The Rough Cut

• The Studio

  Editor - Eric Kissack, ACE THE STUDIO editor Eric Kissack began journey his journey with series co-creator and star, Seth Rogen, on the Sasha Baron Cohen film, Bruno.  From there their partnership would continue, spanning projects like Sausage Party, Black Monday and others.  For their current project, they would be working closer than ever before, as Seth's vision for THE STUDIO necessitated Eric's presence on set, fostering a tighter creative process that brought editorial not only on location, but into aspects of prouction. THE STUDIO tells the story of Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of the floundering film production company Continental Studios. A self-described cinephile, Matt struggles to balance Continental's corporate aims in an increasingly IP-driven entertainment landscape with his own ambition to produce quality films. ERIC KISSACK, ACE Born and raised in New York City, Eric Kissack fell in love with movies when he went to see The Empire Strikes Back at the tender age of 4, a questionable parenting decision but a pivotal career moment. He spent every free moment after that watching films and went on to study film at Brown University. After school, Eric bumbled about for a bit but then got an early break as a film editor and spent 20 years cutting funny films in New York and Los Angeles. He had the pleasure of working on Role Models, Brüno, Cedar Rapids, The Dictator, Horrible Bosses 2, Daddy’s Home, Instant Family, Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar and Bottoms. In 2012, he directed his first feature, Love, Sex & Missed Connections, an independent comedy that won several festival awards including Best Narrative Feature at the Cleveland International Film Festival and the Special Jury Award for First Time Filmmaker at the Traverse City Film Festival. In 2014, he directed a short film called The Gunfighter that won over two dozen awards including the Audience Award for Best Short at the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival and was included in the 2015 Saatchi & Saatchi’s New Director’s Showcase at the Cannes Lions. In 2016, Eric decided to spend more time in television. He edited Black Monday, Rutherford Falls and Pam & Tommy among other shows. He was nominated for an Emmy for his work editing Veep and an ACE Award for his work editing The Good Place. Eric directed his first episode of television for the show Rutherford Falls on Peacock which premiered in June 2022.  He is currently working on a new television show for Amazon based on the Spider-Noir character starring Nicolas Cage. It premieres in 2026. The Credits Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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  50:30
• Monsters - The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

  Editor - Peggy Tachdjian, ACE MONSTERS editor Peggy Tachdjian will tell you that, in the world of television, few things are more daunting than delivering a true crime story that is both gripping and respectful. Her work on the second season of the Netflix series delves deep into the infamous tale of the Menendez brothers, weaving in elements of humor, trauma, and the complexities of the human condition.  Peggy gives us an insider's perspective on this challenging editing journey, her working relationship with co-creator Ryan Murphy, and the emotional landscape navigated throughout the project. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the second season of the American biographical crime drama anthology television series Monster, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan for Netflix. The season centers on the 1989 parricides of José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny), who were killed by their sons, Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch). It incorporates the Rashomon effect by presenting the story from multiple perspectives, with the brothers' viewpoint serving as the central narrative. PEGGY TACHDJIAN, ACE An Emmy Award-winning Lebanese-American film and television editor, most recently Peggy was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building.  With over 20 years’ experience editing across multiple formats and genres, Peggy began her career in documentary and unscripted before transitioning to scripted television and film. Some of her recent credits include Shrinking on Apple TV+, FX's American Horror Story, the Netflix hit Ratched, and the musical feature The Prom, starring Meryl Streep. She has also worked on many beloved reality shows like Project Runway, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and Born This Way, for which she earned four Primetime Emmy nominations for editing. In 2006 she won a Daytime Emmy for her work on NBC’s Starting Over. The Credits Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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  47:06
• Thunderbolts

  Editors - Harry Yoon, ACE and Angela M. Catanzaro, ACE THUNDERBOLTS editors Harry Yoon and Angela M. Catanzaro each gained a whole new appreciation for production crews, having spent considerable time themselves cutting on-set and as a integral part of the process. Harry reflects on his previous working relationship with director Jake Schreier on Beef and how he came on board for THUNDERBOLTS.  Angela also shares her excitement about joining the MCU after working on the feature film Prey. The editors delve into the collaborative process and the importance of depicting mental health themes, and also touch on the critical balancing act of creating a film that feels both intimate and action-packed. The discussion includes the unique musical approach of involving the composers early in the production and the nuances of fine-tuning comedic timing in the edit. Directed by Jake Schreier from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, THUNDERBOLTS* is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  The story follows former black widow Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) as she carries out deadly operations for CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). De Fontaine faces imminent impeachment for her work with O.X.E. Group, so she dispatches Yelena, John Walker, Ava Starr, and Taskmaster to a covert O.X.E. facility under the pretense of a special assignment. Once there, they find themselves ensnared in a death trap, uniting the unconventional team of antiheroes as they take on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. HARRY YOON, ACE THUNDERBOLTS* marks Harry's second stint in the MCU with the first being Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).  Immediately prior to his work on that film, Harry was being lauded for his work with director Lee Isaac Chung on the Oscar®-nominated film, Minari (2020).  Harry’s other work includes the films The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019), First Man (2018) and Detroit (2017). ANGELA M. CATANZARO, ACE Angela Catanzaro is a Los Angeles-based Emmy and Eddie Award-nominated editor who works in both television and feature films. Angela is a member of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Motion Picture Editors Guild, American Cinema Editors, and serves on the editing faculty at the American Film Institute.  Prior to THUNDERBOLTS*, Angela worked on the film Prey (2022) and such TV shows as Suits and The Man in the High Castle. The Credits Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs Listen to Harry talk about MINARI and SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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  56:05
• The Pitt

