The Rough Cut

Editor - Joel Negron ACE, Sound Designers - Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn
Project Hail Mary editor Joel Negron says that one of the first calls that he makes when he signs on to a new film is to his trusted colleagues in audio post, Erik and Ethan.  And for more than fifteen years the trio has collaborated on a wide variety of films, including the Transformers franchise, Jungle Cruise and Cocaine Bear.  But their latest film with directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller would prove to be one of their greatest challenges, but also one of their biggest hits!
Based on the bestselling novel by Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary is a high-stakes sci-fi thriller centered on Ryland Grace, a scientist who wakes up aboard a spacecraft with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He soon discovers he is humanity's sole hope for survival, tasked with solving a cosmic mystery to save Earth from an extinction-level threat. As his memories slowly return, Grace must utilize his scientific ingenuity and form an unlikely alliance in the vast loneliness of deep space to complete his desperate mission.


JOEL NEGRON, ACE
Joel Negron is a highly accomplished film editor known for his versatile work across high-octane action blockbusters and visually inventive features. He has a long-standing reputation for managing large-scale productions, with notable credits including Thor: Ragnarok, The Nice Guys, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Negron's ability to balance complex visual effects with rhythmic storytelling has made him a frequent collaborator for top-tier directors, consistently delivering polished, high-energy cinematic experiences.
ERIK AADAHL
Erik Aadahl is a premier sound designer and supervising sound editor whose innovative approach to sonic world-building has earned him multiple Academy Award nominations. He is perhaps best known for creating the distinct mechanical "voices" of the Transformers franchise and for his evocative work on films like Argo, A Quiet Place, and Godzilla. Aadahl's philosophy centers on using sound as a narrative tool to evoke emotion and tension, often blending organic and synthetic textures to create immersive, award-winning soundscapes.
ETHAN VAN DER RYN
Ethan Van der Ryn is a titan in the world of sound design, boasting two Academy Awards for his contributions to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and King Kong. Throughout his prolific career, he has played a pivotal role in defining the auditory identity of major cinematic universes, frequently partnering with Erik Aadahl through their post-production house, E² Sound. From the roaring intensity of Godzilla to the intricate details of the Kung Fu Panda series, Van der Ryn is celebrated for his technical mastery and his ability to elevate storytelling through sophisticated sound editorial.



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Editor - Tim Squyres, ACE
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice editor Tim Squyres has over three decades of experience working with directors such as Ang Lee, Robert Altman and Jonathan Demme.  But his latest film marks the first time collaborating with writer/director BenDavid Grabinski.  Together the two navigated the tonal minefield of blending action, comedy, romance and a little time travel, to deliver a raucous romp that spans multiple years in one night.

Set in a highly-stylized criminal underworld, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice follows two (or three) gangsters and the woman they love trying to survive the most dangerous night of their lives, one in which a time machine is involved.
TIM SQUYRES ACE
Acclaimed film editor Tim Squyres is best known for his long-standing collaboration with director Ang Lee. A graduate of Cornell University, Squyres began his career in the late 1980s and quickly distinguished himself as a precise and emotionally intuitive storyteller. His early work with Lee on The Wedding Banquet (1993) marked the beginning of a creative partnership that would span decades and include films such as Sense and Sensibility, Crouching Tiger - Hidden Dragon, Hulk, and Life of Pi. Across these projects, Squyres developed a reputation for crafting nuanced performances and guiding complex narratives with clarity, rhythm, and restraint.
In addition to his work with Lee, Squyres has also collaborated with a range of influential filmmakers, including Robert Altman on Gosford Park and Jonathan Demme on Rachel Getting Married. His versatility across genres—from ensemble dramas to intimate character studies—has earned him multiple Academy Award and American Cinema Editor nominations.




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Axel Geddes ACE, Tony Greenberg, Chloe Kloezeman, Geoff Sledge, Ayesha Johannes
The Hoppers editing team of Axel, Tony, Chloe, Geoff and Ayesha understand better than anyone, that in the world of animation, creating a captivating film involves more than just drawing and animating characters. It requires a deep understanding of storytelling, editing, and collaboration.  Not to mention the occasional party in the cutting room.

Hoppers follows a young woman named Mabel Tanaka, an animal lover whose mind is transferred into a lifelike robotic beaver, allowing her to communicate with animals and save their habitat from human destruction, while inadvertently starting an uprising in doing so.
 
