Diving In Head First: The Pleasures And Perils of Editing

By Tessa Moran

We finally dove into editing. Head first would describe our efforts well, although I can imagine it’s simply impossible to carefully test the waters when it comes to editing. What pushed us off the starting block was an encroaching deadline for a grant we’ve had our eye on for some time. The grant funds would be used to help pay for post-production, including sound design, color correction, original music and consultation services.

The application required a number of components: up to three strong scenes from the film, two letters of interest from distributors/exhibitors, a detailed treatment, description of the film’s significance and dissemination plan, and an itemized budget. We began by working on the three scenes.

The first three scenes:

We had completed some rough editing, but we needed to fine-tune our footage so that it would demonstrate the style, pace, and subject matter of the film. We dedicated nearly every evening and weekend to the task. It was a slow and tedious process at first as we were overwhelmed by the breadth of our footage and the numerous characters and story lines we intended to include. Taking the advice of our academic mentor, we sought to focus on one character and one issue at a time. The advice seems straight-forward but it’s easy to wander into other themes and other characters when editing. At times I felt as if we should affix sticky notes to each other’s foreheads, so that we could remind ourselves of our intended focus.

The first scene we cut was of the “breakfast club,” the group of men that eat breakfast every day outside of the kibbutz kolbo (grocery store). We began the scene with shots of the tables being set with tablecloths, forks, napkins and utensils. Kathy, the owner of the kibbutz grocery store explains how the men, whom she calls the “refugees of the dining room,” approached her about serving breakfast when the dining room closed for that meal. We see the men as they each sit down, grab some vegetables and eggs and start creating Israeli salads.

This was one of the first scenes we shot, which was evidenced by the moments of shaky camera work, poor lighting and sound that we had to cut around. Fortunately we fixed our problems throughout the shoot, working with different angles, with and without the tripod, playing with exposure and depth of field. The variety lent to more options in editing. You really can’t underestimate the power that editing can have in making mediocre footage look fantastic.

The very last shot of the scene was nearly perfect. One of the oldest men, Hanan, straddles his ancient scooter and then drives away out of the frame. By fortune, the camera was perfectly positioned on the tripod, allowing for a smooth pan to follow his motion. Sometimes everything can be going wrong, but other times it feels as if the film gods are watching out for you.

The next scene shows Frankie driving Eli, a handicapped kibbutz member, to the hospital. Eli explains that nobody will drive him to the hospital because he was a jerk to many kibbutz members when he used to be in charge of the communal cars. Frankie still drives him however, because if he won’t take him, then no one will. The scene then transitions to Frankie sitting in his yard, explaining his philosophy of giving to others. Frankie’s words segue into a short scene of him strolling through the kibbutz graveyard, reflecting on the peaceful elements of communal living – but also noting that those elements are in danger as the kibbutz becomes more like the outside “dog eat dog” world.

We have a tremendous amount of footage of Frankie, which in total, reflect his character well. But because of the breadth and variety of footage, crafting a story arc without being visually and chronologically disjointed has been a challenge. We find ourselves unintentionally drifting towards thesis story telling: clear argument supported by visual evidence. As we sift through footage of Frankie, his character presents many contradictions. While his contradictions may not fall into a specific thesis, or argument, they are authentic to his character. But oftentimes, human intentions, ambitions and actions are not always clear-cut. In that way, the editing process has also been a lesson in human behavior.

The third scene introduces us to Yoram, the sous chef at the kibbutz dining room. He explains that he has been working in the dining room for over 20 years, even holding the honor of having the first wedding there. Shots of Yoram chopping vegetables and cooking play as he describes the rotating menu system of the dining room. All is not well in the kitchen however, as the scene ends with Yoram getting into a fight with the head chef of the dining room, who happens to be from outside the kibbutz. Yoram has no problem speaking his mind to the chef, and later relates the emotional toll that hiring outside workers has wrought on some kibbutz members. The scene brings to the forefront one of the key issues of the film: the kibbutz has changed, and as a result, some people have been burned.

Stay tuned for more updates on our progress.