Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient, edited by Walter Murch (top); Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia, edited by Anne V. Coates (bottom)
The art and craft of film editing is the topic of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ four-evening seminar series "Perspectives on Editing." Sessions will be held on three consecutive Tuesdays, September 22, September 29, and October 6, concluding on Wednesday, October 14, with a tribute to Oscar-winning editor Anne V. Coates. Each session will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.
As per the Academy's press release, "Perspectives on Editing" will tackle the editing of live action films, animated features and documentaries "from the perspective of motion picture editors themselves." Each session will feature film clips and open discussions between the evening’s special guests and members of the audience.
The evenings will be hosted by Academy Film Editors Branch governors Donn Cambern (The Last Picture Show, The Bodyguard) and Mark Goldblatt (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Starship Troopers).
The series schedule is as follows, with presenters subject to availability (text from the Academy's release):
Tuesday, September 22 – A Conversation with Walter Murch
Murch, a nine-time Academy Award nominee, won Oscars for Film Editing for The English Patient (1996) and Sound for Apocalypse Now (1979) and The English Patient. His other Film Editing nominations include Julia (1977), Apocalypse Now, Ghost (1990), The Godfather Part III (1990) and Cold Mountain (2003). He also received a Sound nomination for The Conversation (1974).
Tuesday, September 29 – Editing for Animation
A discussion with Kent Beyda (Alien Nation, Scooby-Doo), John Carnochan (Ice Age, The Simpsons Movie), Nancy Frazen (Runaway Brain, Surf’s Up) and Lois Freeman-Fox (Fantasia/2000, Osmosis Jones). Additional guests to be announced.
Tuesday, October 6 – Editing for Documentary Films
A discussion with Kate Amend (The Long Way Home, Jimmy Carter Man from Plains), Joe Bini (Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Grizzly Man), William Cartwright (The Making of the President 1960, Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision) and Brian Johnson (Buena Vista Social Club, Fighting for Life).
Wednesday, October 14 – Anne Coates: Profile of an Editing Master
A discussion with Coates, who received her first nomination and Oscar for Film Editing for Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Since then she has received four additional nominations, for Becket (1964), The Elephant Man (1980), In the Line of Fire (1993) and Out of Sight (1998).
Tickets for the entire Perspectives on Editing series are $40 for the general public and $30 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets for individual evenings are $10 for the general public and $7.50 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased by mail, in person at the Academy during regular business hours or online at www.oscars.org.
The Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater is located at 1313 Vine Street in Hollywood. For more information, call (310) 247-3600.
The English Patient was a really well edited film…as was Cold Mountain [regardless of what you think of the film].