Hollywood Editing Mentor

Carlos "Charlie" Viramontes and I met over two years ago through a mutual connection. He was living in San Diego and I was in LA. He was working at a local TV station editing sports promos and wanted to transition to scripted television, but had no idea how to do it. We stayed in touch and developed a friendship over time, until eventually I was able to put him up for an assistant editor position on a scripted television show. He got the job and is now doing what he always dreamed of. 

I feel Charlie is not only a good example of how to network, but also how to build relationships, which are very important in this industry. And it also shows that one doesn't need to be in LA to work in scripted television in Hollywood. 

In episode 10, Charlie and I discuss the following topics:

• How Charlie and I met over two years ago while we were living in different cities
• Charlie’s origin story, how he got a political science degree and got a job as an editor in sports marketing in San Diego
• Being ready to jump on opportunities
• The way Charlie and I got connected through his college professor
• Asking to meet with post production professionals by sending cold emails
• How offering to buy someone’s coffee can set the tone for that first meeting
• The importance of following up after having an initial meeting
• Asking for help and feedback instead of asking for a job
• Why it’s important to edit side projects
• Ways to connect with people
• Being open to having your work critiqued and not takes things personally
• Staying in touch with people
• Taking the initiative and being proactive to become a better editor
• Leaving your hometown to pursue a career in a different city
• Getting a job lead by developing a relationship and trust
• How your job in a different city could qualify you to join the Union in Hollywood
• Transitioning from marketing to scripted television
• Taking risks and not living with regrets
• Eliminating fear and learning from our mistakes
• Writing the proper resume to sell yourself for a job you haven’t done before
• Finding a way to shadow an assistant editor or editor
• Interviewing for a job you don’t have the experience for
• Finding the job that truly makes you happy
• Getting a last minute job offer in a different city and having to pack up and leave your home
• Communicating your goals to your employer 
• Keeping healthy relationships with co-workers and not burning bridges
• Dealing with inconveniences by changing your mindset

Feel free to share this episode with anyone that might find Charlie's story helpful and would also appreciate it if you left a review on Apple Podcasts by visiting hollywoodeditingmentor.com/review. 

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Sasha Dylan Bell moved from Australia to LA a couple of years ago and through a lot of hard work and perseverance was able achieve his goal of editing feature films and scripted TV shows in Hollywood.  He’s joining me today to share advice not only on how to prepare for making such a big move to the US from another country, but also the things one can do after landing in LA that can help build a network in order to obtain editing opportunities.

He'll also share his thoughts on the importance of building confidence, seeking creativity outside the cutting room, and how to manage the emotional rollercoaster we often go through when trying to find editing work. 

​In addition to hundreds of series episodes & short form projects, Bell has edited the feature drama Face To Face, directed by Michael Rymer (American Horror Story). Currently he is editing on the drama series David Makes Man, by oscar-winning creator, Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight).

Find out more about Sasha's work at https://www.sashadylanbell.com and https://sashadylanbellphoto.com

In episode 9, Sasha and I touch on the following topics:

• Growing up in Australia and working as a music video director
• Making the move to editing feature films in Australia
• How Sasha got to travel to LA to work on Australian productions
• Learning how to be better at networking
• Sasha’s approach to networking and belief in building genuine relationships
• How Sasha got the editing gig on his second feature
• Finding consistent work in LA
• Why it’s important to not talk only about work at networking events
• What makes a good editor and how producers chose to hire for that position
• Why Sasha hired me to be his assistant on a feature film
• Having a successful career in Australia, but left with a desire to work in film
• The moment Sasha decided to move to LA
• Making the plan to move from Australia to LA
• From getting visas to shipping his belongings…how Sasha made the move from Melbourne to LA
• Sasha’s advice for anyone moving from abroad to LA
• Landing in LA and trying to find an apartment, buy a car, etc when coming from another country
• Finding out Sasha’s editing experience in Australia didn’t count for Union membership in LA
• Working on small projects to eventually get bigger opportunities
• Tips on how to get better at networking and talking to people
• Sasha’s experience getting into the Union
• Going through a rollercoaster of emotions when trying to find editing work
• Going through dry spells of work
• How everyone in the post production industry starts at the bottom
• The importance of building confidence
• Sasha’s stages of editing work after landing in LA
• Sasha realizing how he needed to make more personal connections
• How relationships take time to develop
• Sasha’s experience on David Makes Man and how he got the gig
• Interviewing to be an editor on David Makes Man

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Fitness trainer and co-owner of LAKO Boxing Gym, Yuichi Ohi, has been training in the greater Los Angeles area since 2000. He has an extensive background and training in boxing, jui jitsu, grappling, and judo. He is renowned for his work with all fitness levels of clientele and his approach in training is an organic and holistic style. Yuichi’s motto is…"What matters most is that my clients are happy and healthy."

