by Nancy Jundi as first published via CinemaEditor Magazine
It’s not often that I get to write about one of my Cleveland brethren. New York, Chicago and Boston have long dominated the pool of industry folks I come across, with a bit of Philadelphia sprinkled in for good measure. There’s the rare Texan or Floridian to keep us all on our toes, but the Mid West is generally an under populated demographic in my personal experience. Few people know that Eliot Ness, famous for his role in bringing down Al Capone, was once Cleveland’s Director of Public Safety and (an unsuccessful) Mayoral contender. He turned our crime-ridden city into one of America’s safest during his tenure – a feat we could use again today. It’s his memoirs that gave us “The Untouchables”. Cleveland was the stop over point between New York City and Chicago for Capone and his gang. They would spend weeks hiding out and operating their syndicate in luxury hotels within the city. It gave Cleveland a streak of outlaw that never quite went away. We weren’t the capital of mafia crime, but we knew enough to walk a little differently than the quiet folks of Columbus and the moonshiners of Cincinnati.
Fitting then that Brian Scott Steele would be on a film like RUNNER, RUNNER. Released in September of this year, Steele reteamed with THE LINCOLN LAWYER (2011) crew of Editor, Jeff McEvoy and Director, Brad Furman. Bringing to life a modern day crime ring are stars Ben Affleck and Justin Timeberlake. Timberlake plays Richie, a Princeton student attempting to pay tuition with his online poker skills. When he realizes that the gaming site has cheated him, he travels to an island off Costa Rica where the site is hosted to confront its owner, Ivan (Affleck), only to find himself immersed in the corruption. When the FBI gets a hold of Richie, we’re in the midst of a Capone-like take down crime thriller.
Shot in Puerto Rico and Princeton, New Jersey on 35mm film, even the visual is something of a throwback. In practicality, however, we’ve gotten far more efficient with the reality of using film. “One highlight during Runner, Runner was flying to New York to screen the movie for Justin Timberlake. Unlike the old film days, I carried a DCP on the plane instead of big, clunky film reels.” And while handling the film itself is now more of a treat than just a labor of love, long hours will always be a part of the process. “I’ve been so fortunate to work with a fantastic crew of people on Runner, Runner. Working in post absolutely has its late nights and occasional stressful days, but when you’re surrounded by people who love their work, it gives you energy and brings out the best in the crew. I think this in turn brings out the best in the film, as well.” In theaters now, have a look for yourself and learn more about the man who captained First – meet Brian Scott Steele.
1. Where did you grow up and did that background lend to an interest in film or editing in particular?
I was brought up on the shores of Lake Erie in an eastern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, called Mentor. I loved going to the movies as a kid, but what really got me hooked on film making was the day dad brought home one of those huge VHS camcorders when I was 9-years-old. It was half my size, but I basically couldn’t put the machine down. I didn’t really know what editing was at that young age, but I used to experiment with in-camera tricks like jump cuts and the built-in fade to black option. I still have tall stacks of VHS tapes of the movies my friends and I would write and shoot. We had to do it totally in sequence back then!
2. How did you get your start in editing?
I was heavily involved in my college’s student film festival. At the time, my college was too small and didn’t have a film program, but one of the incredibly dedicated faculty members there started a film festival for the handful of us students who were passionate about film. Every spring, I would focus more on shooting and editing a short film than studying for exams or writing papers. Needless to say, I got much better grades every fall semester. I started on Adobe Premiere, and then switched to Final Cut Pro. It was the perfect time to experiment with the creative process of filmmaking and non-linear editing systems in particular. Don’t remind my old professors of the time I skipped an entire week of classes to edit my senior film! (In hindsight, totally worth it.)
After I moved to California, I got a job as a Post Production Assistant on a feature, and I remember thinking, “yep, this is where I need to be.” So I started learning the Avid and all of the different tasks that assistants do. The rest is history.
3. Is there one scene in television or film that you can remember having given you an appreciation for what an editor does?
When I first moved to LA in my early 20’s, I went to a film seminar on USC’s campus, and part of it was devoted to picture and sound editing. They showed a clip of the famous opening scene of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981). In the section where Alfred Molina’s character runs off with the gold idol and leaves Indiana without a way to escape, there’s a big stone door that’s closing vertically. While Indiana is hanging on for dear life, the door gets closer and closer to the ground. If you examine the scene closer, it takes much longer than real time for that door to shut, but it’s something I had never noticed before. I remember thinking to myself, “editing is freaking magic!” Just by examining that one scene, the brilliant editing of Michael Kahn, A.C.E., gave me the insight that editing is much more than getting your timing right. It can be about building suspense and revealing plot or character.
4. Is there something you’ve cut or worked on that you’re especially proud of?
I can’t pinpoint just one project I’m especially proud of. Each film I’ve worked on has given me so much insight to the creative process of editing. I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked on so many quality films so early in my career. All of the editors and assistants I’ve worked with have been incredibly gracious with passing on their knowledge to an eager, aspiring editor like myself. I’m proud to have made it this far already in my career.
5. Is there a scene in television or film that you would love to go back and put your own spin on or see the raw material?
One of the first films that I watched in college that blew my mind was Christopher Nolan’s MEMENTO (2000). It completely turned my idea of narrative story telling upside down; it’s a story told primarily in reverse order. I’m sure someone has already beaten me to this, but I’ve always thought it would be fun to re-cut it in chronological order and see how it plays. Then again, I don’t think anyone should touch that film since it’s such a well-crafted story. That ending is perfect!
6. What platforms are you familiar with?
I have solid knowledge of Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere Pro, with a little After Effects. RUNNER, RUNNER was shot on actual film. It was nice to work with film instead of digital simply for the fact that it’s becoming more and more rare.
7. Technically speaking, what have you found to be your system’s best feature?
I enjoy delving into more of the creative side of being an assistant editor. Once all of the organizing of dailies is done, I get into temp sound design and temp visual effects. This goes without saying, but I learned pretty quickly that you have to keep a large library of sound and music to enhance the picture. It gives the director or producers a better sense of what scenes will feel like when complete.
It might not be the most exciting feature, but Avid Media Composer is pretty seamless at organizing all of its media, so it’s easy to transfer sound and music files from show to show.
8. What feature are you hoping to see in the future?
I have not had the opportunity to work with Avid version 7 yet, but there’s a new feature called Frame Flex, which allows for better integration of hi-res media like 4K R3D files. It also supports putting a LUT on your clips, so you’ll have more control over color space. Any feature that makes it easier to work with digital media is a great addition to the software. I’m looking forward to even more integration with digital since it’s clearly the way the industry is headed.
9. Is there one person in the industry, living or dead, be it director, editor, or otherwise would you like to work with?
There are many talented folks in the industry I would love to work with, but the late Hal Ashby comes to mind. Not only did he win an Academy Award for editing, but he transitioned to directing and made some incredible films. I recently read a biography on the man, and he was a bona-fide rock star who continually tried to “stick it to the man.” The way he was dedicated to his work and filmmaking as an art form is inspiring to me, and I would have loved to sit next to him and watch him work in his beginning editing days.
10. What feature film, other than your own, are you really looking forward to?
There are so many stellar films coming out in 2013 that I’m looking forward to. I love Edgar Wright’s films and his Cornetto Trilogy, so I’m looking forward to THE WORLD’S END. And who doesn’t love the Coen brothers? INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS looks phenomenal, especially to a classic folk fan like myself. I’m also extremely excited about Peter Jackson’s new Hobbit movie coming out at the end of the year. I’m not afraid to admit I’m a big LOTR fan.
