David Fincher’s Editor Reveals The Key To Make ANY Edit Work

TL;DR

Award-winning editor Kirk Baxter discusses his signature editing style, choreographing fight scenes, using music and sound editing, and working with director David Fincher.

Transcript

having prepared myself for this moment for so long I failed to believe that it would ever arrive she's doing all the verbal wrestling to try to get her way out of this situation and fast Bender is stonewalling her you don't want to Blink through that to talk about this Advanced Technique we brought in one of David Fincher's collaborators editor Kir... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎑 Kirk Baxter's editing style emphasizes intention and purpose in every scene, using shot selection and pacing to enhance storytelling.
• 👋 Choreographing a scene involves determining the best camera angles and shots to create a smooth progression of action.
• 😫 Music plays a crucial role in setting the editing rhythm and enhancing tension in a scene.
• 🧘 Editing scenes with extensive coverage requires careful selection of shots and a focus on eliminating unnecessary footage.
• 🦮 Voiceover can provide a guiding force in the editing process, dictating the pacing and flow of a scene.
• 👂 Vertical sound editing can create dynamic transitions and heighten the impact of certain moments.
• 🏣 David Fincher's filming style, which involves extensive coverage, gives editors like Baxter more creative freedom in post-production.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Kirk Baxter approach choreographing the fight scene in "The Killer"?

Baxter explains that the fight scene in "The Killer" was about the killer losing control, and it involved stretching shots and using handheld camera movements to signify a lack of control.

Q: How does Kirk Baxter use music to enhance tension in his editing?

According to Baxter, the choice of music in a scene helps dictate the editing rhythm. By syncing the editing cuts with the music's beats, tension can be built and released effectively.

Q: What challenges did Kirk Baxter face when editing scenes with extensive coverage?

Baxter mentions the difficulty of selecting the best shots and determining the intention of each scene. He tries to find the best pieces of dialogue and eliminate unnecessary footage to create a smooth and intentional edit.

Q: How does Kirk Baxter incorporate voiceover into his editing process?

Baxter emphasizes the importance of voiceover in guiding the editing process. He discusses the need to find the best delivery of each sentence and how voiceover can be edited to create a specific rhythm and pacing in a scene.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Kirk Baxter shares his experience working with David Fincher and discusses the editing style used in films like The Social Network, Gone Girl, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

• He explains how he choreographed the fight scene in the film "The Killer" and the importance of using music to enhance tension.

• Baxter discusses the challenges of editing scenes with extensive coverage and the use of vertical sound editing to create dynamic transitions.

• He highlights the importance of intention and purpose in editing, as well as the role of voiceover in guiding the editing process.