Yuichi and I talk about the importance of developing healthy habits and improving our fitness, and how this is connected with achieving success in our lives. Not only did I lose almost 20lbs, improve my marathon time by over 30 minutes, and change my body composition with his training, I also developed the energy, creativity, and discipline that helped me get a big promotion at work. 

Yuichi has provided a special bonus for the listeners of this podcast. Head over to hollywoodeditingmentor.com/workouts and sign up to receive four videos featuring fitness routines designed by Yuichi. 

Follow Yuichi: @ohi.fitness

In episode 8 of the Hollywood Editing Mentor podcast, Yuichi and I discuss the following topics:

• Yuichi’s view on fitness and why he thinks it’s important
• Investing in your health for longevity
• The process to improve our health and fitness can take time
• Building muscle at a young age is important for human development
• Strength training plays a big role in keeping your body stable and burning more calories
• How Yuichi changed my eating habits
• Losing weight is 80% nutrition, 20% fitness
• Yuichi’s thoughts about personal trainers giving you nutritional advice
• Other factors that might prevent us from losing weight: stress, depression, addiction issues
• The obesity problem in our society
• Measuring our body fat vs weight
• Growing up in Sao Miguel island in the Azores
• What Yuichi learned from his father, a six degree black belt in judo, about health and fitness 
• Connecting health and fitness with success in our lives
• Avoiding burnout by eating better and working out
• How to develop healthier eating habits
• Why diets don’t work
• How stress, bad nutrition, and sitting down all day is killing us
• Food is an important factor of cardiovascular health
• The negative effects of excessive sodium consumption
• Yuichi’s advice on how we can get started with a fitness routine
• The value of hiring a personal trainer
• What to look for when choosing a personal trainer
• Investing in your health for the future
• Research shows that people who are healthy and in-shape make more money
• How working with Yuichi helped me get promoted to full-time editor
• Looking within ourselves to find motivation to achieve our goals
• Yuichi’s recommendation to transform our mindset and start being active
• Starting with small goals to achieve bigger ones
• Tips for editors to stay active and improve their health
• The importance of stretching, releasing tension, and improving mobility

Would totally appreciate it if you lef

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Curtis Thurber grew up in Colorado, and in high school developed a strong interest in filmmaking. After moving to California to attend USC and pursue his passion, Curtis quickly realized that Film Editing was the art he'd be most interested in pursuing as a lifelong career.

Shortly after graduating from USC, Curtis found himself on a small second season show that would become one of the most discussed shows on TV, Breaking Bad. This helped to jump start his career in Post Production, and has been fortunate to work on many exciting projects ever since (Fargo, Tales From The Loop, Legion, Better Call Saul).

In 2016, Curtis was nominated for both an Emmy and ACE Eddie award for his work on Fargo, and the same Emmy nomination again in 2017, as well as an ACE Eddie Award nomination for Better Caul Saul that same year. 

Curtis and I discuss the following in episode 7:

• How Curtis got into editing and started his career in Hollywood      
• Being a Post PA on Breaking Bad got him more opportunities
• Working with and being mentored by Emmy-winning editor Skip McDonald
• Having fun working on The Office
• How Curtis gained the trust of producers and got hired on big projects
• Doing what you can to make your direct bosses' lives easier
• Getting opportunities to cut as an assistant editor
• The importance of learning to address notes 
• What Curtis learned from his mentor Skip McDonald
• Mentoring his assistants
• Curtis’ longstanding relationship with writer/producer Noah Hawley 
• Learning from one of Noah Hawley’s lead editors, Regis Kimble
• Advice on working on the cut with showrunners
• Breaking the rules on Legion 
• Tips on interpreting notes from directors and producers
• Sneak peek into season 4 of Fargo
• Curtis’ WFH experience and setup
• What Curtis misses most about going to an office
• Issues Curtis has had with his WFH setup 
• The pros and cons of working from home
• Will this new way of working affect the way we enjoy the job of editing?
• How will the business change moving forward?
• Finding a new way of networking, learning, and collaborating in the new age of post production
• The way Curtis continues to evolve as an editor and storyteller

