TELEVISION/EPISODIC
"Hollywood Safari"
EDITOR/ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Filmed on the picturesque Sable Ranch in Antelope Valley, this series about a family of Hollywood animal trainers was a lot of fun to work on. Besides editing the first three episodes, I ended up shooting 2nd unit shots -- sometimes from the back of a motorcycle -- and also directed a few scenes with the principals.
As with "Little Heroes," the real trick as an editor was to create the illusion that humans and animals were interacting with each other. The scene below relied on several unrelated elements, which, when joined together, worked to achieve this effect.
The scene features Peter, the youngest son on the show, investigating eccentric Uncle Barnaby's circus trailer. Informed that a "haggis" -- a mythical Scottish creature -- may be inside, Peter becomes curious, and decides to investigate. To help build the drama, I first found some shots of the boy's pet monkey -- intended for another episode -- and used some of his antics to provide amusing and frightened reactions.
I then found a closeup of the family dog barking at something in the distance -- a shot taken from the "Hollywood Safari" movie, filmed several years earlier in 35mm (the series was shot in 16mm). Next, I borrowed a shot from Uncle Barnaby's introductory scene earlier in the episode -- a closeup of the trailer featuring the "Barnaby's Animal Circus"sign, seen above -- slowed it down and reversed it, and used it as Peter's P.O.V.
This is merely one example of how storytelling takes shape in the cutting room, and how an editor often combines different elements and blends them into a cohesive, dramatic whole... or tries to!
