Mari Keiko Gonzalez is the editor, executive producer, and co-writer of the four-part special, James Brown: Say It Loud, bringing her decades-long experience working in film and television to this anticipated A&E documentary.
Although she has a varied background in ballet, equestrianism and medicine—it was the music in this latest project that excited her the most. She particularly loved the “jam sessions” speaking to those who know Brown best. She spoke with A&E about what inspired her to work in the editing field and whether she’s seen diversity, equity and inclusion change in the workplace.
As the editor of James Brown: Say It Loud, what were some of your day-to-day responsibilities?
For long form documentaries, I’m usually brought on before shooting begins, but in this case, the interviews were almost all completed. Months before the edit starts, I immerse myself in the entire arsenal of elements by watching all of the interviews and archival footage, live performances and listening to the master recordings. To me, music is the foremost exponent in storytelling and, with James Brown in particular, its own character.
I work in Avid which [I think] is the best non-linear system for music editing and file management. My assistant and now dear friend, confidant and occasional therapist, Kathy Hinh, plays a crucial role on every project. Kat is responsible for setting the workflow and making sure that any other elements we incorporate like animation, graphics, archival and photos adhere to it. In a heavily archival-based documentary, footage comes to us in many different flavors, so Kat has to transcode or convert the files in order for me to work with them. She organizes the bins, folders and keeps track of everything going in and out.
I love editing because it’s one of the most creative jobs in non-fiction filmmaking. In most cases, like with me and [director] Deborah Riley Draper, I am writing the film with the director as we go. There are literally hundreds of hours of material that we are pulling from.
For Say It Loud, I crafted and paced out scenes first by creating a ‘radio edit’ which is how a segment [of the documentary] sounds as opposed to what it looks like. Then I went back and covered it with footage and photos or added a placeholder card for animation or some other visual component we may need.
I worked very closely with our seasoned archival producer, Jim McDonnell, who I also collaborated with on Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President. Jim’s level of expertise in being able to identify, source, and license existing footage as well as unearth never-before-seen material is unmatched.
The next step when I’m assembling is to find the connective tissue between [segments] which can simply be a sound bite or piece of music. Something to take us to the next thought. Sometimes the [segments] get blended together to form a longer scene. It’s a lot of nuance and experimenting.
I have a bulletin board with colored index cards that I use to help me visually map out the story beats. Each card reflects a scene and I move them around accordingly as the film comes to fruition.
What inspired you to work in this field?
In 1992, I was the receptionist at Women Make Movies, which is the largest distributor of films by and about women. They have over 500 films from women filmmakers from nearly 30 different countries in their catalogue. I didn’t know anything about independent film when I started but, while I was there, I watched everything I could.
Inspired by the artist, Sadie Benning, I started to shoot, write, direct and edit my own experimental videos. These were almost like visual poems that explored themes of identity, sexuality and race. After I left WMM, I took jobs at various companies that had editing equipment that I could teach myself to use [them] after hours and create my own stories.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
Filmmaking is a truly collaborative effort in artistic expression. It’s extremely fulfilling to take an exorbitant amount of material and distill it down into a story that moves people in a meaningful and lasting way. It’s not tennis, it’s basketball, and team responsibilities vary from project to project depending on your area of expertise.
In Say it Loud, I worked very closely with my producing partner, executive producer Peter Afterman, who also produced Get On Up starring Chadwick Boseman and Mr. Dynamite directed by Alex Gibney. Peter and our producer Sarah Haber and I, all met on another film I edited, Tom Petty: Somewhere You Feel Free, and we are currently collaborating on several other films, including a Curtis Mayfield documentary that is now in production. I trust Peter’s instincts and appreciate and rely on his deep knowledge of music and music history.
During the making of Say It Loud one of my other treasured experiences was working with and getting to know Alan Leeds and Harry Weinger. Alan was James Brown’s tour manager and then-biographer, so he knew firsthand many details and anecdotes about the early years of Mr. Brown’s career that no one else could speak directly to. Harry is the VP of A&R at Universal Music, winning two Grammy® Awards, one of which includes the box set of James Brown’s Star Time.
I was beyond fortunate to have both of them on our team to consult with and could talk to them for hours. During the making of the series, we used to have these weekly “jam sessions” to discuss and fact check James Brown’s life and music. It was important to me that everything we were putting forth was accurate. I am a lifelong student and their knowledge and experience helped me immensely.
What advice would you give someone who is interested in becoming an editor?
Just do it! I am a self-taught filmmaker. I didn’t go to film school or apprentice as an editor. I read and watched and listened to everything I could get my paws on and still do.
As a creator, no matter what medium you work in, you can always figure out how to express yourself in that format. For me, it was extremely important to comprehend the technical side of film and television as well. When I was making my short films, I worked at post-production facilities as a tech so that I could understand frame rates, film, tape and digital formats, and also learn how to read waveform and vector scopes, solder cables, set timecode and various other nerdy and interesting things.
The landscape is very different today. You can obviously go on YouTube and find a video to teach you just about anything, but I think there is nothing like actual real life, in-person experience which I highly recommend. I mentor a few people near and far and I don’t mind someone sitting and watching me work to see how a film is made. I am always happy to answer questions and assist in how to communicate a complex thought with artistic clarity. It’s important to share ideas, build community and mentor young people. Especially those who didn’t or don’t have access or opportunity.
There has recently been a push to increase diversity, equity and inclusivity in workplaces across the US. Have you noticed any changes in your field?
Yes and no. Over the past few years there has been a push because of corporate mandates but I know extremely brilliant and talented women who still don’t have the same opportunities as men with half of their experience. Because there was such a historic lack of opportunity, it’s still tricky.
Real change comes from the top, so if you are a studio you should hire or appoint heads of departments who represent Black, Brown, Asian, Pacific Islander and Indigenous groups because those individuals are the ones who can more accurately identify the creators within their communities.
Systemic change happens over time and it still needs improvement, but there is positive movement in the right direction. Historically marginalized communities are now creating our own spaces, our own companies and platforms with quality storytelling and representation that is vital to our society.
What do you think are some benefits of having a more diverse workplace?
I was born and raised in New York City and this is not something I ever take for granted. I grew up in a predominantly Black, Puerto-Rican and Jewish neighborhood, which was a combination of upper-middle class, middle class, blue collar and some who lived well below the poverty line. When people from varying backgrounds are brought together in any environment they bring different information, opinions and perspectives. This fosters a greater understanding and is imperative in all areas of life, work and culture.
As an editor, what’s a challenge you face that might come as a surprise to viewers?
Even after all of this time, at the end of every project, when I start a new one, on day one I always wonder, ‘How the heck did we actually finish that and how can I possibly do it all over again?’
What professional achievement are you especially proud of?
I’m extremely proud of James Brown: Say It Loud. It took us over two years to make this and, without detracting from any of the other films about James Brown, it’s the most in-depth, honest exploration of Mr. Brown’s life and his music. It’s both for the novices and the James Brown experts.
Where do you hope to be in the next 5-10 years?
Hopefully on vacation.
What excites you about the future of your field?
What excites me is a whole new generation of people who will become editors. Technology is constantly evolving and so are ideas and perspectives. There are so many different outlets for storytelling that are increasing in numbers and expanding their audiences. Because software and hardware is more accessible and affordable, people also have much more freedom and room to experiment. There are so many ways to go about making short or long form content, you just need the desire and curiosity to do so.
What can A+E Networks do to help further diversity, equity and inclusion?
Asking all levels of staff for their input in helping to shape their own work environment is key in creating a safe and equitable space. Listening is an act of love.