  Editors - Mark Strand ACE, Joey Reinisch, Lauren Pendergrass and Annie Eifrig In this episode, we explore how THE PITT editing team of Mark, Annie, Joey, and Lauren navigated the unique challenges of cutting this intense medical drama. From their experiences working with producer John Wells to dealing with emotionally charged scenes, they reveal their techniques for maintaining authenticity and managing the show's fast-paced environment. They also share their personal connections to the material and how they balance relentless action with powerful storytelling. Created by R. Scott Gemmill and executive produced by John Wells and Noah Wyle, THE PITT follows an emergency department staff as they attempt to overcome the hardships of a single 15-hour work shift at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. They do this while having to navigate staff shortages, underfunding, insufficient resources and a handful of rats run amok in the ER. Each episode of the season covers approximately one hour of the work shift. MARK STRAND, ACE Mark Strand is a Los Angeles-based editor with 25 years of experience in scripted drama, comedy, and procedurals, as well as long format documentaries, reality television, clip shows, news programs, television commercials, and everything in between.  Past projects include ANIMAL KINGDOM, RIZZOLI & ISLES and SHAMELESS. JOEY REINISCH Joey Reinisch is a seasoned editor known for his work on "Better Call Saul," with extensive experience in editing various genres including one-hour films, features, drama, dramedy, and horror. LAUREN PENDERGRASS Editor and director Lauren Pendergrass is known for her work on NEW AMSTERDAM, MAYANS MC and THE SONS OF ANARCHY. ANNIE EIFRIG Annie fell in love with editing at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Since then she’s worked with a wide variety of directorial talents, always striving to bring an internal vision to the screen.  Past projects include MAID, BETTER THINGS and TOO OLD TO DIE YOUNG. The Credits Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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  1:00:11
• Severance

  Editors - Geoff Richman ACE, Joe Landauer, Keith Fraase ACE The Severance editing team of Geoff Richman, Joe Landauer and Keith Fraase discuss their experiences and creative processes for the hit show's second season. They talk about their initial impressions of the project, preparation to join the show, and specific challenges in editing various episodes. Highlights include creating complex montages, handling visual effects, maintaining geographic and narrative coherence, and managing ambitious scenes like Mark's dual-dialogue via a DV camera. They also discuss the excitement of uncovering scripts and scenes as the series progresses. Created by Dan Erickson and exec produced (and often directed) by Ben Stiller, SEVERANCE follows employees at the biotechnology corporation Lumon Industries who have undergone "severance"—a medical procedure that ensures they retain no memories of the outside world while at work and have no recollection of their job once they leave. This results in two distinct personalities for each employee: the "innie", who exists solely within Lumon, and the "outie", who lives their personal life outside of work. GEOFF RICHMAN, ACE Geoffrey Richman, ACE, is a picture editor known for his work on both scripted and unscripted film and TV. Earlier credits include work on documentaries such as Murderball and Sicko, as well as documentary series such as Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. Geoffrey is also known for his work on the documentary The Cove, in addition to his editing work for Mike Birbiglia’s comedy specials Thank God For Jokes and The New One. Additional credits include work on scripted mini series such as Escape at Dannemora. Most recently Geoffrey has worked on 2020’s Tiger King, Til Kingdom Come, as well as Palmer for Apple TV+. JOE LANDAUER Joe Landauer is an editor known for Signs (2002), Time Cut (2024) and Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between (2022) KEITH FRAASE, ACE Originally intending to be an actor, Keith Fraase fell in love with behind-the-camera work while at the University of Texas at Austin. Then he thought he wanted to be a cinematographer, but eventually fell into an apprentice editor job with Sandra Adair, ACE, to replace a friend who was leaving that position on Elvis and Annabelle (2007). Since then, he has worked on projects such as This the Night, Naomi Osaka, and Past Lives, for which he was nominated for an ACE Eddie Award.  The Credits Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

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