Patrick Lawrence edited the Sundance short film Mirror Party for director Bridey Elliott. It is the seventh film that he has edited that has had its premiere at Sundance since 2016.
Mirror Party is the story of two best friends who experiment with reenacting a scenario in which one of them has a “come to Jesus” talk with the man she is dating, only to have it spiral into a gender-bending fever dream.
Editor Patrick Lawrence
We reached out to Lawrence to talk workflow…
How early did you get involved on Mirror Party?
Almost immediately. Bridey and I have worked on five films together, and our relationship in the edit room has become very simpatico. We have a shorthand together that has proven successful time and time again over the course of these five films. When she asks me to “do something weird,” I know exactly what she is looking for… even if it’s not inherently in the footage.
How did you work with Bridey? How often was she taking a look at your cut?
Bridey really gives me room to explore in the edit. She trusts my instincts and lets me get into the weeds a bit while constructing my first cut. I like to approach that initial edit how I see the film working best, even though I know it’s not necessarily what the director wants.
After I’ve thrown everything at the wall, I like to get in the room with a director and start sculpting my work into something more akin to what they are looking for. And that convergence of ideas is what I love about collaboration in filmmaking. No one film exists in a vacuum, so I’m not the type of editor that likes to be a “button-pusher.” If you hire me, it’s hopefully because you like something that I’ve done in the past, and it’s that knowledge and experience that I want to bring to the table while working on your project. I want to work with you to make the best film possible.
Director Bridey Elliott
Was there a particular scene or scenes that were most challenging?
I would say the climax of the film proved to be very challenging, as the two women’s experiment becomes very sexual in nature and blurs the lines of what is reality and what is fantasy. I had to edit the scene in a way that was frenetic and confusing while still maintaining a sense of grounding for the audience… something that I have done a lot while working with Bridey.
Did you do more than edit on this film?
Typically, I wear a lot of hats on films that I edit, including credits titles, sound design or even producing. But on Mirror Party, I stuck strictly to the edit.
What system did you use to cut and why?
For Mirror Party I used Premiere Pro and the Adobe Creative Cloud, which I have also used on all seven of the films that I have had premiere at Sundance.
I have been using Premiere Pro and the Adobe Creative Cloud for the majority of my career now. I like to consider it as an extension of my hands or a muscle that I can flex. I know my way in and out of the program so well after all these years that using it has just become second nature to me. The toughest and yet most exciting part is when new features are introduced, and you have to take the time to learn them and adopt them into your workflow.
Is there a tool within that system that you use a lot or especially like?
My favorite newest feature in Premiere is Speech to Text, which I think has the ability to really break new grounds and streamline your edit, not only in documentary formats, but also narrative. I have been using it most recently as a tool in script-based editing, something that is gravely missing from Premiere.
How do you manage producers’ expectations with reality/what can really be done?
I think it’s best to keep up communication with your producers while working on a project and make sure that all expectations are managed either ahead of time or while the edit is occurring and new/unexpected problems arise. Producers should be your best friends, not your worst enemies.
How do you take criticism? Do you find yourself defensive or accepting of others’ ideas (good and bad)?
I think it’s a natural defense mechanism to be very protective of your art, and for the first few years of my career, I think I was very difficult to work with because of my steadfast nature to stand by my edits. But with time and experience, I have learned that the best idea wins, and that is only possible if you explore all the options. Even if you instinctively think that an idea won’t work, you might be surprised with the results.
When someone who is starting out asks what do you recommend?
I speak to college students each semester who are looking to make a career in film, and I always express the importance of learning all nonlinear editing programs, from Premiere to Media Composer to Final Cut. When you are putting yourself out there for work, you never know what the needs of a project will be, so it is best to be well-versed in all programs, including After Effects and DaVinci Resolve.
I also stress the need to learn the art of collaboration. No one film exists in a vacuum, and no one sets out to make a bad film. So you have to learn to listen to the people that you surround yourself with and respect their experience while also staying true to your own ideas. Somewhere in between is a great film; you just have to chip away at the marble until you reveal the sculpture underneath.
