Editor Russell Griffin, ACE, heads into Emmy season with two nominations in the Outstanding Picture Editing For A Multi-Camera Comedy Series category. In addition to his work on Netflix’s The Upshaws, along with editor Angel Gamboa Bryant, Griffin is also nominated for his work on Hulu’s
How I Met Your Father.
Recently, Griffin (pictured) took some questions from Post regarding his work and nominations.
Hi Russell! Can you talk a bit about your work on How I Met Your Father and The Upshaws?
“The thing I enjoy most about editing How I Met Your Father is the outstanding quality of the series. The entire show is top-notch in every way. The writing is stellar, the directing is superb, the acting is sublime - both comedically and dramatically - and every department within the production is second to none. So, when all of that comes together, it makes editing the episodes such a joy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination. Ensuring the editing is up to the standard set by the entire show is a monumental task. But, it’s certainly a labor of love.
“The thing I enjoy the most aboutThe Upshaws is its unabashed courage to swing for the funny. It almost feels like a throw-back sitcom, where it’s almost all about the jokes. And, with the cast being such talented comedians in their own right, playing to that strength is really fun to edit.”
Tell us about your editing setup?
“These days, it’s quite the hybrid. When I’m up at the studio working with the executive producers, I have a rather traditional bay - three monitors in the standard set-up, with a large producer monitor off to one side. The only thing I make sure to get is a fully-adjustable desk, so I can stand or sit.
“But, when I’m editing remotely from home, I’ve set up a system in our guest bedroom. It’s somewhat compact, because I don’t have to have anyone else in the bay with me, except via Evercast, etc. So, I moved my third (large) monitor to be above my other two monitors. And, my laptop is on an adjustable arm just to the left, so that laptop kinda becomes a fourth auxiliary monitor.
“The real difference is that my home adjustable-height desk allows me to use my treadmill! LOL! We editors work so much and become rather sedentary in our jobs, so, I highly recommend it to all editors. Of course, you can’t walk on the treadmill all the time while you’re editing. But, when you’re reviewing dailies or watching down cuts, etc., it does help to stay a little active. And, surprisingly, I have more energy when I do so.”
Is there a specific scene or episode from each show that you would highlight?
“The How I Met Your Father episode that’s nominated for the Emmy (‘Daddy’) was our mid-season finale. I chose it because it has it all. It’s got great comedy - both character-based and physical - and heart-warming drama. Editing it required getting the timing right for the comedic moments, choosing just the right performances that ring true, making sure the narrative tracks and has just the right pacing for each beat, and deftly moving back and forth in time between our narrator and our present-day story. I also chose this episode because of our stellar cast. In addition to unbelievably talented core cast members (Hillary Duff, Chris Lowell, Francia Raisa, Suraj Sharma, Tom Ainsley, Tien Tran, and Kim Cattrall), we also had John Corbett and Neil Patrick Harris (reprising his role of Barney from How I Met Your Mother). Editing their work and making sure it fit seamlessly within our show’s universe was an extra challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed.
“The episode for The Upshaws that’s nominated for the Emmy (‘Duct Up’) has some great physical humor and showcases the entire cast, including the kids. I was fortunate enough to have Netflix ask me to come on-board for The Upshaws and help out before starting a new season of Netflix’s Family Reunion, where I was editing and directing at the time.”