HD EXPO Asks: FROM THE CUTTING ROOM:  Christopher Rouse, ACE
by Christine Purse

It’s been a heady couple of years for editor Chris Rouse, ACE. In 2006, he garnered both ACE and Oscar nominations for “United 93” and topped that in 2007 by winning both an ACE Eddie and an Oscar for his high-octane work on “The Bourne Ultimatum”. These kudos for Rouse added to his multiple BAFTA Awards, an Emmy nomination and a slew of film society and critics awards. His impressive credits include “The Italian Job,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” “Eight Below,” and  “Paycheck,” among many others. Chris spoke with us from the cutting room of his next project, “Green Zone.”

HDE:  You’ve worked in a wide variety of worlds - documentary, television and features – and in diverse genres - action, drama, and historical. Can you give us the “how you got started” story?

Chris Rouse:  The summer I left high school (and before I entered university), my father was prepping a film to direct, and I asked him for a job. My dad didn’t want me to go into the business; his career had been a rollercoaster ride, and he had hoped that I would pursue a more stable line of work. But in his heart, he knew how passionate I was about film and that I wasn’t going to be deterred from chasing my dream. So, he explained to me that he would help me get my foot in the door (as a production assistant) but after that I was on my own. Once the film started, I spent every spare moment I could around the editing room where two wonderful men, the editor, Bud Isaacs, and his assistant, Bernie Balmuth, took me under their wings. Unfortunately, my father’s film met an awful fate when its financing collapsed mid-production, but Bud later took me with him on a television movie, “Raid On Entebbe”, where I got into the union and met another important mentor of mine, Janice Hampton. Apart from practical skills, she taught me a tremendous amount about the politics of the cutting room.

HDE: You’re a child of Hollywood?

Chris Rouse:  My father was a writer/director (Oscar winner Russell Rouse) and my mother was an actress (Beverly Michaels,) so yes, I was raised in the business.  On my father’s side, I’m third generation in the film business.

HDE: Did you always have an affinity for the process of editing?

Chris Rouse: Beginning with Super 8mm films I made as a kid, I loved editing.
Putting it simply, the cutting room was always the place I wanted to be.

HDE: The editing room can be the place where directors see their story truly come to life.  Can you share some insights about the editor’s process of collaboration with directors?

Chris Rouse:  The nature of the collaboration is dependent upon the director; that person will dictate the amount of input that you will have. I have worked with some very talented directors who have solicited my opinion early and often- and who have allowed me a considerable amount of creative freedom along the way. I’m very fortunate in that regard- because I also know what it is like to work with people who view editors simply as a “pair of hands”. In our collaborative art form, that is a mind-set I will never understand.

HDE:  You’ve worked extensively with Paul Greengrass (“United 93,” “Bourne Supremacy,” “Bourne Ultimatum”) You’re working with him again. What is that project?

Chris Rouse: I am editing "Green Zone," based on Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book about the Iraq invasion, "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone."   We’re all very excited about our film. And as always, it is a privilege to work with Paul.

HDE: Taking a look at a few examples from your extensive credits, the Jason Bourne movies, “The Italian Job,” it seems that you have cut some of the most intense action, chase, and fight scenes put on film.  What are some of the unique challenges scenes like these entail?

Chris Rouse: As with any other type of material, each action sequence has its own set of challenges. But regardless of what type of scene it is - a fight between two people, a multi-character dynamic that involves several points of view, or something else entirely- it all comes down to the task of telling the story in the most effective way. An example of one of the more difficult sequences I’ve worked on is the “Waterloo Station” sequence in “The Bourne Ultimatum”. That was a long, flowing piece that had a little bit of everything- a suspenseful build, a shifting point of view, a cat-and-mouse dynamic, a hand-to-hand fight scene, a sniper attack, a chase/escape and more. It was quite a challenge to treat each vignette as unique, while making it feel that they all belonged together.

HDE: The tools of editing have been democratized, allowing many people to have the ability to be an “editor.”  How does this affect the craft of editing?

Chris Rouse:  I think it’s fantastic. It is so different than when I was coming up. Today enthusiastic, talented people can access tools and material much more easily to work on their craft. That said, with people having the opportunity to cut much sooner, the desire to perform an apprenticeship isn’t as strong as it used to be. And while practicing cutting early and often is great, it is important that one learns from experienced editors. Seasoned professionals have a lot to offer young hopefuls- and much more than simply explaining how a scene might be put together.

HDE:  During the past twenty years, there has been a revolution in digital tools for post-production.  What do you think the very best of these are, and what have not delivered on the promise?

Chris Rouse:  I’m not primarily a tech-guy, and I don’t clock each innovation as it comes. But overall, digital tools have improved the post-production process tremendously as far as speed and quality. In terms of my work, I cut on an Avid, and it has been great. I’m able to move easily through material, and think freely while I do. I know that some people complain about an issue here or there with the various editing programs, but compared to cutting on film, I’ll take an occasional hiccup any day.

HDE:  Do you feel that these tools have any fundamental effect on storytelling?

Chris Rouse:  Absolutely. Just having the ability to save a version and try something completely different allows for much more creative freedom in the editing room. An editor can be more fearless attempting something bold - whether it works or not. In the days of cutting with a single film work print, these decisions did not come so easily.

HDE:  What would you tell a young editor who aspires to a long and successful career in editing?

Chris Rouse:  Practice your craft, cultivate relationships that will advance your career, and pursue work in the industry. And if you’re fortunate enough to land a job, work your ass off and nurture your “people skills”. Much of an editor’s value has nothing to do with pushing buttons. It’s in how they handle people and difficult situations.

HDE:  Thank you, we’re really looking forward to seeing “Green Zone.”