Chapter 61: Promotional Advice
"Mike, use high-speed slow motion for the entire opening sequence."
Standing in the editing room at Rock Studio, Duke stared intently at the footage on the monitor. "Fade in between shot seven and shot eight, then insert explosion shot twenty-three..."
Once Mike Dawson finished directing his two assistant editors through the cut, Duke crossed his arms, watched it for a moment, and added, "Put the wide sunset angle from shot forty-five before shot twenty-three. Right, exactly like that!"
Thanks to their collaboration on Speed, editor Mike Dawson and Duke had developed a tacit understanding. Furthermore, Dawson was now even more convinced of Duke's editing methods, because in the newly released nominations for the 65th Academy Awards, he had received Speed's sole Oscar nomination—Best Film Editing!
This was also the first Oscar nomination of Mike Dawson's life.
Having earned the industry's most authoritative recognition, Mike Dawson completely bought into Duke's post-production philosophy. Take this opening sequence they were establishing for the film: nearly four minutes of action entirely in slow motion. It seemed completely at odds with the film's fast pace, but once cut together, it produced an entirely different effect.
The slow motion highlighted General Hummel's imposing presence and the solemnity of the film's theme. The scene was set in a cemetery; as General Hummel—preparing to launch a military insurrection to seek justice from the government for his fallen, forgotten subordinates—came to bid farewell to his late wife, he happened to witness a soldier's funeral. That deceased soldier received the honor of a flag-draped casket. Through the slow motion of the pouring rain, the incomparable fury burning in General Hummel's heart was starkly accentuated.
"Next up..." he heard Duke's voice again. "Mike, time for our specialty: fast cuts with short takes. Every action shot must be limited to three seconds or less."
Duke was still Duke. Mike Dawson felt it was exactly as he had expected.