THE EDITOGRAPHY OF J. NITSCHKE

EDITOGRAPHY – The study of shooters who edit and editors who shoot.

THE EDITOGRAPHY OF J. NITSCHKE

A Case Study in Interdependent Editing & Interdependent Cinematography

Moments – a film by sabi, has something special that very few films have – a member of the team that wore hats traditionally belonging to 2 entirely separate artists (whose paths do not normally converge).  That is, in the case of Moments, the editor of the film was also the cinematographer — and the person that shot the film, conversely, also edited the film.  Seems simple enough, but the implications (for the filmmaker that understands both) are enormous. 

There is, emerging, a new breed of nano-budget filmmakers out there like those being cultivated at Sabi Pictures – and Joshua Nitschke is among them & a powerhouse of an artist.  Give him colored pencils or a camera, and you have someone that can create something beautiful for you, and be humble about it throughout the whole process.  The fact that this man is both an editor as well as a cinematographer is an amazing aspect of the new interdependent filmmaker.  

At first glance it seems a natural continuity – editing what you shoot – but it’s easier said than done.  While working on set with scripted improvisational drama (and with the guidance of an artistic producer and a visionary director) Joshua had to learn how to edit the improvisational takes without letting the cinematography take precedence in his mind – that is, he had to cut for what was “most honest” and not for what was always “most beautiful”.   Often with dramatic improvisation, an editor sifts through hours of footage to find a moment that is honest… but what about also having to resist the urge to scrap something perfect because of a technical glitch, or a camera movement, or a flaw in the staging of the scene?  What about embracing imperfections and playing with the subtle nuances of movements and softened focus planes in one story, and hard, linear staging and perfect focus in another?  What about the two styles of the films that exist in Moments – how did this editor/cinematographer reconcile all of these dichotomies?  These are secrets we hope to find out in our exploration of J. Nitschke – of which this article is only the beginning.    

Joshua Nitschke and Aqua Yost (Jamie) on the set of Moments - a film by sabi

It’s a subjective dilemma – having to choose between ‘how it looks’ and ‘what serves the story’ – and both editors and cinematographers are meticulous about their craft (and must be).   But in our case (Moments) the creative project and the brains behind it (Daniel J. Carmody & J. Erik Reese) required Nitschke to be the ultimate diplomat between both halves of his artistic self.  There has been several times that people in independent films have worn more than one hat, sometimes its writer / director, or perhaps actor / producer – but once in a while you get a pairing within an artistic individual that stamps itself as new, unique, and incredibly original.  A shooter holds a lot of power in being the eyes through which all audiences will experience the story – and an editor holds a lot of power in deciding what dramatic improvisational moments make it into the tale.  Needless to say, Nitschke’s hand is present in every frame of this beautiful film experience and thankfully so.  

[More about Joshua Nitschke:  He has a deep love and appreciation for the photographic and cinematic arts, but also has a mistress for mathematics and academia in general (he is incredibly smart).  At Sabi Pictures,  nothing could have prepared Joshua for his experience with Moments - and we hope that he shares his knowledge with us as we release the film.  From the pod-casts retelling the editing phase of production – to the filmmaker’s blogs on this site, this single article cannot do not do justice what Joshua had to endure in the creation of this film.  He is two halves of the same person that constantly has to work together to discover, uncover and create those beautiful, life changing, weighted and honest moments... Those poignant choices we do or do not make in an instant.  Joshua came through for this film and for his friends that made it with him.  What he has put together for the rest of us is something compelling, gripping and honest.  What Sabi Pictures has premiering soon worldwide is a brief flash of life in front of you that changes everything. Those instances for which the film is named.

COLLABORATION:  ARTFUL COMPROMISE

How Joshua did it was the art of compromise (and no one is harder on himself than Joshua).  On set, if there was a technical problem with the gear, you could see it in his face, and feel it in his spirit – but he’d eventually shake it off and get back to it.  His own system of checks and balances made him one of the hardest working cinematographers I have ever met.  If things were going well (as they were during location scouting & production) nothing could bring him down – not even a gash in the palm of his hand so deep it required multiple stitches (just before production).  These ups and downs (that are vintage Joshua to the people that know and love him the best) balance themselves out into a hard-working perfectionist.  He is a man that passionately presses on when he his most needed, and handles his responsibilities to the story, his team, and his film superbly.  And he knows how to collaborate - which is the art of compromise.

[More about Nitschke:  When it is time for execution – he is a stead-fast, trustworthy creative force to be reckoned with.   I hope that he can offer, over time – more insight on the sabiforum and on this Moments main site into how he explored the material that he made Moments, from the challenges he faced, to what went wrong, to what we can learn from.  And most of all, how he was able to (despite everything) craft an honest and beautiful story that resonates with sharp and cavernous chords long after the final cut to black (like the echo of a train rolling across a distant track).  We hope to know more about how he settled upon the distinct looks for each story - and how he worked with the footage he shot - and how he helped make Moments.  And most of all, his fans look forward to his contributions to Sverige in 2009.]

All of us at Sabi Pictures are thankful for his dedication to Moments – a true work of art – and we are grateful for his contributions to the interdependent filmmaking movement.