Dede Allen, Film Editor 1923-2010

Dede Allen, editor for movies such as Dog Day Afternoon, The Hustler, Reds, Bonnie & Clyde and The Breakfast Club died April 17. Allen was one of the pioneers of the use of audio overlaps in edits (sometimes called an L-Cut.) Notably, when she was nominated for Bonnie and Clyde she was the first film editor - male or female - to receive sole credit for editing a movie.

After many years editing film, she learned to edit on Avid, and used it on the movie Wonder Boys. She said of editing digitally: The greatest disadvantage I can think of is that you don't screen your material as much as you used to. I'd do a lot of memorizing and somehow the availability of the exact pieces that I had memorized made the process seem, ironically, more immediate.


LINKS

• NPR: The Legacy Of Film Editor Dede Allen (available at 7PM EDT)
• IFC: Dede Allen, 1923-2010
• Wikipedia: Dede Allen
• Associated Press: Pioneering film editor Dede Allen dies at 86
• Amazon: Dog Day Afternoon, The Breakfast Club, Wonder Boys, The Hustler
  

Intellect and taste count, but I cut with my feelings.
-Dede Allen