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Editor JoAnne Yarrow was a 2022 Emmy Nominee for her work on season one of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, featuring Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin. JoAnne, a member of the American Cinema Editors (ACE), has 20+ years of experience in the industry and has worked on projects such as Snow White and the Huntsman, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and The Twilight Zone.
I recently had the chance to speak with JoAnne on her latest project, Apple TV+’s Five Days at Memorial. The miniseries, based on the 2013 book by Sheri Fink and starring Vera Farmiga, follows the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In this interview, we also dive into JoAnne’s career, Emmy nomination, and her upcoming projects.
How did you begin your career as an editor?
I worked with writer/director John Ridley on his feature debut, Jimi: All is By My Side, as an assistant. When the Editor had to step away, it allowed me to step up a little and fill that role temporarily. Soon after, Ridley had a pilot he was doing and asked Hank Corwin (the “Jimi” Editor) and me to join. Hank was unavailable, but I was able to join. Ridley asked if I would want to stay and work on the show if the pilot got picked up. I had a job lined up in New York. It had been a dream of mine to work there. I was in a good position to say, “I’d stay if you could make me an Editor.” He didn’t say anything at that moment, but when we got word the show was picked up, he said very matter-of-factly to a room full of people, “there are two of our Editors,” and pointed to the editor who cut the pilot and me. Thus, American Crime became my first editing job.
How did you approach editing on Five Days At Memorial, especially working with other editors?
Coincidentally Luyen Vu and Colin Rich, who I had worked with on American Crime, were the other editors. So I knew them quite well before starting this show. It allowed for shorthand and a high level of trust amongst us. John refers to us as his “X-Men.” He believes we all have a unique talent that delivers on multiple levels when combined. We are a cohesive, collaborative group who know each other as intimately as we know John. I got great notes from them. We constantly talked through obstacles and challenges as they were presented. We all have strong opinions, but we are a strong team that always worked through any differences in a kind and understanding way. We are like a little editing family.
Do you have a memorable scene that you worked on for the series?
Whether combing through stock footage or cutting a scene about euthanizing animals, this series was incredibly emotional. But the scene that really destroyed me was one in Episode 5, “Day 5.” It’s a scene when one of the nurses tells a patient she’s leaving him behind. These two characters have this beautiful and intimate bond. If you’ve ever been in a hospital bed, you know how extraordinary our nurses and doctors can be in those moments of great insecurity and vulnerability. Emmett Everett, the patient, senses that he may be left behind entirely. He starts to tell the nurse, Diane Robichaux, to tell his wife something and then stops himself. And he simply says, “just tell her…whatever.” It’s this heart-wrenching moment of surrender that just broke me. Once I cut it, honed in that moment, and watched it back, it hit me hard that we were representing real people, real lives, and real loss. And although this was just one human, there were so many lost and forgotten in this tragedy. I had to take a break and walk outside because it felt like I was witnessing a real moment of a man’s final words first-hand.
What editing software do you prefer to use? What did you use on Five Days at Memorial?
We used Avid Media Composer, and it’s what I’m most familiar with and what I prefer to use.
What is your biggest piece of advice or something that you yourself follow when getting ready to edit a project?
I personally try to find joy in my job. I believe if I’m tormented and stressed by work, my edit is as well. So it’s important to remember what a gift it is to tell stories and focus on how it fulfills you. Find a balance between work and life so you can bring your best self to your work.
You were recently nominated for an Emmy for your work on Only Murders in the Building. What does that mean to you?
It’s been a pleasant surprise. I never started this career path for any reason other than loving the work. I never knew if the passion would take me very far, and I was ok with that. But this is a reminder, more than anything, of how far I’ve come. And just how far passion and patience can take you.
Are there any upcoming, exciting projects you’re working on that you can share with us?
I’m currently working on a Netflix film about Shirley Chisholm and her run for President in 1972, starring Regina King. Regina is a force. You come to expect that from her, but she is spectacular. She’s a strong, driven woman playing a strong, driven woman. Shirley was a trailblazer, and she inspired me greatly. She was never one to settle or be unnerved by ideas others had of her. And it’s been Shirley’s words that have empowered me to feel like I, too, deserve a seat at the table.
–Thanks for reading! Learn more about JoAnne by checking out her IMDb.
