Hula Post recently provided editorial systems, facilities and support to editor Melissa Kent for her work on Captive, Paramount Pictures’ new thrilling drama. Kent spent six months cutting the film at Hula’s Burbank facility, followed by an additional two weeks on Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood. Hula provided Avid workstations and storage at both sites.
Directed by Jerry Jameson (Last Flight Out) and starring David Oyelowo (Selma) and Kate Mara (House of Cards), Captive centers on Brian Nichols who captured national attention in 2005 when he broke out of a Georgia courthouse after killing a judge and three other people. He subsequently took Ashley Smith, a single mother, hostage and held her for several hours before surrendering to authorities.
The movie tells the story with gripping realism. The first minutes of the film, when Nichols makes his escape, features intense action with almost no dialogue. Much of the balance of the film occurs in Smith’s small apartment where the ratcheting anxiety is heightened by the flowing camerawork of cinematographer Luis David Sansans.
Kent enhances the dramatic tension with an editorial approach that is deliberate, but understated. “My job is to be responsive to the actors, and David Oyelowo and Kate Mara are amazing,” she observes. “Although playing a killer, David brought a deep humanity to Brian Nichols, and Kate was wonderfully subtle and expressive.”
“The film is very dynamic in the way it was shot; the camerawork is completely hand-held and constantly in motion,” Kent adds. “Once Brian takes Ashley hostage in her apartment, the camerawork heightened the frenetic energy of Brian, and contrasted well with the stillness of Ashley.”
Kent notes that the support she received from Hula Post freed her from technology concerns and allowed her to focus on storytelling. “Hula bends over backwards to make the environment very pleasant and conducive to creativity,” she says.
Kent, who reviewed historical records including the 9-1-1 call from the incident as part of her preparation, notes that the real-life events were always on her mind. “It’s an intense story and makes for an exciting, compelling movie,” she says, “and is all the more powerful and tragic because it is true.”
About Hula Post Production
For nearly 20 years, Hula Post has provided exceptional equipment rental services to the post production and broadcast communities. With offices in Burbank and West Los Angeles, we are the industry leader in customized workflow solutions. We offer a large inventory of editorial and finishing systems, storage solutions, and support gear, and we back it up with the most experienced and knowledgeable support team in the industry. Whether you need a single system or a complex, customized workflow to take you from production through post, we can provide you with the tools to meet your technical requirements, budget and production schedule.
For more information, visit http://hulapost.com.