If you want to hear more advice for Curtis Thurber, go to hollywoodeditingmentor.com/episode7 and sign up to receive bonus outtakes from this episode where Curtis talks about editing scenes and troubleshooting projects.

Would totally appreciate it if you left a review on Apple Podcasts by visiting hollywoodeditingmentor.com/review. It’s a way to support the show and help it reach a wider audience that’s looking to break in or advance their post production careers.

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Nona Khodai is a Southern California native Picture Editor.  She is a graduate of the USC Cinema School and has worked on such series as The Strain, Colony, Revolution, Amazing Stories, and most recently the first and second season of Amazon’s The Boys.  

In episode 6, Nona and I discuss the following:

• How Nona got her start in the sound department and then transitioned to editorial
• The importance of being nice and how it can help you progress in your career
• Finding balance between being nice and being assertive
• The difficulties of the job and how to handle them
• Creating habits that can help us thrive in the post production industry and avoid burnout
• Getting judged as a woman of color
• Working harder as a female editor
• Having a diverse editorial team makes it better for everyone
• Strategies that helped Nona get promoted to picture editor
• Reasons why people don't get bumped up from assistant to editor - behavior and personality
• Being proactive and anticipating things as an assistant editor
• Nona's experience in the sound department has made her more critical of her assistant's sound work
• How Nona got the gig on Amazon's The Boys
• Why The Boys was a difficult show
• How Nona handled the challenges of working on The Boys
• Working on a VFX-heavy show
• The use of music on The Boys
• Cutting Anthony Starr's performance as "Homelander"
• Preview of season 2 of The Boys
• The funnest part of working on The Boys
• Her process of watching dailies and being able to pick up on special moments in the footage
• Nona first job as a sound editor on the feature film, Grandma's Boy, while a student at USC
• The items Nona takes to every show
• Trusting your gut to guide you in the right direction

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Music plays a huge part in editing. The right song or score can enhance the emotion of a scene with its lyrics, tone, or tempo. It can also help with pacing and rhythm by speeding up moments or slowing them down. But what do editors listen for when picking a musical track to use in their projects?

In episode 5 of the Hollywood Editing Mentor podcast, I talk with editor Matt Colonna (who is also a professional drummer) about his process for choosing music for his cuts and how his experience as a musician helps him edit. Matt also talks about how he communicates his ideas about music with directors, showrunners, and the music department. As someone who is very supportive of his peers and always looks out for his team, Matt also shares some ways we can better manage the politics of the post production environment, and talks about the importance of standing up for ourselves and protecting our Union rights.

Matthew V. Colonna is an American television and film editor whose recent works include Netflix’s Locke & Key, Narcos, Hulu’s Castle Rock and (currently) on FX’s The Old Man starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow—which will premiere in 2021. In 2010 he was nominated for outstanding single-camera picture editing for a drama series for Showtime’s Dexter and has as also received an HPA and OFTA nominations for his editing on Narcos and Fox’s The Following respectively.

Matt’s also got and extensive music background that ranges from writing original music for Dexter to laying down beats for the Black Eyed Peas to mixing it up as music supervisor on a few indies.  On the rare occasion, his band Sporto, will play live gigs is the LA area--but they’re usually writing music in the comforts of their air-conditioned studio (sparkoentertainment.com).

A message from Matt Colonna:

"As a twenty-four year editor, I’m honored to be a part of what Joaquin’s cooking up here and happy to share my experiences with ya’ll in hopes of cultivating an open forum to speak candidly about what we do for a living."

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Mark Dashnaw earned his B.A. in Film & Theatre Arts from Cornell University where he studied acting, writing and directing for both the screen and the stage. In his time there, he realized that filmmaking was his true passion.  Editing, in particular, with its creative and technical challenges was the area that inspired him the most. Soon after, he moved to Los Angeles and got his M.F.A. in Film Editing from The American Film Institute. 

