Angle On: Rebecca Gwynne, Director and Editor

"Rebecca has proven an ability to do it all - write, direct and edit. In Hollywood, everyone claims they're a hyphenate; Rebecca's never said any such thing, but her work speaks for itself."
Brian Graden
President of Entertainment: MTV, VH1, LOGO

This month Kathleen Harty sits down with Rebecca Gwynne, CineWomen NY members and Director and Editor.

You work as a director and editor. How does one inform the other?

Using an editor's eye on set helps to make me a more efficient and precise director. Also learning from my editing clients' choices has helped me make more informed decisions as a director - from storyboarding to confidence on set. I think being a director helps me to be a better storyteller in the edit room and helps me to better understand other directors. I can look at their shot list or script-notes and understand the logic behind their setups - which makes it easier for me to piece their stories together. Sometimes directors just want to commiserate in an edit room and discuss their shoots. I can jump right into that conversation - be sympathetic to their struggles and support their successes.

What do you think are the most important traits in a good director and in a good editor?

I think the most important trait in a director is the ability to communicate. A director is the person on set that holds a singular creative vision. It is his/her job to take that vision and communicate it to all the people involved so that everyone is collaborating towards the same goal. It's also important for a director to surround herself with people who are very talented and dedicated. Then she can focus on the tasks at hand and spend less time putting out fires. There are so many facets that go into being a strong director - from time management to story telling to working with actors, set designers, light, lenses, wardrobe - the list goes on and on. It all goes back to trusting your vision, and confidence in the talent you have surrounded yourself with.

I think a great editor is someone who can listen really well - to the director, the story, the dialogue, the rhythm of the cuts and the music. Editors also need a keen memory and a sharp visual sensibility. An editor should be the invisible glue that holds the story together. It is a complicated job that can be under-appreciated by the industry because - when a story is done well - people don't usually think about the editor. They see what the editor and director want them to see - the story. I've noticed that sometimes, with smaller productions, all the money is allocated for the shoot and post is an afterthought. Good story telling, like any art, takes time to craft. If the appropriate time and resources are allocated to the edit, the final product will greatly benefit.

Tell us about your film school background and how did you break in at MTV?

I've been involved in entertainment almost my whole life. I started out in musical theater as a kid, went to Stage Door Manor at the age of nine, and by the time I was fourteen, I was performing with the North Shore Music Theatre in Massachusetts. I went on to a performing arts boarding high school, with a major in acting. Due to an illness, I ended up moving back in with my parents and going to the public school there. The theatre teacher I had at that school encouraged me to try my hand at directing as I was a very opinionated (and overly outspoken) actor. By the time I got to the Rhode Island School of Design, I was well prepared for a major in film. RISD was great for me - the classes were small and we got to do everything - write, direct, edit, shoot. I learned the AVID and started working for a broadcast design company to help pay for my films. I also worked as a PA on as many shoots as possible - including the Shoa Foundation and an indie feature. I also shot weddings for additional income. All of this experience was incredibly helpful and I encourage all young filmmakers to take on as many different types of projects as they can.

MTV actually came to my department at RISD to recruit when I was a senior. The recruiter was from MTV On-Air Promotions. He told me that he thought I was talented and to call him when I got out of school. He wisely suggested that I would fair better at MTV with more experience. When I graduated, I worked freelance for about a year and got the opportunity to direct, shoot and edit a documentary. I used that doc as my calling card, and was hired to work in the Promos department as a producer/editor. Seven years later, I am still working with MTV, but not exclusively.

Who are your heroes and mentors? Favorite editors? Favorite directors?

I admire so many people. People who can tell an incredible story (M. Night Shyamalan, Alfred Hitchcock), who can move me (Sidney Lumet, Cameron Crowe, Mike Nichols, Richard Kelley), seduce me visually (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Herve Schneid), people who have pushed the envelope within the industry (Jean Luc Goddard, David Lynch), the women who have made it possible for the next generation of women to work more easily within the industry (Amy Heckerling, Penny Marshall, Sally Menke, Judy Mcgrath, Sherry Lansing), and my mentors Christina Norman and Brian Graden who have believed in me since my early days at MTV.

You work in docs, promotions and fiction. What have you learned from each and what are your future goals?

I think working in different areas of film essentially requires the same muscles. Storytelling is number one - find the story and hold onto it. Every decision I make - whether I'm directing a narrative, documentary or commercial - is based on bringing the story to life and working towards making that story clear to an audience. People skills are essential in all three worlds. Working with "real" people in a documentary, is very similar to working with actors. Real people just have less training and can sometimes be nervous in front of the camera. But whether it's an actor or man on the street, I have learned that a director's job is to make the talent feel safe. Let them know that you have their best interest at heart. After all, we're working towards the same goal, making him/her look credible on film. Preparation and organization are also key in all worlds of filmmaking. I think sometimes documentary filmmakers just wing it in an effort to get something verite. I have found that the more time I spend in pre-production - interviewing people before the cameras are involved, scouting, etc. - the more I get out of my shoot days and the more trust I have from the people I'm documenting.

My future goals: to direct and edit feature films and long form narrative television. I would also like to continue making the occasional documentary, (I have three currently in various stages of development) as I feel they are an incredible tool for educating people about issues that need to be addressed, and can be produced more quickly and with less resources than narrative productions.

What are your words of advice for people just entering the job market as editors?


Be humble. Be hardworking. Be diligent. Be willing to learn. Be quietly opinionated. Be observant. Read everything you can.

What's your advice on moving into directing at companies like MTV?

Same as above. And do as many projects as you can. Volunteer when you're young, work as a PA, an intern, whatever. Just learn, get experience, figure out what you excel in, what you like and what you don't, and meet as many industry people as possible. Be nice to everyone.


How have you financed your short and what have you learned if you produced it yourself?

I financed my short by working in the industry, saving money, and working with industry friends. I did executive produce Zoe's Day. I learned more than I could have imagined producing Zoe - from opening an LLC, the cost of production insurance, the pros and cons of shooting in one's own apartment, the importance of a great 1st AD (especially when you're shooting short days), the red tape surrounding public spaces, learning html to build my own web site, to sales reps and the festival system.


Where are you at in getting your feature off the ground - no pun intended.

The Wingmaker, a feature about a young man dealing with his mortality, is my first feature length screenplay, and I am committed to getting it produced. At the moment I am looking for financing and hoping that Zoe's Day will help me with that. I'm also helping my cousin finish a screenplay, Control, about young people living in a homeless shelter post-Katrina. I am eager to direct both scripts.


Do you plan on editing the pieces you direct or working with an editor? Why?

I would like to work with a second editor on features that I direct. I have seen that it is extremely helpful having a proficient editor assemble dailies during the shoot. Should any major story holes or continuity gaps occur - they can be spotted before the production has wrapped. I would like to be able to walk into the edit after shooting with an assembly completed. Then I can roll up my sleeves, and settle in for a good few months of editing. When I'm working on a piece that I have written or co-written, directed, and often produced, it can be hard to get perspective in the editing room. I sit down to the AVID with a very clear objective, carve that out quickly, and then need to step back, and let others give me feedback. It all goes back to surrounding yourself with talented people whose creative sensibility you trust. When you have that, a great story, and confidence in yourself, amazing things can happen.

Profiled by Kathleen Harty, who needs a great young actor who can pull off a Bowie/Iggy Pop level performance for her next film. Please email if you know one!