by Nancy Jundi as originally published by CinemaEditor Magazine
Assistant Editor David Raymond is one of those rare finds that knows how to pull your butt out of a fire while you’re ablaze, and can make you laugh as he’s putting out the flames on your hind parts. It makes sense that the guy’s resume reads like a mix of both over the top comedies and big time VFX shows. Currently, Raymond is wrapping up his second Farrelly Brothers comedy, Hall Pass, with Editor Sam Seig. The movie, starring Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Appelgate and Jenna Fischer, is about married men receiving a “hall pass” from their wives which allows them to act on their fantasies about other women. Rick (played by Wilson) doesn’t want to use it, but Fred (played by Sudeikis) won’t hear of it. “Women have achieved their dreams,” says Fred. “They loved playing house and easy bake oven, we gave them that.” He then turns to Rick, “I don’t see you hosting wheel of fortune.”
After nearly 20 years of filmmaking, the Farrelly’s have a pretty good science down. “The Farrelly’s comedies are script driven,” explained Raymond. “Hall Pass was finally tuned by the time they started shooting. There was some improv, but not much. The actors mainly stuck to the script.” The production filmed in Atlanta where both editorial and many of the sets could be facilitated by moving into a huge complex that was formerly an AT&T warehouse. “It was a big enough to house all of the production departments as well as several sets,” said Raymond. “On the days they shot in house, we were able to nail down several key scenes in between camera set-ups. Editor Sam Seig was able to keep up with camera, so there wasn’t much of a sweat pulling together a first cut for them. During production Pete and Bobby usually look at dailies on set. Sam works off notes from the set and from daily conversations he has with Pete and Bobby. During the shoot P&B [Peter and Bobby] would come into the cutting room together as well as separately.”
The two director dynamic has always seemed to have both it’s up sides and drawbacks, but the Farrelly’s seem to find a great strength in numbers. “During the director’s cut the boys like to bring on a second editor” explained Raymond. “On Hall Pass it was Larry Madaras. Having worked on most of their films, Larry is a familiar face to the Farrellys. Both directors enjoy having a second editor onboard during the director’s cut. By having two editor’s working in close proximity to each other the director(s) are able to move back and forth between the two. They’ll start working a scene with Sam. After suggesting changes they move on to the second editor where they have a whole other scene in progress. While they are working with the second editor, the first editor is fine-tuning and making the desired changes. This approach works nicely for everyone. The Directors don’t have to sit and wait while the Editor makes changes and the Editor doesn’t have the added pressure of someone looking over his shoulder wondering how long the changes are taking.”
As you’ll see from some of Raymond’s Who’s on First answers, the guy has a love for comedy and the timing that helps make with the funny. It seems like a natural fit to have him in on the Farrelly action. “This is only my second film with them so I’m kind of the new guy,” said Raymond “however, it doesn’t feel that way. The Editor, Sam Seig, has worked with the Farrellys since Kingpin. Just like Pete and Bobby, Sam is totally supportive as well as open to any and all ideas. I went to him with several scenes I wanted to tackle. And his response was ‘Well, you better get busy then’”.
1. Where did you grow up and did that background lend to an interest in film or editing in particular?
I grew up in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, which is small college town outside of Philadelphia. There is an old movie theater in Bryn Mawr, which catered to college students. In the early seventies there was a resurgence of interest in the old black and white classic films. It was there that I found Bogie, Cagney, Jimmy Stewart and Errol Flynn. It was here, too, that I developed an obsession with the Marx brothers. I bought all their books and movie scripts. Anything I could find. I wrote Groucho when I was eleven years old asking for an autograph. I was a fan of Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, etc. but something about Groucho and his rapid-fire delivery captivated me. The delivery of lines seemed as if ad-libbed, but the truth was something completely different. The Marx brothers spent years in Vaudeville perfecting their comedic timing. By the time someone managed to capture them on film the timing had become second nature to them.
2. How did you get your start in editing?
After college I managed to get an Assignment desk job at a TV station in Richmond, Virginia. Part of the job was editing news, as well as sports for the Nightly News. I also worked as a cameraman doing live shots and flying around in helicopters. I moved back to Philadelphia and did the same thing at a CBS station for several years
It was exciting work but it wasn’t what I really wanted to do. Hollywood was calling and I had to give it a try. I moved to California in 1992 and was very fortunate to hook up with a group of assistants and editors who took the time and helped me find my way.
3. Is there one scene in television or film that you can remember having given you an appreciation for what an editor does?
We lost a great Editor recently in Sally Menke. She was the editor on all of Quentin Tarantino’s films. On many of their films they have these wide-angle shots that go on forever. For instance there is a wide shot of the back of Ving Rhames head in Pulp Fiction that holds for almost half the scene. Reservoir Dogs has some memorable lengthy shots, as well. There’s a lesson there. Just because you can cut to a different angle, doesn’t mean you should… Or at least not right away!
4. Is there something you’ve cut or worked on that you’re especially proud of?
Rosewood. It was the first union movie I worked on as an assistant film editor. Most of the stuff I’ve worked on has been silly Hollywood fare. What happened to that town was real.
5. Is there a scene in television of film that you would love to go back and put your own spin on?
I’d re-cut the entirety of The Big Lebowski. Don’t get me wrong; I wouldn’t change a frame of their cut. I’d just like to go through all the dailies and play around. It’s a kid in a candy store thing.
6. What platforms are you familiar with?
My first job as an assistant editor was on a Moviola show. Most editors at the time had moved on to the Kem, however, the Editor I landed with preferred the Moviola. He let me cut a scene, which was pretty cool for me at the time. I think it was ultimately cut from the movie. Perhaps that’s why he gave it to me to cut. I then worked on several film shows that were cut on a Kem. I continued working with film on Lightworks and Avid shows syncing dailies and prepping them for telecine. Back in those days all audience screenings were still done on film so there was a film dept working in tandem with the Avid assistants. I picked up the Avid after a few shows. As far as FCP goes, I’ve worked with it before but never on a show. I’m an Avid guy.
7. Technically speaking, what have you found to be your system’s best feature?
I love the timecode burn in effect. Any assistant who has been around for a while will tell you the same
8. What feature are you hoping to see in the future?
I’d like to be able to export HD Quicktimes faster in multiple codecs with multiple burn-ins all at the same time. No more renders. Oh and a pony, too.
9. Is there one person in the industry, living or dead, be it director, editor, or otherwise would you like to work with?
Charlie Chaplin. As a director, he’d show his actor’s what he wanted them to do by acting out each one of their parts. That would have been cool to see.
10. What upcoming film, other than your own, are you looking forward to?
True Grit. Jeff Bridges and the Coen Brothers.
