7 Directors, 7 Editors, 7 Writers...

Okays
I was in the post-production building for Regency Television at CBS. I was with the Assistant Editor for Bernie and Malcolm in the Middle (which films right next to Bernie and shares a lot of staff with Bernie. I really like the show, and particularly admire its creator Linwood) all day long, and boy was it an exciting day.

Why so? Well, for starters, I didn't expect to spend the full day with him. One of the big things interns are told is that we are in the way. College makes money out of teaching us. These places we intern at make money by doing work, not by teaching us. We are in the way, a hassle, that's all. And we need to be okay with being treated that way because we wish to learn. Hmm, I was definitely told this and while I recognize its value, I also think its a dangerous thing to teach people. It's a good thing to learn because it helps you prepare for the worst and sets your expectations prettttty low. Its dangerous because it sets your expectations too low and you never try hard enough to learn things. Just because you're not making them any money doesn't mean you cant help them make money tomorrow doing things they teach you. Plus, not everyone at work thinks this way. Think of the number of times you've taught people something, simply because they told you how much they admired the work you did, or showed you the common courtesy of asking nicely, or just were very polite and respectful, etc. So these are things we have to be and I find every single one of my employers teaching me things because I am respectful, out of the way, polite. Of course, they encourage me to be more "free" and "with the guys" but this technique - in my limited experience - quickly backfires because they don't teach other anything. There is too much ego involved. They do teach people who they do not see as a threat. It's simple, simple, simple.

Moving on, so I spoke to Marshall, the post-prod supervisor at Bernie, and I got him to get me on with the post-department, "just to see, and only for a little while". Well, he introduced me to the Asst. Editor Tom who was SO GODDAMN NICE, it was amazing. He just spent the WHOLE day with me, showing me stuff, and letting me into his world. He was editing on the Avid, which just sounds complicated but is just another Final Cut Pro. It was especially exciting because he edited five scenes of a Bernie Mac episode, and each of these scenes had been shot around me. This was cool because I had now seen the whole process full-circle: pre, prod and now post-prod. I knew how the shots were achieved, how they had been lit, shot, and why. And now I was seeing why those shots were going to be clipped and which of them would make it on TV.

When people say Television is a Writer's Medium, believe you me, they mean it. The Head Writers are usually the Executive Producers on the show. (PS: On the subject of producers, there are usually TONS on a TV show and that I found out is because big stars want big money, and by getting a producer's credit, they can justify a higher paycheck to the unions. This is why Lawrence Fishburne had a producer's credit on Akeelah, and this is why Bernie is a producer on The BM Show. You think he actually produces it??) Okay, so WARREN HUTCHERSON and PETER ARONSON are the two exec producers on Bernie and believe you me, these guys is who the show belongs to. They can override the writers, the directors, the producers, bernie, everyone. They can't do it outright, they are in a position to many many times, but they can always manipulate it. The final edits are checked by them, they assign directors to episodes, and Warren even directs himself. Linwood Boomer, on Malcolm in the Middle, does it all himself I'm told. He directs the actors, edits the show, dictatorially does a lot, reducing people in charge to mere puppets. While this is responsible for the way the show is (Word has it he has an unlimited clause on Malcolm, he can run for as long as he wants.. no holds barred, no interference from Fox), it could create a false and unsatisfying work environment. Something to think about....

So, I was with the editors and I just went through a whole bunch of stuff. The highlight of the day was seeing a messed up episode in its final form. Why is this the high point of the day? Because I learnt what a mess can be made when too many cooks are in the kitchen.. also, when people put egos ahead of the product. I don't know how much I can say without getting in trouble, but safe ot say that the episode could have been saved in the editing room, only it wasn't because the editors dont have control. Antar (the gaffer on Bernie Mac) calls television production: FILMMAKING BY COMMITTEEs.. and I couldn't say it better myself.

Note to self: Never let that happen. People are there to support a vision. Everybody has an awesome, amazing, unique vision, but there is room for only one.