Searching for the Ermahgerd Scene! - Day 6 of Editing Bite

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Final Cut Pro 7 timeline for Bite Master edit

EDIT PROGRESS

  • Scenes cut: 13
  • Running Time: 16:07 min
  • Hours of sleep on average: 5/day

At last, we are getting to the ooey-gooey stuff! After a weekend off catch up on sleep the rest of my work pile, we returned for Day 6 of Bite. And the further we go, the further into our protagonist's transformation we see. Which means one thing: more goo!

The second week of filming is an exciting time for me as the editor. Why? For two reasons:

1) By now production has gotten into it's stride and is working at full capacity(ish). My organization system has made its changes and now fits the production's needs, including the unexpected ones that pop up at the start.

2) This is usually when we see the appearance of the Ermahgerd Scene. That is a scene that the cast/crew are just DYING to see. A scene with a big special effect, a great dramatic performance between hero and villain, or a killer fight sequence.

Most directors stick to a rule of not allowing any other cast or crew to see the footage, unless they are giving strict permission to (like the DoP or exec producers). Then comes the Ermahgerd Scene. This gets the director's jollies off like nothing else. He/She simply must call other members of production in to see the fruits of their labour!

On Antisocial 2, the Ermahgerd scene occurred on Day 8. The director invited everyone to watch it over the course of the day, and he himself must have watched it about 20 times.

It's exciting to see one of the biggest moments of the movie mere days after filming it. Everyone leaves the edit room with a little more spring in their step. They know their efforts are paying off and are affirmed that the movie is going to work. This is the greatest effect I like to see from the work I do. Cast and crew (even the director) constantly work with that fearful voice in their head that says "What if this movie I'm working so hard on sucks?". The Ermahgerd Scene squashes that voice like a bug.

So I'm lying in wait now. The Ermahgerd Scene is close. I can sense it...