In what amounts to a very deep cut into the production of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, editor Maryann Brandon spoke to Express and revealed that because the new Star Wars movie had a much tighter schedule than The Force Awakens, she convinced director J.J. Abrams to let her cut the film on set.

Usually the editor isn’t on set and receives dailies that they begin assembling into a rough cut or an assembly cut. But because they had four fewer months to make The Rise of Skywalker, Brandon felt it would be best if she was on set so she could start getting particular shots she might need.

“I watched what they were shooting, I was cutting what they were shooting the day before… I had the DP right there to ask questions,” Brandon told Express. “If I needed a shot, or if JJ decided we needed another shot, we would set up in a corner and get a green screen shot of something.”

What will this mean when you see the finished film? Probably nothing! Brandon has been working with Abrams since Alias and has edited all of his movies. Whatever criticisms you may have of Abrams work, the editing probably isn’t one of them because despite whatever faults they may have, they move. There may be issues with the narrative or Abrams reliance on mimicry, but the films are cut together very well and I expect that will remain the case with The Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens December 20th and stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Keri Russell, Richard E. Grant, Naomi Ackie, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher.

For more on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, click on the links below.

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