Commercial cutter, Fritz Feick, of Aftershock Digital L.A. recently edited EXPIRED starring Samantha Morton and Jason Patric which opened this weekend in New York to exceptional reviews.
New York Magazine raves, “The film is appallingly good In describing the film, Variety says, “The tightly scripted, well acted and notably art-directed tale follows a lonely vulnerable meter maid who falls into a comically horrific relationship with a colleague incapable of emotional intimacy.”
The NY Times claims that Samantha Morton is “close to perfect” and aptly points out that Jason Patrick is, “the living, walking, cursing embodiment of every bad boyfriend known to women.” Producers Fred Roos (“The Godfather,” “Lost in Translation”) and Jeffrey Coulter first hired Fritz to cut the trailer for EXPIRED, and within two days they secured their finishing funds. As a result, they hired Fritz to cut the picture.
Feick cut with first-time Italian director and Harvard grad Cecilia Miniucchi who wrote the off-beat comedy. Feick says, “Due to the strong internal landscape of the picture- people groping and stumbling in relationships, which are a mark of Minniucchi’s original style- we took extra care with each scene, visiting and revisiting every frame. The producers understood that the real challenge was to make the bleak emotional landscape appealing to an audience, and they gave us all the support we needed to get the picture just right– which included the added insights of editor Ann Goursaud.” The initial payoff was the enthusiastic response from festival goers at Sundance, Cannes and Shanghai.
Deep into the post process, Feick felt that the film could benefit from some added shots. As a result, he photographed hundreds of stills over ten days and nights throughout Los Angeles. By interweaving the abstract shots throughout the picture, including a staged car accident, Feick was able to enhance Miniucchi’s vision with added texture and scale.
In addition, Feick provided the sound design using Aftershock’s sound library and recording live sound using M-audio’s microtrack mobile digital recorder.
Feick’s previous feature work includes the #1 box-office hit, SAVE THE LAST DANCE, for Paramount Pictures, a film that also helped establish Julia Stiles’ career.
Feick also edited CHE, starring Eduardo Noriega (“Vantage Point,” “The Devil’s Backbone”) which releases this week on DVD at BLOCKBUSTER and retail chains throughout the States. The Spanish star Noriega electrifies in the title role of this story about Che’s fearless life, helping to lead a bloody socialist revolt that would shock the world. As is frequently the case, Feick also cut the trailer for the movie.
Fritz Feick is best known for his spots for Leo Burnett: the award-winning Reebok “Wall of Chang” and McDonald’s spots directed by Rupert Wainwright, and Nintendo’s “Virtual Boy” and subsequent “N” game spots helmed by Kevin Donovan of Reactor. Fritz has cut for such agencies as Saatchi & Saatchi, Grey, Ogilvy & Mather, McKinney + Silver, and Dentsu for clients: Toyota, Honda, Pepsi, Travelocity, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft.
Feick has also cut theatrical trailers for Disney, Miramax, and Sony. He has had a decade-long relationship with the Fox Network as an outside vendor, launching such hits as Malcolm in the Middle and Arrested Development, and providing strategic support in Sweeps seasons.
He has won nearly fifty awards in virtually every aspect of post: features (Slamdance, Sundance, Cannes), trailers (Promax award), docs (National Archives), music videos (Museum of Television) and spots (Clio finalist: ATT “Japanese” :60, and 8 Golds at the Houston Worldfest).
This summer, Aftershock Digital, which Feick founded, will be celebrating its 15th birthday– not a small feat when most indepdent editing firms have been swallowed up by corporate entities. This is a testament not only to Feick’s enbdurance, but his creative appeal, diverse talents, and high quality of service.
Fritz Feick was first brought to SHOOT readers’ attention by Mary Knox in June of 91: “Feick’s start in the advertising business was as a media planner at Ogilvy & Mather and then Grey Advertising, both in New York – not your usual spawning ground for either new editors or directors. After 18 months on the agency side, he left to attend film school at the New School for Social Research in New York, and then worked as an actor there – commercials, soaps, Off Off Broadway- before taking up editing and directing.”– Mary Knox/ SHOOT
