Maryann Brandon, a regular editor of JJ Abrams, speaks about the closure of the new trilogy and explains its complicated production process.
"Look, yes, I'm sure it's a fan service, but if it wasn't, everyone would say it's not true to the spirit of Star Wars and all that that means." So blunt was Maryann Brandon, editor of the film, about the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Brandon has been present in the latest edition of the Rough Cut podcast, where he has reviewed the complicated process of production of the tape and claimed the closure that has been given. A situation in which, according to her, they were never going to succeed, whatever they did.
Brandon, a regular editor of JJ Abrams, has also shared several interesting facts about how The Ascent of Skywalker was made and has dropped that the team had three months less to make the movie than when they worked on The Force Awakens. "It was a battle and obviously it affected everything: the script, the art department … to all those who were in pre-production." Halfway through the process, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy told Maryann that JJ had to spend more time in the assembly room, but that was not going to happen with the schedule she had. "He is exhausted at the end of the day." Her solution was to ride for the first time in a tent next to the set, so that Abrams could enter and leave during the day.
"We don't work like that, Maryanne," said Kathleen Kennedy, who finally had to admit they had no choice. The idea ended up giving a boost of confidence to the director and the rest of the team, who could easily check their progress, and the editor is sure he will repeat that strategy in the future. Even so, he also admits that they were very fair and that days before the deadline, "we were still trying to solve and move forward much of what we had." A fascinating look behind the scenes that for many will explain what happened in the end.
