Heba Othman - Editor
Job title - Editor
Experience - 10+ years
“It’s important to tell people what you are interested in doing in post-production. Be specific. Don’t be shy to ask about opportunities and tell people what you aspire to do in post-production.”
What does an average day look like in your post-production working world?
During the editing process, I like to personally sort through all the takes even if the director chose a single take to take into account. Then, I regularly discuss with the director the better option — the one with the best performance & continuity. I usually make multiple drafts of the film till we end up with the final draft that both the director and I agree on. If possible, I enjoy attending the sound design process since I believe the sound is the other half of my editing. One of the things I find very important before taking on any project is reading & analyzing the script. I’d rather get on the job pre-production, before shooting, during the development of the script. This is to settle any disturbances with the script’s rhythm and flow. Still, the shooting phase is one I’d prefer to skip completely, to avoid missing the first impression I get out of the scene during the editing process. Lastly, I like to think that if we consider the scriptwriter as the first editor, the film editor is the last one to tell the story
How did your career in post-production begin?
I studied at Cairo’s Higher Institute of Cinema, founded in 1957. After graduating, I was able to work in post-production in Egypt.
Tell us about a career highlight;
You Will Die At Twenty was the highlight of my career especially when it won the “Lion of The Future” award in the Venice film festival in 2019.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career?
My pivotal moment was definitely Coming Forth by Day since it was both the director, Hala Lotfy, and my dream to complete it. The film was screened at the Berlin Film Festival's forum in 2013. It was my first film as a film editor and not simply an assistant, this is why I consider it my pivotal moment.
Which women in post do you admire?
I am very inspired by two Egyptian editors. Rasheeda Abdel Salam. She worked with the Egyptian director Youssef Chahine on a number of his films. Nadia Shoukry edited films by some of the top Egyptian directors in the ’60s to the early 2000s. They had successful careers.
What is your favourite piece of work?
1) I enjoyed cutting a scene with the lead actress taking part in a Zar (a gathering that exorcises spirits in the film, “You Will Die at Twenty directed by Amjad Abu Alala.” There were three takes from the same angle. I added more cuts to the scene to add more energy to it. The director really thought it worked.
2) In the film “Coming Forth By Day,” the director really loved long takes. That’s the style of the film. In one scene, I suggested breaking the rule and it worked. The lead actress listens to an iconic song known to Egyptians, sung by Um Kulthoum. We really wanted that moment to stand out from the rest of the film.
What advice do you have for other women wanting to start a career in post?
It's important to tell people what you are interested in doing in post-production. Be specific. Don't be shy to ask about opportunities and tell people what you aspire to do in post-production. I also spend time learning about the culture and the world of the story especially if it's unfamiliar to me. It helps me to understand the story’s setting and the director’s point of view. My advice would be to spend time being immersed in the culture and environment of the story before starting to edit. When I worked with the Sudanese director Amjad Abu Alala on his film You will die at Twenty, he made me listen to Sudanese songs. I also made friends with people from the Sudanese community. I wanted to feel and know their rhythm. As an Egyptian editor, I would like to collaborate with other filmmakers from Africa.