246 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Media

Deborah Hoff mann

Close-Up

Q

Did you have any early inspirations to use moving images to

communicate?

A

In college, I got very involved in still photography, and the one

connecting thing – other than liking working with images – was that

I got very involved with putting on exhibits, and I really liked thinking

through the order of the images, so that viewers can have a specifi c

type of experience going to the event. It took a while for me to get from

there to being involved in making documentaries, but that was where

it began.

Q

What were your initial steps professionally?

A

I began by volunteering as an assistant editor on a documentary. Th ey

got funding very quickly aft er I began, and there I was, I had a job. I

went from assistant editor to sound editor, and I was very determined

and very devoted, and I was able to start making deals, “I’ll be assistant

editor if you let me edit a scene.” Th at happened on one project, then

on the next project I edited enough scenes to be associate editor, and

then I was off and running and editing fi lm.

Q

What lessons did you learn from your early eff orts?

A

I remember very early on, when I was an assistant working with an editor,

he said to me, “You know, the relationship between the editor and the

director is more diffi cult than a marriage.” And I’ve always remembered

that, and there’s a lot of truth, not that it needs to be diffi cult, but it is a

very complicated relationship, and of course when I became a director,

now I’ve seen it from both sides. Directors are handing over their baby,

and that’s their point of view. And the editor feels like, “I can really

see what’s working and what’s not, and the director is too close to the

Behind the Scenes with Editor

and Director

Deborah Hoffmann, editor

on The Times of Harvey

Milk and the director of

Complaints of a Dutiful

Daughter and A Long

Night’s Journey into Day.

(Courtesy of Deborah

Hoffmann)

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