Eddie Hamilton, ACE is the editor of Top Gun: Maverick, the last 3 Mission: Impossible films, Kick-Ass 1 & 2, and X-Men: First Class, just to name a few. And in my first interview with Eddie (here’s part 2 where he talks about editing Maverick specifically), he and I talk about his early career choices and how he was able to become one of the top feature editors in the world…without ever going to film school.

With all the unique stories that come with ‘making it’ in Hollywood (or any creative career), it’s easy to assume the way someone else became successful could never happen for you. Which is why I’m always trying to boil the process down to simple, actionable steps that anyone can follow to get real results. And those steps include:

Choosing the ladder you want to climb (with laser-sharp specificity)
Learning, honing, and becoming awesome at your craft
Making sure the right people know you're awesome at your craft

In today’s conversation Eddie and I talk about his rise from runner to editor in only six months (working in sports journalism of all places), his journey from editing indie films to becoming an “overnight success,” and the various choices that Eddie made - and more importantly didn’t make (i.e. what he strategically said ‘no’ to), that helped forge his path to the top. Just a quick note this interview is pulled from deep in the archives way back in the Fitness In Post days, but I promise every single one of Eddie’s knowledge bombs are just as relevant today as they were when we originally spoke.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

Eddie’s background and how his love of film began at seven-years-old
How to recover from rejection
His first job in post and how he moved up from a runner to editor in only six months!
His big break: working with Matthew Vaughn
Editing with VHS recorders
Is grad school worth the time and money?
A day in the life of Eddie Hamilton
His focus on diet and exercise while working
The sacrifices necessary to succeed in this industry
His process for cutting scenes
The meals and snacks he chooses throughout the day...chocolate included
How easy it can be to get some exercise into your day -- you don’t need to do it all!
Good eating habits at work
Standing vs. sitting
How what you eat can affect your work for the day
The differences between working in the US versus other countries
If you want to succeed more than everyone else, you will succeed!

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Eddie Hamilton Maverick episode

Ep11: Making It In Hollywood as a “Creative” (What They Don’t Teach You In Film School) | with Norman Hollyn

How 'Mission Impossible' Editor Eddie Hamilton Skipped Film School & Worked His Way to Cutting Blockbusters

How To Get Ahead In Editing

Cutting Mission: Impossible

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Guest Bio:

eddie-hamilton-bio Eddie Hamilton

Eddie Hamilton, ACE is currently editing the next chapters in the Mission: Impossible movie series. Before that, Eddie cut Paramount Pictures' Top Gun: Maverick, directed by Joe Kosinski, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation for director Christopher McQuarrie. Other credits include Kingsman: The Secret Service, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass for director Matthew Vaughn. After 23 years in the industry Eddie has cut over 20 feature films (both indies and studio movies) in a wide variety of genres as well as TV dramas, documentaries and award-winning short films. His enthusiasm for big screen storytelling is matched only by his total dedication to the craft of film editing, his nerdy technical expertise and his undisputed love of chocolate. He has given presentations on Avid Media Composer editing at NAB and IBC. Eddie is a member of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, American Cinema Editors and BAFTA, and was on the feature film panel at EditFest London in 2013 and 2018.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

Ep176: Why You Don’t Need to Go to Film School to Be Successful | with Eddie Hamilton, ACE [Pt 1]

The Zack Arnold Podcast