Details
For the afternoon session of the Master Class we relocated to the intimacy of one of the computer labs at Harbour Centre. Once all twenty of us were settled at our systems Walter presented the group with the document he supplies to all the members of his editing “atelier”. It’s a detailed list of instructions intended to help people work in the “Murch style”, or at least allow them to better integrate their skills within his particular workflow and understand the requirements of his process. It begins, “Above all, remember you are telling a story…” and amongst other topics, covers note taking techniques, the need to identify the opening image, to be aware of “the ballet” inherent in the focus of attention, looking into the character’s eyes, and the ability to choose the last frame of a shot “on the fly”.
Once we’d stepped through instructions in the document, Walter showed us an example of his own notes, both the “love letter”, free association thoughts he makes during the first screening of the dailies, and the more detailed, “scientific” notes he takes while viewing “KEM” rolls in FCP. After that we were let loose on some outtakes from Cold Mountain—the scene we’d discussed in the morning—to view the footage and make our own notes. It was a fascinating process and it’s changed the way I view a task that I’ve undertaken many times.
Afterwards we discussed how this process was designed to offer a rare insight into both Walter’s methods and those of director Anthony Mighella.
A further gift from Walter was a copy of a Chuang Tzu poem:
Cook Ting was slicing up an oxen for Lord Wenhui. At every push of his hand, every angle of his shoulder, every step with his feet, every bend of his kneezip! zoop! he slithered the knife along with a zing, and all was in perfect rhythm, as though he were dancing to Mulberry Grove or keeping time as in Qingshou music.
“Ah, this is marvelous!” said Lord Wenhui. “Imagine skill reaching such heights!”
Cook Ting laid down his knife and replied, “What I care about is a tao which advances my skill. When first I began cutting up oxen, I could see nothing that was not ox. After three years, I never saw a whole ox. And now I go at it by spirit and do not look with my eyes. Controlling knowledge has stopped and my spirit wills the performance. I depend on the natural makeup, cut through the creases, guide through fissures. I depend on things as they are. So I never touch the smallest ligament or tendon, much less bone.”
A good cook changes his knife once a year because he cuts. A mediocre cook changes his knife once a month because he hacks. I have had this knife of mine for nineteen years and I’ve cut up thousands of oxen with it. Yet the blade is as good as if it had just come from the grindstone…“
Despite that, I regularly come to the end of what I am used to. I see its being hard to carry on. I become alert; my gaze comes to rest. I slow down my performance and move the blade with delicacy. Then zhrup! it cuts through and falls to the ground. I stand with the knife erect, look all around, deem it wonderfully fulfilling, strop the knife and put it away.”
The session concluded with some more questions from the class. We talked about his preference for FCP—it’s software based, more open than Avid, and he can have more stations for less money—and looked viewed pictures of his editing rooms from Cold Mountain. He told us a funny story about cutting with the sound off and his eyes closed whenever he feels stuck. He assured us that he recognised how strange that might seem, but apparently it works every time!
At the end of the session I waited to a lull in the stream of autograph hunters took a moment to introduce myself. Walter and I had opportunity to exchange emails in the middle of last week so he had a vague idea of who I was. I shook his hand and thanked him for his wonderful generosity over the last few days. It’s quite an experience to be able to learn from someone you admire so greatly, especially in that kind of proximity. I feel inspired to get to work and look forward to being able to apply all that I’ve learned.
1 Comments
“He told us a funny story about cutting with the sound off and his eyes closed whenever he feels stuck. He assured us that he recognised how strange that might seem, but apparently it works every time!”
HA ! i Knew it !
“Walter showed us an example of his own notes, both the “love letter”, free association thoughts he makes during the first screening of the dailies, and the more detailed, “scientific” notes he takes while viewing “KEM” rolls in FCP.”
That soudns very interesting, i would love know this process more, and especially how it changed and affected your workflow Jonathan.
… that is if the info is not only for the master class people..