existing recording rather than an original score in a film.

A return to the past

In the 1970s, John Williams brought back the big orchestral sound from the early days to fit the scale of the space epic, Star Wars.

Computer-Generated music

In the 1980s, as technology evolved, more music was created with synthesizers and computers. All the sounds that once required many musicians for a score could then be accomplished by one musician. 

This leads up to the present day where one person with a computer can create the score. However, filmmakers still use all of the aforementioned ways to create music depending on the project’s scale and budget. 

INCREASE TENSION WITH SCORE:

A film that stands out for its score is Dunkirk. The film’s director, Christopher Nolan, heard the ticking of his wristwatch and asked Hans Zimmer to incorporate that sound into the score. From the beginning of Dunkirk and until the end, we hear the ticking. Throughout the film, it shifts in intensity and where it’s positioned in the mix. 

In the scene where RAF pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy) is in an aerial duel with an enemy fighter jet, we hear the ticking clock along with some slight strings. The score itself is atmospheric and compliments the vastness of the imagery comprised of the ocean and the clouds. We feel as if we are floating in the sky amidst the dancing aircraft. What breaks the dreamy imagery and soundscape is the rattling of the machine gun that lets you know that they are in a deadly dogfight. 

Then, as Farrier shifts his attention to his countrymen in the water below, the score shifts which triggers a shift in our emotion. We, along with Farrier, care about those soldiers who are in need of help. The shifting score introduces more instruments along with more strings and brass – plus, the ticking clock feels more and more relentless. 

What was once almost a peaceful scene shifts to reveal a sobering tension that climbs as Farrier notices a fighter jet right on his tail. The progression of the scene is guided by both the visuals and the score in unison. 

USE NEEDLE DROPS INSTEAD OF SCORE:

The film Baby Driver is a great example of how to use needle drops instead of score. Remember, a needle drop is popular music that you might, say, hear on the radio, and is not originally written for the film. 

The film’s director, Edgar Wright, chose all of the needle drops before he shot the film and had an idea of how to use the songs in different scenes. In the case of the opening scene, we hear the song Bellbottoms by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. The song seems to drive the edit of the scene – so much so that the edit almost feels like another instrument in the song. 

Initially, the song lets us know that its source music comes from Baby’s (Ansel Elgort) headphones. We, as an audience, realize that music is an important element and part of his character. As a getaway driver, the music helps him stay calm and motivates his talents behind the wheel. 

When the bank robbers come running out of the bank, the chase is on and the music kicks in. Now, with the cops in close pursuit, we’re really feeling the cuts. The beat of the music compliments the sharp cuts as they work in sync with one another. 

MUSIC LICENSE AND SOUNDTRACK SELECTION COURSE:

As the course progresses, Joaquin Elizondo reveals how you can source the music for your own project using Musicbed. 

Every filmmaker knows that finding the right music for your project takes a lot of time. Think of all the hours spent listening to track after track, trying to find the right sound. Musicbed makes the experience so much easier with its user-friendly interface and filtering tools that help you find the exact sound you’re looking for. Really, there’s no other filtering system this good. 

To gain access to the rest of the course, become an All Access member of Filmmakers Academy. Coming up, Joaquin shows you how to find the right soundtrack for action, comedy, and drama genres and how to professionally work sound into your project for the best effect possible! 

If you don’t have a composer or music supervisor handling your music, then trust us, you’re not going to want to miss this course! It will change how you select and license music. You will never look at music selection the same way again.