Cory Stillman
“Hey Higgins, you want to cut an episode?”
Those simple words changed editor Jon Higgins‘ life, affording him the opportunity to cut an episode of the short-lived talk series Crossing Over with John Edward.
“I realized while cutting that episode that I loved editing,” says Higgins. “And I haven’t left.”
The Detroit native’s winding career has now led him to this year’s heated Emmys race, where he is vying for a nomination in recognition of his incredible work on the darkly funny miniseries Dying for Sex, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate. With credits ranging from hit series like Search Party and Emily to Paris to indie films like Your Monster and the upcoming Test, Higgins was uniquely prepared for the demands of the genre-bending FX series.
“Trying to find the right tonal balance in a comedy about terminal cancer and sexual trauma is on a whole new level,” says Higgins. “I know for a fact that my first editor cut was more in the dark comedy vein than the comedy side, but then we dialed it too far the other way. It was important that we establish as early as possible that the show is a comedy and that it’s okay to laugh, hoping that people will give it a chance and we’ll establish some runway and grace for when things get a bit heavier in the later episodes.”
Higgins’ relied on not only his own background, but his deep collection of memories and personal favorites across his television consumption habits. Iconic series like Barry, The Bear, Atlanta, and Andor all figure into Higgins’ creative process on any project, but it was uniquely difficult to identify an appropriate source of inspiration for a show as multifaceted as Dying for Sex. Of course, other iconic and acclaimed series did worm their way into his brain. “I remember looking back on I May Destroy You, Dead to Me, and Funny People, but nothing really felt like a true comp. We had to find our own way on this one.”
It comes as no surprise that Higgins maintains a nearly encyclopedic understanding of the television landscape. His overarching approach to the editing process demands that he watches any and all footage that he can.
“You’ll never know when something might be useful that’s not ‘between the lines.’ I’ll write down notes about performances, and when I’m working on a comedy, I’ll put locators on the moments that make me laugh out loud the first time I see them. It’s easy to lose perspective the nineteenth time you’ve heard a joke so it’s important to remember that first impression.”
Those instincts manifested appropriately in episodes 1 and 6 of Dying for Sex, first establishing the tricky tone of the series, and then building upon it in one of the series’ most pivotal episodes. Check out our full interview with Jon Higgins, ACE below to hear more about his creative process on the show!
How did you get your start in editing?
I moved to New York from Detroit at 21 with dreams of becoming a director. But on my first job as a PA on a Disney show, this showrunner gave me the advice, “whatever you want to do, come up through post and it’ll make you better at everything else.” About a year later I was post-coordinating on the show Crossing Over with John Edward during the day and helping the night AE get his work done sooner in exchange for teaching me Avid. I moved to AE shortly thereafter but the show got word that it wouldn’t be renewed, so a bunch of people started jumping ship. There were still episodes in the hopper, so one day I heard the Post Producer shout from her office, “Hey Higgins, you want to cut an episode?” I realized while cutting that episode that I loved editing, and I haven’t left.
Who are some of your biggest influences?
I have this folder on a drive at home that is a collection of scenes and full episodes that inspired me when watching. The dojo scene in Barry cut by Jeff Buchanan, the first 5 minutes of the pilot episode of The Bear cut by Joanna Naugle, Kyle Reiter’s “Teddy Perkins” episode of Atlanta, the whole funeral episode in Andor cut by Yan Miles, just to name a few. It’s a big folder. I dig into it when I start a project as a sort of mood board. For Dying For Sex, I remember looking back on I May Destroy You, Dead to Me, and Funny People, but nothing really felt like a true comp. We had to find our own way on this one.
What was the biggest lesson you learned on your first project?
It wasn’t my first project but I learned a valuable lesson on an MTV show many years ago. The EP came into my edit room and told me he just fired the other editor because he kept arguing with every note he was asked to do. I was very agreeable the rest of that session. But I think about that a lot. There’s this tendency when you’re starting out to get defensive if someone gives you a note that you don’t know how to execute. It’s rooted in insecurity but it takes experience to realize that. Eventually you’ll go from “we can’t do that” to “we can’t do that, but we could try…” That’s the basis for a good collaboration and the sooner you get in that mindset, the better the experience for everyone.
