In this moment of global crisis, Steve Audette ACE and the team at PBS Television’s Frontline are in “all hands on deck” mode to tackle the unfolding tale of the coronavirus pandemic; using remote post-production workflows never tried before to turn around a film, at the level of quality Frontline demands, in just one month.
After cutting over 175 episodes (and counting) of Frontline, Steve has learned a thing or two about crafting compelling documentary films that illuminate audiences and leave them asking questions about not only what they just witnessed, but about the world around them as well. This time, as the featured guest on the Rough Cut podcast, Steve gives you the answers.
Mr. Audette begins by bringing us back to the mid-nineties to talk about joining Frontline and leading the charge into digital non-linear editing from tape and how he was received by the veteran editorial staff.
“I felt like they knew more than me in so many ways in terms of how to create and craft a story. I was, at that time, providing technical assistance rather than artistic assistance. So there was a real flow back and forth in terms of information and experience that really helped me later as an editor. It allowed me to look at a lot of people’s timelines, and I got a sense of how these very experienced, very talented storytellers were building and structuring the story. And when I saw things that made sense to me, I adopted them instantly, and still do that to this day.”
From there Steve details both the story development process and the incredible amounts of material and investigation involved in producing a Frontline film; and ultimately, the editorial skills that are required to make this all happen in a constantly evolving narrative under a very tight schedule.
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