Waxing and Waning
Role: Editor and Continuity
Set on an eerie evening, this horror film follows a barber who takes one last customer just as rumors of werewolf attacks sweep through the neighborhood. What starts as a simple gossip session quickly spirals into something much darker, leaving the barber to question whether his final customer of the night will be his last. The film touches on deep themes, including drug abuse, and subtly weaves in supernatural elements without fully revealing the werewolf, leaving the audience on edge.
As the editor, I played a key role in creating the film's suspenseful and unsettling tone. One of the major challenges was crafting believable visual effects on a limited budget. For example, I had to add a realistic full moon to a shot that originally had none, as well as subtly incorporate a creature with blinking eyes—without making it too obvious. The goal was to hint at the werewolf’s presence without showing it outright, which required hours of precise editing to make the effects both “perfect” and believable.
Another crucial aspect of my work on this film was the color grading. We experimented heavily to find the right eerie tone, using dark, muted colors to create a haunting atmosphere that matched the narrative. Additionally, I used fast and slow cutting techniques to control the pacing. Slow cuts built tension during moments of storytelling, while fast cuts heightened the intensity during jump scares and key moments of action.
This project was not only a technical challenge but also an incredible learning experience in teamwork. The fun, collaborative atmosphere on set made it one of the most enjoyable productions I’ve been a part of. It taught me the importance of understanding each crew member’s strengths, which helped streamline the editing process and brought out the best in everyone’s ideas. Overall, this film allowed me to push the boundaries of my skills as an editor while gaining a deeper appreciation for the value of teamwork in filmmaking.