Schoonmaker, Menke & More: Famous Video Editors in the Film Industry

Perhaps one of the most famous film editors in recent memory, Thelma Schoonmaker has been able to leave an indelible mark on the industry because of the skills that she possesses. To emphasize how talented she is, she has managed to work within an unforgiving industry for over 50 years and has won various awards.

She is best known as a long-term collaborator with acclaimed director, Martin Scorsese. Together, they have created some of the biggest Hollywood box office blockbusters, including titles such as “Raging Bull” (1980), and “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013). They have continued their partnership in 2023, with the release of “Killers of the Flower Moon” anticipated to hit the big screen.

While Schoonmaker can be linked closely with Scorsese, Sally Menke was one editor who also could be linked closely with another of Hollywood’s biggest directors: Quentin Tarantino. She worked with him on “Reservoir Dogs” (1992) and all the way through, including “Pulp Fiction” (1994), “Kill Bill: Volumes 1 & 2” (2003/2004), as well as “Inglourious Basterds” (2009). Unfortunately, she passed away in 2010.

There have been some that have argued that Tarantino’s films are yet to reach the same heights following her death, thus highlighting the skills and impact she had as an editor. This is because her style was characterized by its sharp cuts, bold transitions, and the ability to build tension and suspense. This style is something that so many individuals who aspire to be video editor look to try and incorporate when using software that is now widely available, as they recognize just how good she was at creating the suspense and tension required in each of his films.

Some might argue that if it were not for Michael Kahn, then Steven Spielberg might not have been the huge Hollywood success that he has been over his iconic career. Kahn has been a part of so many of the filmmaker’s movies, with him having played a role in films like “Jurassic Park” (1993) to their most recent film, “The Fablemans” in 2022.

Kahn has been able to create suspenseful pieces with ease while doing so at pace. Many of the scenes that he has edited have been crafted expertly and are very well-thought-out, which is why the duo has worked solidly together for so many years and continues to do so.

Some may accuse editors of having it a little easier nowadays because of the available technology. There is no denying that the tools available can help to make sharper images and create more suspenseful moments that create the tension audiences want to regularly experience when watching the big screen.

However, Sergei Eisenstein worked in an era where technology was unavailable. Nonetheless, he is still regarded as one of the most influential in the industry in editing, with many crediting him as a pioneer in cinematic montage. Primarily a filmmaker, he was able to place shots together that others simply were unable to do so. His 1925 movie “Battleship Potemkin” which featured his famous “Odessa Steps” sequence illustrates this perfectly.