As reported in this week’s issue (see story, p. 7), the Trailer Park Festival—which was launched last year by the Chicago chapter of the Association of Independent Creative Editors (AICE)—is extending its national reach to both coasts.
The first two annual Trailer Park Festivals in Chicago attained their goal of gaining recognition for the editing prowess of assistant editors, affording them the chance to craft and cut spec trailers for feature films. The third annual fest in Chicago is set for next year.
The AICE’s New York chapter is currently finalizing plans to hold its first annual Trailer Park Festival, probably during the first quarter of 2004. And the Los Angeles chapter has just successfully concluded its inaugural Trailer Park competition, with five assistant editors topping a field of 36 entrants who submitted trailers for The Matrix, which garnered the best editing Oscar for Zach Staenberg in ’00.
Taking first place at the Los Angeles chapter event was assistant editor Wren Waters of Brass Knuckles, Venice, Calif. Tied for second were Meg Decker of Brass Knuckles and Charlie David Lee of Rock Paper Scissors, Los Angeles. Fourth place went to Justin Amure of Terminal, Santa Monica. And fifth place was earned by Adam Epstein of Red Car, Santa Monica.
National AICE president Steve McCoy, a principal in FilmCore, which maintains editorial houses in Santa Monica and San Francisco, described the festival as "an affirmation by the AICE about the importance of helping to bring along up-and-coming talent. It’s about giving assistant editors a forum to be recognized in, to have their work reviewed by seasoned editors who can offer constructive critiques," he said. "The competition is a blue-sky opportunity for assistants to push themselves creatively. They’ve been afforded the complete freedom of a trailer maker—they can shape and design the work in the manner they see fit, utilizing footage from the feature and introducing graphics, color changes and sound design, and choosing music they feel is appropriate."
During the Los Angeles chapter’s Trailer Park Festival screening and celebration, McCoy read to attendees a letter from Staenberg, who couldn’t be on hand for the event because he was in postproduction on The Matrix Revolutions.
McCoy said that Staenberg’s expression of support for new editing talent was greatly appreciated by the AICE and aspiring cutters.
Staenberg wrote: "On any film I edit, I tend to get completely immersed, because I love my job and I can only see countless possibilities. It was particularly easy to feel that way on The Matrix. I had really great material and collaboration with the Wachowski brothers. The movie is a cluster of great contemporary ideas and complex storytelling realized through editing.
"You’ve got a tough job," he continued. "You must bring these ideas to moviegoers in a short form. Hopefully, in addition to tantalizing with story, you can communicate some of the unique filmmaking ideas. When you do this well, film editors and directors love you. When you don’t … well, tonight is probably not a good time to elaborate on that. Sometimes you get great material, sometimes pretty mediocre. But you always rise to the occasion and make something exciting. That’s what it means to be an editor. Congratulations to all of you for making it here tonight. I look forward to seeing your work in my future."
