For filmmakers who want to better understand how editing, directing, and producing skills complement one another, follow Yana Gorskaya’s career.
Her credits across all specialties include FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows,” for which she received four Emmy nominations, Comedy Central’s mockumentary “Review,” and Taika Waititi’s Oscar-winning “Jojo Rabbit.” Her sensibilities in the editing bay have lent themselves well to her other roles. In addition to her Emmy nods for editing and producing “What We Do in the Shadows,” she served as director for 22 episodes over the show’s six seasons.
Here’s how she learned to do it all.
Your first big editing job was the 2002 documentary “Spellbound.” You ended up winning an American Cinema Editors Award, and the film landed an Oscar nom. At the time, you were a student and you cut the film for free at first. What would you say to creatives who are weighing when it’s worth doing free work in order to gain experience? What was that line for you?
The line for me was working on something I really believed in and thought would lead to concrete work. I was a student and building credits, and I knew nobody was going to hire me to edit something until I had edited something. As an immigrant who proved and validated herself through academic competition, the subject matter [about the competitors in a national children’s spelling bee] really resonated for me. I also adored the director, Jeffrey Blitz, and believed in his vision.
Years later, when I was ready to transition, he gave me my first directing opportunity [on NBC’s “Trial & Error”]. I would say, if you can afford to, working with people you really like on things you really like for little or no money is really worth it when you’re just starting out. But your time still has value. Be picky on what you’ll do for free.
You and Taika Waititi have such a fruitful creative partnership. Your collaborations have included “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Jojo Rabbit,” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” What’s the secret sauce to building a long-lasting working relationship with another creative person?
With Taika, it’s a shared overdeveloped sense of deadpan. Our comedic instincts are so similar. Who knew Russian immigrants and Kiwis shared comedic DNA? But we do, very much so. It also helped that Taika’s mother was also a Russian Jew and we ate all the same food.
What’s your top piece of advice for filmmakers looking to market and sell their projects?
That’s a tough one. Taika and Jemaine [Clement, co-creator] made “What We Do in the Shadows” for almost no money as a lark, just because the idea made them laugh. I worked on it for the same reasons. None of us thought it would lead to what it led to, but we believed in it and adored making it. So, maybe just make something that pleases you dearly? And, hopefully, that weird, special POV other people will enjoy, too.
How has your editing experience influenced how you approach directing and vice versa?
I don’t overcover, and I pretty much always get what we need to shape the scene. It gives me the confidence to move on. Every director should edit. Movies and shows would be so much better—or at least, much easier on their editors.
For someone who’s feeling stuck in the editing process, what advice do you have to start gaining momentum again?
Watch it with someone who hasn’t seen it. Their notes don’t matter all that much. If they have useful feedback, that’s great, but the most valuable thing it’ll give you is your own fresh eyes, experiencing the watch with someone else.
What’s your favorite part of attending film festivals?
Meeting other people who are truly passionate about film.
