EXCLUSIVE | 'GLOW' editor Annette Davey says Academy not presenting Best Editing award LIVE felt like a 'slap'
If directing is the heart of movie-making, then editing is the soul of a project. Editors go through a lot of challenges in making everything and everyone look real or making them funny when they're not really that funny. Hence, editing has always been one of the strongest aspects of a project. However, everyone was shocked when they got to know that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be handing out eight categories before the ceremony aired on the small screen, including Best Film Editing.
The editing community was in disbelief and Annette Davey felt no different. Davey, who has worked on several high-end ventures such as 'GLOW', 'Pam & Tommy', and 'Maid', felt really uncomfortable with the decision. One of the misconceptions about editing is that editors just cut the bad scenes and do nothing else, but there are a whole lot of things they do.
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MEAWW caught up with Davey and discussed how she felt about the Academy's decision of moving the editing category out. Also, she shared what kind of things an amateur editor should take care of when he or she enters Hollywood.
MEAWW: I believe, editing can make or break a project. It is such a big aspect of movie-making or TV series. What do you think are some of the important factors that a newcomer needs to have in their minds before entering this field?
Davey: I think people misunderstand editing a lot and they think that you just take out the bad bits, you know, the bits that don't work. I mean, I, can't tell you how many planes I've sat on where someone's asked me what I do. And when I told them they go, oh, so you just take out the bad parts. And I'm like, no. So you need to understand that it's a lot more than that and that's what I enjoy about it. It's very much about different elements. You have to think about the story. You have to think about the visuals. You have to think about the music, the sound and you are the one who's really bringing all those elements together and making it into a story. So you need to be up for that challenge. Cause it can be quite challenging. You know, for me personally, I enjoy that challenge. I love it when you have to try and figure something out and make it better.
MEAWW: You have worked on several high-end movies. How upset were you when the Academy announced that editing would not be a part of the televised portion? What was your reaction and how did the community react to it?
Davey: I was, you know, very disappointed to say the least. And I think the editorial community was very upset generally. I mean, it was kind of a slap in the face, but I, I also think, unfortunately, it's, uh, and not to defend this in any way, but I do think it's representative of the fact that most people don't understand what editing does, you know? So they just sort of think, oh, well, how's that so important? You know, they're just kind of taking out the bad bits and you know, maybe cutting it down to time or something. I don't think most people understand the hours that we spend crafting people's performances and making them seem real and, you know, heartfelt, or making them funny when they're not really that funny. And, you know, so yeah, it was very upsetting. It was really disappointing, you know, and I think they took out composers as well.
MEAWW: When you work on projects, are there moments when you realize, okay, you know, this scene should be in the series, but the producers are makers are not ready for it. What happens then?
Davey: I will always argue for what I think is right. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't. On ‘Pam & Tommy’, I don't know that we took any scenes out really. Um, maybe we took a few little parts of scenes out, but not really the entire scene, certainly not in the episodes I worked on. Maybe on later ones they did, but yeah. I mean, if the directors and the producers trust you, you know, they're pretty willing to listen to your point of view. It really depends on what the scene is about. Is it something that they think is really important and should stay? I mean, I often want to take things out more often than not. (laughs) I've just done a movie recently and there's a scene in the movie where every time we see it, I'd say to the director, you know, we don't need that scene. Right. And he'd go, yes, I know, but we're keeping it (laughs).
MEAWW: Any future projects that fans should be excited about?
Davey: Oh, well, I've just done a movie called ‘Dreaming Wild’, which is based on a true story about these two brothers who recorded an album when they were teenagers. Long story short, nothing really happens initially. 35 years later, all these like record enthusiasts have discovered the record and suddenly the brothers are being asked to re-release it and they're getting the attention that they always wanted. And it's, you know, it's a struggle in some ways for them to understand like it's come at such a late stage in their life, you know, so there's some conflict around that. Casey Affleck plays the lead. So, it was really interesting.