Helen Hawaz - Film/Video Editor & Assistant Editor
Editor
Experience 10+ years
“There isn’t one gig I’ve had that didn’t teach me something worthwhile.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
When I was starting out, I made it a point to follow my interests when it came to projects. I loved editing & I didn’t want to pigeon-hole myself so early. This lead me to work in trailers, advertisements, narrative features and shorts (live-action & animation), and music video. I'm currently working as an Assistant Editor at Pixar Animation Studios, while also cutting an animated short, and anticipating a live-action short project later this year. Allowing room for exploration early on allowed me to understand what keeps me inspired about a project. It’s less about the external structure/the box it fits in, and more about what it’s saying & who my team is. Editors are fairly sensitive and attuned, so it was important to explore where my sensitivities could truly deliver. Now, narrative is where I want to keep my focus. So regardless of where I am, that will be my career's north star.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
As an assistant editor in animation, it usually starts with a team check in. A big part of assistant life is anticipation, especially as schedules shift and we’re handling multiple assets across departments. Depending on the stage of production we're in, we're logging recording sessions with voice actors & processing that dialogue with markers in the avid so that editors are able to scrub through without having to listen to every part of the recording. We're wrangling storyboard deliveries & shots deliveries from upstream & downstream departments & differentiating what's new for the editors to cut in. We're doing sound effects passes. We're monitoring edit sessions with directors in case editors need a new sound effect here or an alt read of a line.
As an editor, I also like to start off with a team check in, especially if I have an assistant. My favorite part of the job as an editor is viewing dailies/boards, listening to dialogue in animation, and trying to find the performance that most conveys the story. In live-action, it's a bit more straightforward. But in animation, the true dailies are the dialogue recordings - that's where the performance lies. So as I'm timing out boards for pacing, I'm trying to match the feel of the performance as best as I can. Cutting SFX in animation is also a big part of the job as an editor and as an assistant. We're building the sound world from the ground up, so we're also trying to complement the feel and action of the sequence through the sound.
How did your career in post production begin?
What has been your career highlight?
I was asked to edit a narrative short by a fellow Ethiopian filmmaker, which was huge for me culturally and personally. Earlier this year, I got to represent that film at a Q&A for my hometown's independent film festival, Cinema Columbus.
Who are your role models in post?
I really value mentorship and seeking out connections with editors, especially those who've found a way to make this career fit their lives. It can be easy to fall into patterns of burnout. We all have to accommodate to some degree so we can bear the brunt of post production, but it's important to ask for support when you need it, to lean on your team, and to maintain healthy boundaries. These skills don't exist separately from doing work you love, so my role models tend to be people who keep that in mind and try their best to execute it.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
There isn't one gig I've had that didn't teach me something worthwhile. Whether it was an internal video for an insurance company, a brand campaign for Abercrombie, an indie short, or a big budget animated feature. Follow your interests, but be flexible with your path until you find your sweet spot. As you get closer to knowing what it is you'd like to do more of, be strategic about making time for it/connections within it. Sometimes that means picking up additional work, or pivoting so that you have better means to support your own work if that interests you. Just keep creating & working with the best people that you can.
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