Have you seen the new Garfield Movie?
We caught up with local, Canada-based film and TV editor Edward Crompton, whose recent work includes “The Garfield Movie” as well as Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs”
Please tell us about yourself and your connection to the Isle of Man:
I'm Edward Crompton, a film and television editor who specialises in animated productions. I worked as the animation editor on 'The Garfield Movie' for global visual effects and animation company, DNEG. Some other projects I have worked on include ‘Isle of Dogs’, ‘Ron's Gone Wrong’, ‘Moominvalley’, ‘Deadend: Paranormal Park’, ‘Entergalactic’ and ‘Robot Overlords’.
I grew up in Peel, and I'm currently based in Montreal, Canada. The Isle of Man will always be the place I consider my home.
How did you get into animation?
I was lucky enough to grow up with Cartoon Network on our television in the 90s. I was obsessed with shows like Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Dragonball, and my love for animation never faded. I used to make little stop-motion films with my friends when I was young. When I started at QEII High School, I had a wonderful Art teacher named Victoria Blackburn, who pushed me to explore my love for animation and told me about the Media Course at UCM.
I didn't enjoy school in the slightest outside my art classes, so once year 11 was over, I chose to study at UCM for the Media BTEC. Once I graduated, I went to Sheffield Hallam University and studied Animation, but the course wasn't what I expected, so I switched onto film production in my second year and focused on editing. I didn't do particularly well at university, it wasn't half as good as the course at the college, but it didn't matter because I knew what I wanted to do. I did lots of different jobs in editing after university and eventually managed to change my career until I got to where I wanted to be: in animation.
Tell us about some of your recent work on “The Garfield Movie”:
This film was edited in the USA and I was lucky enough to move from London to Montreal to be in the same time zone as my team which has been an amazing experience. I have been part of the project for the last two years, and it was my first time as an animation editor. I worked very closely with the Lead Editor to ensure that everyone on the production sang from the same hymn sheet. It's an epic film with a talented cast and crew from all over the world working behind it. It was released on May 24th so it’s out now!
You’ve also worked with esteemed director Wes Anderson. Can you tell us about that?
This was honestly one of the most amazing times in my life. I had just left my job on the Isle of Man and had moved to London without any idea what I was going to do. I was regretting leaving my job and my friends back home, but I knew I wanted something different. I was combing the internet looking for anything editing related, and stumbled upon an advert that said 'Looking for IT tech runner for stop-motion film'. I'm not an IT technician by any stretch of the imagination, but I went for it anyway because not applying would be the same as a rejection, so why not try?
They told me in the interview that they liked me and the job was mine if I wanted it. Once I accepted, they told me that the project was the new Wes Anderson stop motion film 'Isle of Dogs' and I couldn't believe it! I spent the first 6 months on set with the animators and loved it! They were the most talented people I've ever met. I told them in my interview that my end goal was to edit on animated productions, and 6 months later they began looking for an assistant editor, for which my boss immediately put me forward. I can't thank him enough for that.
I spent the next 18 months with some incredible editors working very closely with Wes. I learned so much and made so many friends on that production that it hardly felt like a job. Not only that, but I got to attend the premiere in Berlin and party with the actors and crew. It was a great experience, and was like working with one big creative family that took a chance on me. It also set me up for a career in editing animation.
What has been your most challenging work so far?
Every job can be challenging in its own ways. I think that every time I've taken a step-up into a more senior role in editorial it has become my hardest job, which is mostly due to imposter syndrome. It's common to feel like you are unable to step up and do something new, but once you start doing it you realise your own ability, and it becomes easier. Learning to say yes even when I had no idea was great for me. There isn't much you can't learn to do online: even if you are challenged with something completely out of your comfort zone there are online resources available to teach yourself almost anything.
What advice would you give to someone starting out or thinking about a career in animation?
Figure out what you want first. UCM was great for this - I got to try so many things, so I figured this out quite young. I kept volunteering on shoots, spent my time talking to everyone, I cut films, lent a hand on short films and even acted, all while making it clear that I wanted to edit. Once you know what you want to do, you have a goal.
An animated production is similar in some ways to building a house - you have different skilled trades that have to come together to get the end result. We have modelling, design, story, lighting, animators, layout, directors, production and so many more departments. If you want to do animation, find your niche and work at that.
My dream was to work on feature films, which I had to leave the island to do. If you want to be good at something, it doesn't hurt to go where all of those people are congregating to learn from them. For example, London is great for attracting people working at the top of their creative fields from all over the world.
Can you tell us about your next project you are working on as you’re involved in a lot of other projects too?
I'm bound to silence about the next animated film but going off my previous work, it will certainly have talking animals in it. I am back on the Isle of Man soon for a few projects including a short film I'm cutting called ‘No Man Is an Island’, which is being directed by the very talented John Craine. I look forward to being back and seeing all my friends and family, and squeezing some work in while I'm over will keep me happy.
