But the cutting room has always welcomed a woman’s firm hand, whether old school “cutting neg” or manipulating top-of-the-line digital equipment. The would-be helmer soon became a celebrated doyenne of the world editing community, subject of academic analysis of the “Anne Coates style,” a concept about which she claims to have no clue.
6 comments:
I wish that this article was longer! This is such an interesting area of the film industry that I had not been exposed to. I had no idea that women in the editing room was an area of debate. This was article never really went into detail on the topics it brought up. I was particularly interested in the part of the interview when Coates talked about why women are successful in the editing room. I wanted to badly to hear more about what she thought of it. It is great to hear that women are gaining recognition of their work. It saddens me, however, that we still lack media coverage of our work and awards.
I think it’s interesting that Anne Coates says that one of the keys of being an editor is having courage in your convictions. I think all too often, we get discouraged and disillusioned when people do not like or agree with us. We can get bogged down by the critique and let it ruin the next project. We need to maintain the courage in ourselves to continue. It is our belief that we can find a way that helps to power the next project. I also find the idea of being too close to see an error interesting. Often times, an outsider's perspective can put the situation in perspective. It’s great that people like Anne Coates give advice out like this. Her advice is not only applicable to film editing but to life in general. I hope that other artists continue to follow this example. I’m looking forward to her new project, the cowboy movie.
I remember reading an article on the green page last year about the editor of the film Mad Max: Fury Road. She is the wife of the director, and the article highlighted the fact that females cut action movies differently than men because they switch the focus from the action of the scene to the people within it, making for a richer story. It also highlighted the sexism in movies where women on screen are edited in the sexiest way possible, and a female who is unconcerned with the sexiness of the star would edit her differently.
I am very interested in film editing, so this article makes me very excited. The fact that women are coveted for this position and rewarded gives me hope for a future career and even for other women.
Anne Coates reminds me of the kind and bubbly grandmother I never had. I can imagine working a a cutting room under her tutelage, and having a grand old time, even managing to forget how anxious film editing makes me. Her wonderful personality notwithstanding, I imagine that Anne, a true trailblazer of her craft, may not have noticed all the glass ceilings she obliterated, as she picked up Oscar after Oscar. Indeed, even though editing may not have been her original ultimate goal, Anne Coates has managed to carve such a footprint for herself that, as this article references, she has been the subject of academic inquiry.
I think that now, especially, given light of the events of the past week, it's more important than ever to lift up and empower women, who are confronted every day by the reality of workplace harassment, sexism, and discrimination. Stories like this provide me with hope for the future of women in the arts. If Anne Oates could make it through, there's no reason I can't claw my way up.
Sometimes it seems as though editors - no matter the medium - have the most difficult job. They must ride the line between trimming "the fat" and not stepping on toes, when the two can frequently be one and the same. This particular case reveals an interesting take on a perceived "women's role" in film, acknowledging a temperament trait (though one perhaps over generalized) that qualifies women to be editors moreso than men. It is interesting then to note how even here, in a capacity that might be better suited to a woman than a man, male praise seems more highly valued than a woman's opinion. So too, the stark surprise present in David Lean's comment on Coates' work speaks volume about the consistently underestimated abilities of women.
Separately, Coates' comment on abiding by and believing in one's convictions is critical, as is her perspective on serving the story over the director. Sometimes it seems the people politics overwhelm the very thing they came to do.
I always enjoy reading articles focused around people who are extremely successful. They make it seem so easy. Like Mary Frances, I too wish this article was longer. I feel Anne Coates has so much to say about her career. As an Oscar nom, and one of the first successful female editors she proves to be the anomaly. I want to hear all that she has to say and feel that her artistry and contributions to film should be celebrated more in this article.
I am sad that we are still reading and writing about the successes of women as though they are unexpected. I so long for the day that all genders can be seen as equal, and therefore, not seen at all.
When I think of powerful, when I think of patience, when I think of details I think of my mom and because of that Anne Coates ideals ring true.
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