This is part of our exclusive Sundance interview series, where we sit down with filmmakers to explore how they use technology to bring their creative visions to life.
In a film as surreal and satirical as By Design, the editing plays a crucial role in maintaining its distinct rhythm and playful yet pointed commentary on modern existence. Editor Benjamin Shearn worked with writer-director Amanda Kramer to shape the film’s whimsical absurdity using Adobe’s powerful suite of tools. Blending elements of literature, performance art, and dreamlike cinematic textures, By Design required an editing approach that could seamlessly transition between heightened reality and sharp social critique.
From precision cutting to enhancing the film’s eccentric visual style, Shearn leveraged Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Frame.io to bring the film’s fable-like world to life. In this interview, he shares how he crafted By Design’s unique flow, the technical and creative challenges of editing such an unconventional narrative, and how Adobe tools helped him construct a story where a woman literally becomes a chair—and everyone likes her better that way.
PH: What Adobe features were essential in editing your Sundance project, and why?
Benjamin Shearn: Really, it’s a symphony of features that came together for the creation of By Design. Premiere is such a versatile system; between the organizational miracle of Productions, the upgraded tools in the Essential Sound and Text panels and dynamic linking with After Effects - I was able to significantly mature the project visually and sonically in the offline edit.
PH: How did your chosen gear kit, including software and hardware, optimize your post-production workflow?
Benjamin Shearn: The more I do this, the less I rely on hardware. Of course, one wants a reasonably zippy CPU along with a committed hard drive and/or server that’s robust enough for the job. But beyond that, I think streamlining how your software is accessing and managing media is the true key. The bulk of my optimization came from organizing the project in a very specific way I knew would boost performance.
PH: Were there any specific Adobe tools or plugins you relied on to enhance the final cut of your film?
Benjamin Shearn: Yes, but I’m not telling !!!
PH: How do you balance using high-quality tools with budget constraints when working on an indie project?
Benjamin Shearn: As a freelancer, whether you’re an editor or VFX artist or colorist or mixer it behooves you to always invest in the best tools for any job. I want my system to be as decked out as possible. So then the negotiation over access with budget-challenged projects isn’t ever about specific tools but simply time and labor.
PH: What gear or software do you consider non-negotiable for any filmmaker’s editing toolkit?
Benjamin Shearn: Our great Post-Production sage Walter Murch has famously not stated any preference for computers or NLEs in his process, emphasizing instead one’s approach to the craft as most important. Editing is like writing, it’s so much more in your brain than in your equipment. So, short answer? A computer, a drive, an NLE that works for you and a SOUL.
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