SYNOPSIS
Panelists will discuss the elements of craft and technical skill an actor must execute to avoid the cutting room floor and the decisions directors, producers and editors make based on an actor's performance. Audience members will leave with a better understanding of the process of editing a feature film and how the actor can best serve that process.
PANELISTS BIOS
John Axelrad, ACE, Crazy Heart
John is currently editing the feature film PAPILLON, starring Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek, for Red Granite Pictures. Earlier in the year, Axelrad finished co-editing the adventure feature film THE LOST CITY OF Z, his fourth collaboration with director James Gray. After premiering as Closing Night Film at the 2016 New York Film Festival, THE LOST CITY OF Z will be theatrically released by Amazon Studios and Bleecker Street Media in April, 2017. In 2015, Axelrad edited the comedy/horror film KRAMPUS (for Legendary Pictures and Universal) and co-edited Sony’s MILES AHEAD, a narrative comedy/drama about the life and music of Miles Davis. Starring and directed by Don Cheadle, the biopic premiered as Closing Night Film at the 2015 New York Film Festival. Prior to that, Axelrad edited the comedy-dramas BEFORE WE GO (dir. Chris Evans) and RUDDERLESS (dir. William H. Macy). Axelrad’s earlier collaborations with director James Gray have all premiered at the Cannes Film Festival: THE IMMIGRANT, TWO LOVERS, and WE OWN THE NIGHT. In between those films, Axelrad edited the thriller GONE for Lakeshore and Summit Entertainment, the romantic comedy SOMETHING BORROWED for Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros, and the Miramax romantic comedy THE SWITCH. In 2009, Axelrad edited Fox Searchlight’s critically acclaimed CRAZY HEART (starring Jeff Bridges) for director Scott Cooper. Axelrad began his editing career mentored by some of the best editors in Los Angeles, including working as an assistant editor for Anne V. Coates, ACE on OUT OF SIGHT, ERIN BROCKOVICH, and UNFAITHFUL; Debra Neil-Fisher, ACE on UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL; and for Bruce Green, ACE on HOME ALONE 3 and WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING.
Maysie Hoy, ACE, Madea films, What Dreams May Come
Maysie began her theater training in her hometown of Vancouver, Canada. She studied improvisational theatre in San Francisco with “The Wing” and “The Committee”. Upon returning to Vancouver, she formed “The Good Will Store” an improvisational company and was its artistic director. For the next two years, her troupe performed and taught Viola Spolin’s theater games in schools and correctional institutions. During this time she was cast in Robert Altman’s MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER. When the movie was over she left for Los Angeles with only a backpack and sleeping bag. She knew only two people in L.A., a friend who offered her a place to stay and Robert Altman. For the next eight years she learned the art of filmmaking by working for him in research, costume and production design. She also acted in several of his films, including CALIFORNIA SPLIT, NASHVILLE, THREE WOMEN AND A WEDDING. It was on Altman’s BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS that she landed a job as an apprentice. There she discovered her passion for film editing. She moved up quickly to a film assistant. After which she worked as a film and sound assistant on many Altman films and on projects that he produced with directors Alan Rudolph and Robert Benton.Her editing credits include:*DOLLY PARTON’S CHRISTMAS OF MANY COLORS, DOLLY PARTON’S: COAT OF MANY COLORS, SPARE PARTS, TYLER PERRY'S: THE SINGLE MOMS CLUB, MADEA’S CHRISTMAS, MADEA WITNESS PROTECTION, TEMPTATION, MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY, FOR COLORED GIRLS, WHY DID I GET MARRIED, TOO? I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF, MADEA GOES TO JAIL, THE FAMILY THAT PREYS, MEET THE BROWNS, WHY DID I GET MARRIED? and DADDY’S LITTLE GIRLS, THE JOY LUCK CLUB, THE PLAYER (co-edited), SMOKE, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (shared credit), FREEDON SONG, CRAZY IN ALABAMA, LOVEJONES and FREEWAY,
*ACE nomination for Best Edited Long Form Mini-series or Motion Picture for TV
Michael Jablow, ACE, Old School
Michael Jablow, ACE has worked in the movie business since 1972. As an assistant he worked on HAIR, directed by Milos Forman, and BRUBAKER staring Robert Redford. His first film as a Picture Editor was MODERN PROBLEMS in 1981. His credits since then include THROW MAMA FROM THE TRAIN, THE NAKED GUN, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, LITTLE BIG LEAGUE, MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND, THE CONTENDER, *61, THE LAST CASTLE, OLD SCHOOL, BEAUTY SHOP, THE GAME PLAN, and THE PERFECT MATCH. Currently he is a Professor at USC teaching editing. He believes that all editing is in the service of the actors performance. While actors and editors may never meet, actors have no closer collaborator.
Carol Littleton, ACE, A Walk in the Woods, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Moderator - Mitchell Danton, ACE, Switched at Birth
Mitchell graduated magna cum laude from the USC School of Cinema-Television in 1990. Since then he has edited over 200 hours of primetime television. His credits include Beverly Hills 90210, Dawson's Creek, and the Peabody Award-winning drama series Switched at Birth. He earned four Primetime Emmy nominations for his work on the hit reality show Survivor, and was a member of the Emmy- and Eddie-winning team of editors on the ABC miniseries The Path to 9/11. Mitch has written for various film and television industry publications. In 2011, he co-authored his mother's Hollywood memoir The Lucky Southern Star and is the author of the film editing book Cutting It in Hollywood, which was published in 2015.
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