Myron Kerstein, the primary editor who labored on Wicked, talked about navigating the film across the relationship between it’s two most important characters, Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda.
In a brand new featurette for Deadline, Kerstein emphasised the significance of the emotional connection between the story’s two characters.
“With Wicked, regardless that now we have these large set items, this epic canvas, finally it’s the human moments between these two characters that may transfer the viewers,” he defined.
Based on the Broadway musical, Wicked follows Elphaba and Glinda as they meet at Shiz University and navigate a tumultuous relationship. Kerstein shared that a lot of his modifying selections centered on guaranteeing audiences really feel invested within the duo’s journey.
“As an editor, you’ve gotten all of the scope and scale and world-building and CG animals and musical numbers, however on the finish of the day, you need to actually care about this relationship between Elphaba and Glinda,” he instructed the outlet.
Kerstein highlighted the problem of constructing their bond shortly.
“In the start, they’re enemies who’re at one another’s throats at Shiz, after which now we have to see them bond. We should root for them as two individuals that actually see one another,” he defined.
The story is cut up into two components, with the second movie premiering in 2025.
For the primary installment, Kerstein stated it was essential to hit each milestone of their relationship.
“If you don’t root for them as characters, in case you don’t consider their relationship, in case you don’t really feel one thing once they’re torn aside on the finish… none of the remainder of it issues.”
A pivotal scene within the Ozdust Ballroom turned a serious focus for Kerstein’s work. He revealed that this second, the place Elphaba and Glinda’s dynamic shifts dramatically, was a make-or-break level for the movie.
“We all the time felt just like the Ozdust Ballroom was principally the set piece we needed to get proper as a result of if that didn’t work, the remainder of the film was going to disintegrate,” he shared.
Kerstein added that making the scene uncomfortable at first was key.
“If we don’t make the viewers really feel actually uncomfortable and really feel the bullying with Elphaba, then this gesture from Glinda wasn’t going to work.”
