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“We Could Really Be Quite Merciless in the‬ Edit”: Editor Jennifer Vecchiarello on East of Wall

A blonde woman with heavy black eyeliner and a black tank top stands amongst brown horses.East of Wall, courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Premiering in the festival’s NEXT section, this hybrid film from filmmaker Kate Beecroft follows Tabitha Zimiga, a horse trainer who houses wayward women in her remote Badlands ranch. As she provides shelter and guidance for her oft-teenage house guests, Tabitha also grapples with the recent death of her husband and mounting financial peril.

Editor Jennifer Vecchiarello answers our questions about her collaboration on East of Wall below.

See all responses to our annual Sundance editor interviews here.

Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and‬ attributes that led to your being hired for this job?‬

Vecchiarello: I had been hearing about the incredible world and work of Tabby and Porshia for years,‬  because my dear friend and agent, Melanie Ramsayer, had been working with Kate‬ Beecroft on developing the project for quite some time. Mel is a champion and lover of‬ horses, and was integral to the film, so when she told me about it I just knew I wanted to‬ be immersed in the world. Then I got to meet Kate and was blown away by her vision‬ and instincts; I was thrilled to be able to be part of the team.‬

Filmmaker: In terms of advancing your film from its earliest assembly to your final cut, what were‬ your goals as an editor? What elements of the film did you want to enhance, or preserve, or‬ tease out or totally reshape?‬

Vecchiarello: This was an interesting editorial process, because the majority of the scenes are filmed‬ entirely with non-actors, playing themselves. Which has its challenges of course, but‬ also significant rewards. Kate worked for years with the cast, building relationships and‬ trust with everyone before shooting a frame. As a result, she was able to capture some‬ of the most naturalistic performances I have ever worked with. So all throughout the‬ process, our goal was to lean into anything that felt real, authentic, and true—and‬ conversely, if we ever felt our characters weren’t being their true selves, or were feeling‬ the presence of the camera, we pulled back. We could really be quite merciless in the‬ edit; Kate wasn’t afraid to let go of things that didn’t meet the bar of authenticity that she‬ had set so high.‬

Filmmaker: How did you achieve these goals? What types of editing techniques, or processes, or‬ feedback screenings allowed this work to occur?‬

Vecchiarello: We started with an assembly based on the script and whittled it down as we went. The‬ edit on this film was highly collaborative, not just between Kate and myself, but through‬ the work of editors Ellie Zarr and Val Thrasher, who tackled a lot of the assembly when I‬ had to step away for a family emergency. As a result, many of the scenes had been‬ touched by all three of us before Kate and I got to work reshaping things, and I think‬ that was ultimately for the benefit of the film; they found things I may not have, and vice‬ versa.‬ 

Filmmaker: As an editor, how did you come up in the business, and what influences have affected‬ your work?‬

Vecchiarello: I was incredibly fortunate to be mentored by editor Alan Edward Bell for many years,‬ while I worked as his assistant editor. I started as a post production assistant, moved‬ into assistant editing and VFX editing, then eventually into editing.‬ 

Filmmaker: What editing system did you use, and why?‬

Vecchiarello: We used Avid Media Composer. At the moment it is still my preferred platform, thanks‬ mostly to my love of their trim tools and Script Sync!‬

Filmmaker: What role did VFX work, or compositing, or other post-production techniques play in‬ terms of the final edit?

Vecchiarello: Most of the VFX in the film are invisible; performance and story driven. Split screens,‬ jump-cut morphs, etc. These are incredibly valuable tools for shaping performance and‬ timing and are integral to the final edit.‬

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