Cory Stillman
When film editor Melissa Kent first heard about Rudy Mancuso‘s Música, she knew she had to be involved.
“I’m always on the lookout for any movie that revolves around music, so this title intrigued me immediately,” Kent says.
Kent was already familiar with Mancuso’s work on YouTube, and the two immediately hit it off upon meeting. They both shared in the ability to “speak music,” which would prove instrumental in capturing Rudy’s unique experience of synesthesia. Música is a highly personal film for Mancuso, drawing from his own upbringing in Essex County in New Jersey. Kent therefore understood her immense responsibilities as an editor, cutting together not only a compelling and immersive film, but also a sensitive and compassionate one.
“My role is to know the footage intimately and thoroughly,” Kent explains. “To build the movie cut by cut so that the story unfolds in the most entertaining, funny, poignant manner.”
Kent took that role quite seriously, even going so far as to learn Portuguese for a pivotal scene in the film.
“The biggest challenge of pre-production was reading that a crucial scene between Rudy and his mother would be spoken in Portuguese, so I decided to learn it while we were making the movie,” Kent says. “I still needed subtitles of course, but eventually I got good enough that Maria [Mancuso] and I were able to have a conversation in Portuguese at our SXSW premiere!”
A veteran of the film industry, Kent has edited such iconic films as The Virgin Suicides or The Age of Adaline, deftly navigating different genres and tones. Kent’s knack for rhythmic and emotional storytelling was a perfect fit for Música, one of the most joyous romantic comedies of the last several years (streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.)
Check out our full conversation with Kent below.
How were you approached for Música and what excited you about working on this project?
I actually approached them! I’m always on the lookout for any movie that revolves around music, so this title intrigued me immediately. I was already a fan of Rudy Mancuso from his YouTube videos; they are so creative and fun. I reached out to the producers, whom I had recently worked with on Tall Girl 2, and they set up a meeting with Rudy. He was looking for an editor who can “speak music” and we totally hit it off.
What were the early conversations you had with the team as it related to the edit of Música?
On a practical level, we all worked from home. Working virtually gave Rudy the freedom to connect from anywhere in the world. And he took full advantage of that, working from London, Italy, New Jersey, Canada, and here in Los Angeles.
On a creative level, some scenes drew inspiration from Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind—which was already one of my favorite movies—for its impressionistic view of reality. And the Broadway show Stomp, where dancers used everyday items like brooms and trash cans to create music, is similar to the way Rudy’s synesthesia informs his experiences, as his brain periodically organizes everyday sounds into rhythm. In fact, Música’s choreographer, Marivaldo Dos Santos, used to perform in “Stomp” and he brought many of those dancers along to take part in Música.
What do/did you see as the role of the editor when it comes to a movie like Música?
My role is to know the footage intimately and thoroughly, to build the movie cut by cut so that the story unfolds in the most entertaining, funny, poignant manner. To serve as a conduit for Rudy to tell this story that he not only wrote, directed, and stars in, but is also based on his life, including co-starring his own mother, Maria Mancuso. To make sure all of the collaborators, from the producers to the studio (Amazon Prime Video) to the other actors, feel that their notes are heard and addressed to the best of our ability. To show up every day with enthusiasm.
Can you walk us through a typical day in the edit for Música?
Let’s pick a day during Director’s Cut. Sign on to PacPost Live (our virtual editing room) at 8:30 AM. Say good morning to my assistants, Jill Piwowar, Kenzie Woodrow, Todd Greenlee. Meet Rudy, who was in London, 9 hours ahead.
Review yesterday’s scene where we left off, and any changes I made after he signed off for the night. Dive into the next scene. Are we happy with every line reading? Are there any lines we don’t need? Are there any VFX that could make it look cooler? If it’s a music scene, are we including all the most impactful, dynamic, colorful images?
When we finish a scene, or we have two versions we love, or we’re not sure a change is working, we ask the assistant editors to review it and then meet us in the virtual editing room to discuss.
Break for lunch / dinner.
Sometimes Rudy and I will watch a long section and I’ll get his overall notes. Then I’ll work on it solo and put my own twist on it, maybe it will spark an entire new line of creativity, and we’ll review those changes the next day.
The beauty and fun of editing a feature is that the “typical” day changes so often: from the unrelenting grind of receiving dailies everyday and “keeping up to camera” (assembling the scenes as quickly as they arrive), to director’s cut where we can experiment and try every last idea until we nail down our favorite version, then making sure the producer’s notes or concerns are addressed, then getting feedback from audiences, then recording ADR (additional dialogue) with the actors as needed, recording Loop Group (my favorite day!) where we record voices for all the background actors, then swapping out songs until we have the final (affordable) picks, then the final mix where a typical day means commuting to Warner Bros. in Burbank and being on the mix stage for 10 hours, then reviewing the final color at Fotokem. Lots of variety which is one reason I love editing so much!
Was there a particular moment in the edit or day in production that will always stand out to you?
Having producers Mary Viola, Steven Bello, and Rudy come to my house for a final day of editing. Working in person was so nice after 3 years without it!
Can you talk us through the challenges of pre-production, production and post-production of Música?
Hmmm, the biggest challenge of pre-production was reading that a crucial scene between Rudy and his mother would be spoken in Portuguese, so I decided to learn it while we were making the movie. I still needed subtitles of course, but eventually I got good enough that Maria and I were able to have a conversation in Portuguese at our SXSW premiere!
The biggest challenge during production was that they shot the most complicated scenes, the huge dance numbers, during the first week or so. Trial by fire, as they say.
The biggest challenge of post-production probably fell upon the sound mixers, Christopher Aud and Aaron Glascock. Because the music of the rhythmic synesthesia was recorded live on set, they received up to 100 tracks for each number, and had to mix the music to match our quick picture edits!
What do you remember from seeing the final cut of Música for the first time?
I think the run-through the morning of the premiere was the first time I saw it in a theater, with full ATMOS sound and the final color. It. Was. Awesome. Considering I’ve seen it a million times, I was totally sucked in. And when we screened it that afternoon for an audience of several hundred people who absolutely loved it, it felt very satisfying and rewarding.
What do you personally take away from Música that will carry through to your other work?
I carry the experiences of all my movies with me, as you never know when a lesson learned, or a challenge completed will inform what comes next. I take with me the relationships we formed, so that next time we all work together we have even more of a shorthand. Can’t wait to get the band together again!
What do you hope to do next? Outside of projects like Música?
Who is making the next Rocketman? Call me, I’m available.
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