concept philosophy ◆ established
Managing Up in the Edit
he practice of an editor proactively guiding a director, particularly an inexperienced one, toward success by setting aside personal ego and focusing on the project's needs. It involves building trust, framing solutions to empower the director's vision, and making the director look good. This diplomatic approach transforms the editor from a service provider into a key strategic partner. This extends to proactively managing a collaborator's emotional and psychological state. For example, editor Kate Sanford developed a 'shorthand' with showrunner Terence Winter, privately warning him about significant cuts in a director's cut to mentally prepare him. Similarly, Joe Mitacek describes his role on 'Grey's Anatomy' as putting visiting directors 'at ease,' letting them know things are looking good, and gently clarifying their plans in a 'non-alarmist' way. It also involves protecting collaborators; when notes come from the showrunner, Mitacek is quick to reassure the director, 'Don’t worry. That’s editorial stuff... she’s happy with the episode.' A key aspect of this is nurturing the director-editor relationship by creating a positive, calm, and solution-oriented environment. This involves proactively understanding the director's intent and aesthetic preferences, often by discussing reference films early in the process. This extends beyond just the director to include all key stakeholders, such as producers and executives. The editor's role becomes one of a collaborative mediator, understanding the unique problems and 'languages' of each party to guide the project towards the best version of the story.
notes
The examples from Sanford and Mitacek are excellent, specific techniques for 'managing up' that go beyond just translating notes. They involve emotional management and proactive communication.
criteria
- Proactively communicate with collaborators during the shoot to put them at ease and clarify intent in a 'non-alarmist' way.
- Develop a 'shorthand' with long-term collaborators to prep them for potentially jarring changes in a cut.
- When notes come from a higher authority (like a showrunner or studio), reassure the director by taking ownership of the 'editorial stuff' to protect their confidence.
- Present a fully polished 'proof-of-concept' scene early on to build trust and demonstrate the project's potential.
- Avoid showing cuts that are '80% done' to prevent the '80% Illusion,' where a nearly-finished piece is mistaken for the final product, leading to misguided feedback.
- Employ the 'Collaborative Rebuttal' by implementing a director's questionable idea to let them see its effect, rather than arguing against it conceptually.
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