How would you describe your process as an editor?
I watch everything! You’ll never know when something might be useful that’s not ‘between the lines.’ I’ll write down notes about performances, and when I’m working on a comedy, I’ll put locators on the moments that make me laugh out loud the first time I see them. It’s easy to lose perspective the 19th time you’ve heard a joke so it’s important to remember that first impression. One way in which my process has changed over the years is to not try and get the scene perfect the first time. I used to take the approach that “the scene should work perfectly on its own.” And I could spend 3 days perfecting one scene and then I’ll see it in the assembly and I’ll have to make as many adjustments as I would if I had just moved on after one pass. Now, I’ll do a quick pass of a scene and assemble it all together to feel the episode or movie, and then start tweaking. The bonus of that is that I’m not up for 3 days before my editor cut is due.
What have been some career highlights in your editing career?
When I think about “highlights” I immediately think of things that were really memorable to work on. Neon Joe Werewolf Hunter, with its horror and sci-fi elements, was a really, really fun show to score and sound design. On Search Party, the opportunity to play in that dark comedy space with dream sequences and action scenes (and Easter-egging my dog into a lot of the iPhone comps) was a highlight for sure. And while I’ve done a ton of TV, I’ll never forget going to the theatre with my wife to see Your Monster, my first feature released on the big screen.
When did you first hear about Dying for Sex? How did you become attached to the project?
I heard about it through my agent, but coincidentally the original podcast popped up in my feed and I had just listened to the first two episodes when the show reached out for an interview. Was it kismet? Maybe. Anyway, I interviewed with one of the showrunners, Liz Meriwether, and I’m pretty sure she only hired me because we’re both originally from Michigan.
Can you walk us through editing this project?
I was assigned with episodes 1 and 6. The first episode is always a challenge on a new series, but trying to find the right tonal balance in a comedy about terminal cancer and sexual trauma is on a whole new level. I know for a fact that my first editor cut was more in the dark comedy vein than the comedy side, but then we dialed it too far the other way. It was important that we establish as early as possible that the show is a comedy and that it’s okay to laugh, hoping that people will give it a chance and we’ll establish some runway and grace for when things get a bit heavier in the later episodes. Speaking of, I love episode 6! Episode 6 in an 8 episode season (or episode 7 in a 10 episode season) is the sweet spot, in my opinion. It’s like plot point 2 in a screenplay. Something happens and everything turns. It’s a catalyst for the final episodes. It’s the fight between best friends, it’s opening up about sexual trauma, it’s finally telling the person you love that you love them. Those aren’t examples of things that could happen, those things did happen, and all in this episode.
What was the biggest challenge editing this project?
Tone was the biggest challenge, especially in the first episode. Figuring out how to start the series was a big key to helping us answer that question. The pilot originally started with Molly (Michelle Williams) having a panic attack intercut with some racy sexual imagery. Then she tells her best friend Nikki (Jenny Slate) that she’s dying. It was cool and edgy, but no matter how much we tried to lean into the comedy of Jenny Slate’s performance, the beginning of the episode still felt heavy, like you didn’t have permission to laugh yet. We tried changing the pacing, changing the music, but there wasn’t anything to laugh at for a few minutes. Ultimately we reordered things and started with Molly and her husband in a funny therapy session, then out to the scene where Molly tells Nikki the news and we get Jenny Slate’s funny response to the bad news, and then played the rest of the therapy session through flashback.
What do you hope audiences take away from this project?
I just hope people connect with it in their own personal way. It’s based on a true story that is very human and I’m sure it will be relatable from many different perspectives. When I was editing this, my mom passed away. It was unexpected and tragic. She was in the hospital for six weeks and in hospice for 2 more, and a lot of the conversations that the medical teams had with Nikki were similar to, and sometimes exactly the same as, ones I had with my mom’s care team. Strangely, this series kind of walked me through the whole thing. It could have been too much, but I unexpectedly found some comfort in it. So maybe listening to that podcast was kismet?
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on a feature film called Test, a drama about a small town bodybuilder who clashes with his devout mother as he pursues his dream under a renowned coach. It’s a big departure from all the comedies on my resume and a great opportunity for me to show my range as an editor.
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