18th MIFF Exlores the Magic of “Shaping Characters” and taking them Closer to the Viewer

“As an editor you need to be involved in the story, fall in love with the characters – whether with fiction or documentaries”, said Ollie Huddleston, an award-winning film editor with over 30 years of experience in television and cinema documentaries, in his master-class organized in the penultimate day of the 18^th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) in Mumbai. Today’s editing master-class titled ‘Shaping Characters’ by Ollie Huddleston focussed on a storyteller’s perspective for making a film.

The master editor chose to showcase his award winning project ‘Dream catcher’ to explain his craft of shaping characters through editing. The documentary film which has bagged several international awards, takes us into a hidden world through the eyes of one of its survivors – Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute who worked in the streets of Chicago, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humour, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. Her story is their inspiration. Through the remarkable story of Brenda from Chicago, director Kim Longinotto explores the cycle of neglect, violence and exploitation which each year leaves thousands of girls and women feeling that prostitution is their only option to survive.