Angela Catanzaro - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 20+ years
“There is absolutely nothing like being in a theater for that first screening, experiencing an audience of a few hundred people gasping, laughing, or crying in reaction to moments that you helped create. It’s a rush.”
Describe your job role and the kinds of projects/clients you work with.
I have been editing feature films and television for 17 years and have worked with nearly every major studio and network. While most of my feature credits fall into the action/thriller category, my television projects are primarily hourlong dramas. I enjoy cutting all genres from comedy to horror, but putting together action scenes is my favorite thing to do day-to-day. That said, cutting raw, emotional scenes is a specialty of mine and has been the most rewarding for me.
No matter what I'm working on, finding the perfect temp music is something I really enjoy, fully acknowledging the perfect recipe for a compelling scene sometimes means no music at all.
What does an average day look like in your post production working world?
When I am working on my own during dailies, and if working from home on my own Avid, I’ll generally be up and out of the house well before 6am to get in some riding (I’m an equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing.) Usually my assistant editor will have some scenes prepped for me to dive into by 10:30 or 11am. So when I’m working on my own, I skew my work days to start later in an attempt at maintaining a work/life balance. When working with a director, I’ll either be remote and working on Evercast, or in a physical cutting room. At this point in the post schedule, my days are totally dictated by the director or producers. On the last film Prey, we worked primarily remotely until the last couple of months when we were in person on the Fox studio lot, an average of 2-3 days a week. Being in person and seeing things at full resolution on a big screen, with 5.1 audio was helpful as we got closer to finishing. Most directors I’ve worked with don’t have a desire to start working before 10am, but I have worked quite a bit with one in particular who is a very early bird! I don’t mind at all being flexible that way. Part of what I love about editing is that it’s never the same thing twice, but it also means I have to work hard to quiet that part of me that is a hardcore planner.
How did your career in post production begin?
My post production career began in sound. Initially I hoped to become a re-recording mixer. I was always so in awe (and still am) of the big dub stage with its fancy console full of faders and blinking lights— like the helm of a spaceship. Early on, I worked restoring sound on 35mm prints and also prepping international mixes for TV shows. I was also an assistant sound editor, working nights for a few years, and I even tried my hand at being a foley artist. But I never found a clear path to the mix stage. After a few years of doing “odd jobs” in sound, an opportunity arose for me to be an Avid assistant editor on an indie feature film, and I was up for the challenge. There was only one Avid, and I shared it with the editor which meant I worked overnight. Dailies had to be digitized from tape (the horror!) It was an education, but I loved it. And imagine how ecstatic I was to learn there’s plenty of sound work to do in picture editorial, and I still get to hang out on a mix stage occasionally.
What has been your career highlight?
One of my most memorable experiences was being on location in Austin, Texas during the filming of the Friday Night Lights series finale. No question it was one of the most difficult shows I’ve ever worked on because of both the amount and the haphazard nature of the footage, coupled with a very tight schedule. But I fell so deeply in love with the story and the characters, it felt a bit surreal to be tasked with editing the final episode. In fact, I cried my way through it. The night of the wrap party we found ourselves on the Dillon Panthers field, under the lights and full of champagne, running around with a football until well after midnight with cast and crew. That was very early in my career, but it was a profound experience. I knew I had found my path. The icing on the cake was the finale being nominated for an ACE Eddie Award.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career;
The first time I went overseas on location for a film was a big deal for me. Although I already had many editing credits under my belt, it still felt cool that a production would fly me to London and put me up in a nice flat, and even rent me a car (which I may or may not have been too scared to drive). The film was The Foreigner, which was incidentally also my first theatrical release. There is absolutely nothing like being in a theater for that first screening, experiencing an audience of a few hundred people gasping, laughing, or crying in reaction to moments that you helped create. It’s a rush.
Who are your role models in post?
In general, I’m just a fan of women in post who are assertive and get things done.
Stand out scene (or scenes!) you've worked on.
One of my favorite scenes is the house fight in The Foreigner. There is nothing quite like cutting a Jackie Chan action sequence. Because he’s so precise, there is less “cheating” than you often must do to convey the action. I had a lot of fun finding ways to ratchet up the tension in this scene and keep the stunts sharp, being very mindful not to lose track of the geography.
The swimming pool scene in Five Feet Apart is probably my favorite emotional dialogue scene. On the surface it’s a straightforward two-person exchange, but it’s quite complex. Tracking all of the emotional shifts over 7+ minutes was tricky. It’s heartbreaking, funny, intimate, bittersweet, and in the end, joyful. I remember procrastinating cutting this scene because the sheer amount of footage made it seem pretty daunting. But as with most things that challenge us, it ended up being incredibly rewarding.
What advice do you have for others wanting to start a career in post?
While I don’t think the post world is as much of a gender battlefield as it once was, I still occasionally meet producers or execs who are a bit patronizing. In those situations especially, it’s very important to not doubt your worth. Instead, make it known. That means being a part of the creative conversation and knowing when to speak up. The first challenge, however, is getting in the door. I would advise anyone wanting to start a career in post to meet as many people as possible who are already doing the job that you want to do. Don’t be discouraged if someone doesn’t respond. Editors are often just overwhelmed with work and some of us are just introverts! Building a network is absolutely essential to getting your career off the ground. After all, these are the people who will know about opportunities that might be a good fit for you. In conjunction with meeting people, finding a mentor who can support and advise you is key.