Jon Higgins, ACE, is a New York-based movie and tv editor identified for sequence resembling Search Social gathering, Emily in Paris, At House with Amy Sedaris, Broad Metropolis, Final Week Tonight With John Oliver and My Subsequent Visitor With David Letterman—the latter of which earned him an ACE Eddie Award nomination. His movie credit embody Your Monster and Griffin in Summer time. Higgins can be a author and producer.
Jon Higgins
One in all Higgins’ most up-to-date tasks is the FX miniseries Dying for Intercourse, which is nominated for 9 Emmy Awards. The present relies on a podcast of the identical identify, hosted by Nikki Boyer and Molly Kochan (finest pals and the primary characters within the sequence). It’s a real story a couple of lady (Molly), who, after being identified with Stage 4 breast most cancers, leaves her husband to embark on a journey of therapeutic and sexual awakening with the assistance of her finest buddy (Nikki).
Let’s hear from Higgins…
How early did you become involved?
I interviewed with co-showrunner Liz Meriwether about seven weeks earlier than principal pictures. It allowed me time to hearken to the podcast and watch a few of the completely different sequence that Liz and co-showrunner Kim Rosenstock had produced. I prefer to be as acquainted as I can with a showrunner’s or director’s earlier work, particularly when working with them for the primary time. It creates some reference factors that you’d in any other case solely get from having labored collectively earlier than.
How did you’re employed with the director? How usually had been they your reduce?
This explicit present was slightly completely different than typical. There was a directing change after one week of filming, so I needed to reduce collectively what was already shot and share that with the incoming director, Shannon Murphy, so she may see the fashion and tone of what the primary director was doing. It’s one factor for a director to verify their episode(s) really feel like a part of a sequence, nevertheless it’s one other factor to try this inside the identical episode, so there was a little bit of forwards and backwards sooner than typical. However our second episode collectively, Episode 6, was way more customary; I solely shared the episode as soon as I completed my editor reduce, after which we did notes remotely over Zoom.
Was there a selected scene, or scenes, that had been most difficult? And why?
Determining the place to open on the pilot episode was the largest problem. Initially it was scripted that we’d open on the character of Molly (Michelle Williams) having a panic assault, intercut with some racy sexual imagery. The visuals and sound design had been very fascinating and mysterious, however within the subsequent scene she tells her finest buddy, Nikki (Jenny Slate), that she’s dying. Whereas Nikki’s response to that information had some humor in it, general it simply set such a heavy tone for a comedy. So we switched across the order and ended up opening on the fourth scene, a ridiculous and humorous remedy session with Molly’s husband, performed by Jay Duplass, and performed the opposite scenes principally via flashback. Ordering it that approach signaled very clearly up entrance that the sequence is a comedy and that it was OK to giggle.
Inform us about your enhancing workflow?
I prefer to reread the taking pictures draft of a scene proper earlier than reducing it in order that I’m recent on any subtext which may not be apparent when simply watching footage. Then I’ll do a fast edit earlier than handing it off to my assistant editor for sound design and perhaps a pair different particular notes. I used to shine each scene earlier than shifting on, however I’ve discovered with expertise that when I see a scene in an meeting, I’m all the time going to alter it no matter whether or not I spend three hours or three days on that scene by itself. So it’s simply extra environment friendly to maneuver on earlier and save time on the again finish. I simply want it didn’t take me so many 20-hour days main as much as my editor reduce to determine that out.
What system did you utilize to chop and why?
We labored remotely from starting to finish, however as a result of there was a good quantity of nudity, we couldn’t simply have the footage at residence. As an alternative, we had been utilizing Soar Desktop to distant in to Mac computer systems working Avid Media Composer 2024 at PostWorks. For the notes course of, and safety, we used a mixture of Zoom to speak at residence and Sohonet’s Clearview for playback from the put up home laptop.
How did you handle your time?
To be fully trustworthy, I’m all the time engaged on this. The transition to working from residence has had its ups and downs. I’m often both working at 30% effectivity or 200%. I’m both in a psychological block or within the zone and pumping out scenes. After I’m within the purple, I’ll strive little methods, like setting a timer for me to complete a scene or — as considered one of my editor pals prompt as soon as — retaining a timecard in your desk and filling it out twice a day, after lunch and after wrap. It actually helps! I’ll add that I nonetheless flip in my cuts on time! I simply typically make it more durable on myself to get there.
Did you’ve got an assistant editor on this?
Sure, I labored with Leanna Castaldo for the primary time, and he or she was a blessing. She’s very desperate to study and soaks up each teachable second like a sponge. But in addition, she’s all the time proactively volunteering to assist with or do issues that I don’t even assume to ask for.
How do you handle producers’ expectations with actuality/what can actually be completed?
There’s no a technique to do that as a result of everybody has their very own persona. However as a very good start line, I attempt to by no means say “I can’t try this” with out following it up with “However I can do that…” I used to have this little fortune cookie-sized paper taped to my monitor that learn, “That’s a remark, not an answer.” It’s the identical concept. Saying you’ll be able to’t do one thing is a useless finish. Providing an alternate option to clear up an issue makes you extra beneficial as a problem-solver and collaborator.
How do you’re taking criticism? Do you end up defensive or accepting of different’s concepts (good and dangerous)?
I prefer to assume I take it rather well, nevertheless it’s all within the supply. If it’s constructive and artistic and within the spirit of discovery, I totally welcome it. Through the interview course of, earlier than I even take a job, I make it identified that the edit room needs to be a secure area, the place we’re free to strive issues and have discussions with out judgment or negativity. And I actually consider in attempting every thing. I labored on just a few exhibits with author/actor/comic Jon Glaser, and once we would get notes, he would usually learn a observe and say, “I don’t assume that’ll work however let’s simply strive it.” Generally we might be shocked, and different occasions, even when one thing didn’t work, it might result in a brand new concept that did. So I’ve taken that strategy with me to every thing I work on.
When somebody who’s beginning out asks what they need to study, what do you advocate?
Strive every thing, and by no means say “We are able to’t try this.”