Since then, Mark has edited on both comedic and dramatic projects including feature films, scripted and reality television series and documentaries. He is an Emmy®-nominated editor (Hot in Cleveland) and a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Mark is also a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild and serves on their LGBTQ+ Diversity Steering Committee. In addition, Mark is also an award-winning filmmaker (Myopia) who writes, produces and directs his own projects under Mad Dash Productions.

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In this episode I talk with with editor/assistant editor Agustin "Auggie" Rexach about the importance of keeping our ego in check and shifting our mindset as we are looking for new job opportunities or in our current post production career. By understanding that as editors and assistants we are servicing someone else's vision or helping to deliver a product, we will more likely be presented with opportunities to advance in our careers. Agustin also shares how he was able to transition to a career in Hollywood scripted TV after having worked as an editor in commercials and music videos for 17 years.

Agustin most recently co-edited an episode of THE GOOD LORD BIRD (Showtime) and THE PURGE (USA). He was also an assistant editor on GENIUS (NatGeo), the remake of ROOTS, HAWAII 5-0, and FROM DUSK TILL DAWN. Prior to working in Hollywood, Agustin worked at top post production houses in his home country of Puerto Rico, as well as Miami and San Antonio.

As someone who is also devoted to mentoring and helping people, Agustin also contributes advice articles and software tutorials to the Hollywood Editing Mentor program.

Read Agustin's article: "The Service-Centric Mindset"

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Editor Rita K. Sanders and assistant editor Erin Wolf have been working together for 5 years on such shows as The Magicians (SyFy), You (Netflix), The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Netflix), and Batwoman (CW). During their time together they have developed a strong relationship and an efficient way of working. Erin has also received several co-editing credits while working with Rita and is now looking to transition to being a full-time editor. In this episode they give advice on how you can build a better relationship with your editor and how you can go about getting a co-editing credit in scripted television. 

Rita K. Sanders began her career by editing television news in Austin, TX on tape-to-tape machines and has since cut feature films, documentaries, scripted and non-scripted television shows.

Most recently, Rita edited on several season of SyFy's "The Magicians", Netflix's "You" and "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," and CW's "Batwoman"- which has been a dream come true for a nerd who loves fantasy, sci-fi and feminist agendas in media.

Don't ask her about her philosophy of editing- she is still figuring it out.

Erin grew up in Franklin, Wisconsin and knew she loved filmmaking from a young age. While studying film production at the University of Southern California, she developed a passion for editing. After graduating, Erin started as an intern and assistant editor in music videos before transitioning to scripted television. She’s worked as an assistant editor on The Magicians, Chance, and The Real Husbands of Hollywood, as well as co-editor on episodes of You, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Batwoman. When she’s not working, Erin enjoys playing with her two cats, listening to Taylor Swift, and binge watching Schitt’s Creek.

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The Hollywood Editing Mentor podcast is here!

In the first episode, I have a conversation with editor Nena Erb, ACE about her Emmy-winning career in unscripted television and how she was able to transition to scripted shows and continue receiving accolades for her work. We also dive into the editing process of the episode she cut with her assistant editor, Lynarion Hubbard, on season 4 of HBO's Insecure, which recently landed them a shared nomination for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series at this years Emmys. Nena also shares how she is an advocate for mentoring and how she's actively promoting more diversity in the workplace. 

Raised in an Asian immigrant family, Nena Erb’s father wanted her to be a doctor and her mother wanted her to be a pianist with the LA Philharmonic. Nena wanted to be Andy Warhol. 

Armed with an art degree, a friend brought her into the industry and she started working in various capacities in production. It was her stint as an associate producer that opened her eyes to the impact of editing. It combined her love of photography and storytelling into one and she was hooked. 

Since then, Nena has been the editor on productions for HBO, Universal, ABC, CBS, Apple, and others. In 2016, she received an Emmy® award for her work on HBO’s documentary series Project Greenlight. In addition, she has received two ACE Eddie nominations for her work, one for HBO's Peabody award-winning series Insecure and the other for CW's acclaimed series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Her parents no longer ask her if she’d reconsider medical school.

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