Episode Details

Eddie Hamilton, ACE is the editor of Top Gun: Maverick, the last 3 Mission: Impossible films, Kick-Ass 1 & 2, and X-Men: First Class, just to name a few. And in my first interview with Eddie (here’s part 2 where he talks about editing Maverick specifically), he and I talk about his early career choices and how he was able to become one of the top feature editors in the world…without ever going to film school.

With all the unique stories that come with ‘making it’ in Hollywood (or any creative career), it’s easy to assume the way someone else became successful could never happen for you. Which is why I’m always trying to boil the process down to simple, actionable steps that anyone can follow to get real results. And those steps include:

1. Choosing the ladder you want to climb (with laser-sharp specificity)
2. Learning, honing, and becoming awesome at your craft
3. Making sure the right people know you're awesome at your craft

In today’s conversation Eddie and I talk about his rise from runner to editor in only six months (working in sports journalism of all places), his journey from editing indie films to becoming an “overnight success,” and the various choices that Eddie made - and more importantly didn’t make (i.e. what he strategically said ‘no’ to), that helped forge his path to the top. Just a quick note this interview is pulled from deep in the archives way back in the Fitness In Post days, but I promise every single one of Eddie’s knowledge bombs are just as relevant today as they were when we originally spoke.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• Eddie’s background and how his love of film began at seven-years-old
• How to recover from rejection
• His first job in post and how he moved up from a runner to editor in only six months!
• His big break: working with Matthew Vaughn
• Editing with VHS recorders
• Is grad school worth the time and money?
• A day in the life of Eddie Hamilton
• His focus on diet and exercise while working
• The sacrifices necessary to succeed in this industry
• His process for cutting scenes
• The meals and snacks he chooses throughout the day...chocolate included
• How easy it can be to get some exercise into your day -- you don’t need to do it all!
• Good eating habits at work
• Standing vs. sitting
• How what you eat can affect your work for the day
• The differences between working in the US versus other countries
• If you want to succeed more than everyone else, you will succeed!

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Eddie Hamilton Maverick episode

Ep11: Making It In Hollywood as a “Creative” (What They Don’t Teach You In Film School) | with Norman Hollyn

How 'Mission Impossible' Editor Eddie Hamilton Skipped Film School & Worked His Way to Cutting Blockbusters

How To Get Ahead In Editing

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