AXEL GEDDES, ACE
Axel Geddes joined Pixar Animation Studios in February 1999 as an assistant editor on the Academy Award®-nominated feature "Toy Story 2." Geddes went on to work as a second assistant editor on "Monsters, Inc.," first assistant editor on Oscar®-winner "Finding Nemo" and second film editor on Oscar®-winning feature film "WALL•E."  He continued as a lead editor on two Toy Story Toons, the studio's Halloween television special "Toy Story of TERROR!" and "Finding Dory." He more recently served as Editor on the Academy AwardÆ-winning film "Toy Story 4," in addition to working on Pixar's "Lightyear." Geddes recently completed cutting Pixar's latest feature "Hoppers".
Geddes was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He studied filmmaking with an emphasis on editing at The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He resides in the East Bay with his wife and their three children.
TONY GREENBERG
Anthony Greenberg (call him Tony) joined Pixar in 2002 as a Second Assistant Editor for The First Incredibles. His subsequent credits include serving as First Assistant Editor on WALL•E, and Second Editor on both The Good Dinosaur and Incredibles 2. Most recently, he served as the Lead Editor for Lightyear and as a Second Editor for Hoppers.
Prior to his time at Pixar, Tony began his career as an Intern at Industrial Light & Magic, where he eventually rose to the position of Assistant VFX Editor.
CHLOE KLOEZEMAN
Chloé Kloezeman was hired as a temporary assistant editor in 2012 for the TV special, Toy Story of Terror. What was supposed to be 3 months turned into 14 years, and she's hoping that no one has noticed. She has Second Assistant Editor credits on Finding Dory, Coco, Toy Story 4 (and said TV Special), and two credits as a Second Editor (Lightyear and the new Hoppers). Working on Hoppers has been a highlight of her career.
Kloezeman was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a UC Berkeley graduate. She lives in Oakland with her partner and two kids.
GEOFF SLEDGE
Geoffrey Sledge previously worked on live action features in New York, mainland China and Hong Kong. After returning to the States, he started at Pixar in 2013, first as an assistant on Coco. He transitioned into the Second Editor role while working on Hoppers.
AYESHA JOHANNES
Ayesha Johannes joined Pixar in the spring of 2016 as an Editorial Intern on Cars3. She then went on to become a second assistant editor on Luca and then Lightyear.  She also worked as an assistant editor on two spark shorts at Pixar, PURL and LOOP. On Hoppers she was promoted to a first assistant editor and it has been her most favorite time at Pixar so far.
Prior to her time at Pixar, Ayesha studied at the Academy of Art University and while there worked with a director on a Filipino short film called Christmas Bonus.
She was born and raised in Mumbai, India and now lives in Oakland, California with her family.



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Listen to past interviews with 2026 ACE Eddie Winners, Michael Shawver (Sinners), Andy Jurgensen (One Battle After Another), Mark Strand (The Pitt), Nathan Schauf (KPop Demon Hunters) and Eric Kissack (The Studio)

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Editor - Nigel Williams
How to Get to Heaven From Belfast editor Nigel Williams once again finds himself cutting with showrunner Lisa McGee.  Having first worked with McGee on her hit series, Derry Girls, the two are back together for a show that features Lisa's well-known witty dialogue and quirky characters, but this time all wrapped up in a mystery.

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast is an eight-part series that follows three longtime friends. Now in their late 30s, but still as close as ever, the girls are about to embark on the most thrilling adventure of their lives. When an email arrives, telling them about the death of the estranged fourth member of their childhood gang, a series of eerie events at her wake set them on a dark, dangerous and hilarious odyssey through Ireland and beyond.  Together they try to piece together the truth of the past. It's a show about friendship, memory and what happens when life doesn't turn out quite like you'd expected.
NIGEL WILLIAMS
Nigel Williams is one of the most highly sought-after editors in comedy. He hit gold in 2000 when two strangers were looking to cut a pilot. Those strangers were Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Together they made one of the biggest comedies of all time, The Office. Nigel then went on to edit some of the most successful comedies on TV, including Extras, Outnumbered, Motherland, Horrible Histories and Tracey Ullman's Show. Nigel also edited 5 seasons of Episodes, starring Matt Leblanc, in Los Angeles, working with Jeffrey Klarik and David Crane (creator of Friends). Williams was thrilled that his recent work on hit show Derry Girls was recognized with a coveted BFE award for Best Editor. He has also co-founded Wrap Party Agency, and is committed to promoting more diversity and inclusion within post-production.
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Editors - Arthur Tarnowski ACE, CCE and Véronique Barbe CCE
After years of working in different cutting rooms across Montreal, Heated Rivalry editors Arthur Tarnowski and Véronique Barbe are finally skating on the same line for showrunner Jacob Tierney. But bringing the "spicy" subject matter of Rachel Reid's book series to tv audiences would be no small feat. It required the editors to find the right balance of tension, chemistry and character within and around the steamy sexual encounters of the shows main characters.

Heated Rivalry follows the lives of two budding hockey superstars, Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov.  Before becoming pro hockey players, the two meet as competitors at an international hockey competition.  Six months later they would be drafted by two rival teams, the Montreal Metros and the Boston Raiders.  Although their on-ice rivalry is amplified by media coverage and public perception, the two develop a private, initially casual sexual relationship that continues intermittently over several years as they pursue their hockey careers.  Keeping this relationship hidden from the world is a challenge greater than either would ever have on the ice.
ARTHUR TARNOWSKI ACE, CCE
Arthur Tarnowski is an award-winning editor who grew up loving James Bond and Ingmar Bergman films (thank you PBS). Editor of over 40 features, in both English and French, his eclectic filmography encompasses everything from broad comedies like the Canadian box-office hits Father and Guns 2 and Compulsive Liar to auteur cinema like Drunken Birds (Canada's Academy Awards submission, 2022), Kidnapping Inc.(Sundance 2024; Haiti's Academy Awards submission, 2026), Irena's Vow (TIFF 2023) and The Hummingbird Project(TIFF 2018). He also enjoys cutting action pictures such as Deadfall (Tribeca 2013), Brick Mansions and The Decline. His television work includes The Sticky, DMV, 19-2, Bad Blood, Being Human, The Art of More, and The Moody's. He has also created trailers for over 150 films. His most recent project, Heated Rivalry—a Crave/HBO series created with frequent collaborator writer-director Jacob Tierney—has become a global television phenomenon.
VÉRONIQUE BARBE CCE
Aside from her work on Heated Rivalry, Vero's credits include HBO's Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects, both directed by Jean‑Marc Vallée — a cherished creative partner and mentor whose impact continues to guide her work. She has edited TV series and films across Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and has earned nominations from the Emmys, ACE, CCE, and CSA.  

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