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GG Hawkins speaks with editors Lam T. Nguyen and Austin Keeling about building the visual language of Mercy, a hybrid screen life thriller directed by Timur Bekmambetov. They break down how editorial shaped not just pacing and performance, but also the film’s digital camera moves, interface design, screen choreography, and collaboration with VFX. The conversation also expands into how texting, phones, and screen-based storytelling can work in contemporary filmmaking, and why the core principles of editing still matter even inside a highly technical workflow.
In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guests discuss...
How Lam T. Nguyen and Austin Keeling first came together on Mercy
What defines the film’s hybrid “screen life” visual language
How the team used early previs to explore a more immersive 3D screen experience
Why the Apple Vision Pro became an early point of reference for the film’s digital courtroom design
How editorial functioned as editing, design, animation, and virtual cinematography all at once
The Premiere Pro workflow they used to manage complex multi-layered timelines
Why the team kept the process technically simple with adjustment layers, transform effects, and blur
How they decided where the audience should look when multiple story elements were happening at once
What the handoff to VFX looked like and why the editorial version had to be nearly final
Their thoughts on how texting and phones can be made cinematic in modern films
How Mercy balanced futuristic technology with interfaces that still feel recognizable to audiences
Why collaboration, adaptability, and saying yes to unexpected opportunities helped shape their careers
Memorable Quotes:
“We had four weeks to build the previs and all they wanted was in traditional screen life formats.”
“The best way to do is simplify it, right?”
“The fundamentals still apply as an editor for this film.”
“It’s all just using the tools that are available and kind of like using them to your advantage.”
Guests:
Lam T. Nguyen
Austin Keeling
Resources:
Vote for No Film School’s Webby-nominated explainer video
Tickets: Beacon Film Society screening — May 7, New York
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