Brent White

Last updated
Brent White
Born
United States
Alma mater Brigham Young University
Occupation Film editor
Years active1988present
Children4

Brent White is an American film editor with credits on feature films dating from 1993. White has worked on comedy films produced by Judd Apatow, and directed by Apatow, Adam McKay or Paul Feig. [1]

Contents

Editing techniques

White's work as an editor on the films directed by Apatow and McKay is unusual because of the importance of the actors' improvisations. Eric Melin's review of the film Talladega Nights (2006) focuses on this aspect of White's editing,

the MVP of the movie is most definitely editor Brent White. Just as he did with 2004's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, White had to choose the best scenes from hours and hours of wildly different takes to fashion together something with a narrative arc that resembles a movie. It can't be easy work, but he had a little more story to work with than he did in the uneven Anchorman. Minor continuity errors be damned, Talladega Nights is one funny film. [2]

The editing of Knocked Up (2007) was described in a feature article by Stephen Rodrick in The New York Times. Rodrick emphasizes the many different versions of the film that were created before deciding on the version that was released, "By the end of last month, when the final edit was done, I had seen five or six versions of Knocked Up. While the arc of the film remained the same, seemingly every line had been traded in and out". [3]

Personal life

White received his bachelor's degree in film production from the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications (Brigham Young University) in 1983. [4] White is married and has four children. He lives in the Los Angeles area.

Selected filmography

Editor
YearFilmDirectorNotes
1993 Teenage Bonnie and Klepto Clyde John Shepphird
1995 Fluke Carlo Carlei
1996 Matilda Danny DeVito
1999 Wildflowers Melissa PainterFirst collaboration with Melissa Painter
2000 Panic Henry Bromell
2002 The Slaughter Rule
  • Alex Smith
  • Andrew J. Smith
2004 Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Adam McKay First collaboration with Adam McKay
2005 The 40-Year-Old Virgin Judd Apatow First collaboration with Judd Apatow
2006 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Adam McKaySecond collaboration with Adam McKay
2007 Knocked Up Judd ApatowSecond collaboration with Judd Apatow
2008 Step Brothers Adam McKayThird collaboration with Adam McKay
2009 Funny People Judd ApatowThird collaboration with Judd Apatow
2010 The Other Guys Adam McKayFourth collaboration with Adam McKay
2011 Arthur Jason Winer
2012 This Is 40 Judd ApatowFourth collaboration with Judd Apatow
2013 The Heat Paul Feig First collaboration with Paul Feig
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Adam McKayFifth collaboration with Adam McKay
2015 Spy Paul FeigSecond collaboration with Paul Feig
2016 Ghostbusters Third collaboration with Paul Feig
2018 A Simple Favor Fourth collaboration with Paul Feig
2019 Booksmart Olivia Wilde
Last Christmas Paul FeigFifth collaboration with Paul Feig
2022 The School for Good and Evil Sixth collaboration with Paul Feig
2023 No Hard Feelings Gene Stupnitsky
2024 Jackpot! Paul FeigSeventh collaboration with Paul Feig
2025 Another Simple Favor Eighth collaboration with Paul Feig
Editorial department
YearFilmDirectorRoleNotes
1988 The Milagro Beanfield War Robert Redford Apprentice editorFirst collaboration with Robert Redford
1989 Glory Edward Zwick Assistant editor
1991 Virgin High Richard Gabai
Double Impact Sheldon Lettich Additional editing
1992 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot Roger Spottiswoode Associate film editor
A River Runs Through It Robert RedfordAdditional editorSecond collaboration with Robert Redford
1993 Flashfire Elliot Silverstein Associate film editor
1995 Home for the Holidays Jodie Foster First assistant editor
2005Steal MeMelissa PainterConsulting editorSecond collaboration with Melissa Painter
2008 The Great Buck Howard Sean McGinly Additional editor
2010 She's Out of My League Jim Field Smith Additional editing
Actor
YearFilmDirectorRole
2008 Step Brothers Adam McKayTherapy Patient
Thanks
YearFilmDirectorRole
2012 Ben Banks Bryce ClarkVery special thanks
2021 Finch Miguel Sapochnik The filmmakers gratefully thank
Direct-to-video films
Editor
YearFilmDirector
2004 Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie Adam McKay
Shorts
Thanks
YearFilmDirectorRole
2006The Showdown
  • Antony Sestito
  • Fulvio Sestito
Special thanks
2014The Visitant Nicholas Peterson
TV movies
Editor
YearFilmDirector
1996Critical Choices Claudia Weill
Dojo KidsSusan Rohrer
1998 The Patron Saint of Liars Stephen Gyllenhaal
Mr. Murder Dick Lowry
1999 Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years Lynne Littman
Editorial department
YearFilmDirectorRole
1990Johnny Ryan Robert L. Collins Assistant editor
1993 And the Band Played On Roger SpottiswoodeAdditional editor
TV series
Editor
YearTitleNotes
1998 Mr. Murder 2 episodes
2000 Freaks and Geeks 5 episodes
2001 All Souls 1 episode
2002 Undeclared 2 episodes
The Job 1 episode
2004−05 Desperate Housewives 5 episodes
2017 SMILF 1 episode
Future Man 5 episodes
2020 Love Life 1 episode
2021 The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers 3 episodes
Editorial department
YearTitleRoleNotes
2022 Welcome to Flatch Additional editor1 episode
TV shorts
Editor
YearFilmDirector
2003Life on Parole Jon Favreau
TV specials
Editor
YearTitle
2002 74th Academy Awards

References

  1. Weiner, Jonah (April 15, 2015). "The Man Who Makes the World's Funniest People Even Funnier". The New York Times .
  2. Melin, Eric (2006). "Editing and improvisation keep "Talladega Nights" on track". scene-stealers.com website. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
  3. Rodrick, Stephen (2007). "Judd Apatow's Family Values", The New York Times May 27, 2007; online version retrieved July 9, 2008.
  4. "Alumni Updates: Class of 1980-89". Brigham Young University, College of Fine Arts and Communications. August 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-12-09.

Further reading