Cut to the Monkey: A Hollywood Editor’s Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Making Hit Comedies

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Roger Nygard

Cut to the Monkey

A Hollywood Editor’s Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Making Hit Comedies

Roger Nygard

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English

Applause
15 November 2021

Film movie production: technical skills; Television production: technical & background skills

Cut to the Monkey is the story of a filmmaker's journey through Hollywood—revealing all the secrets behind how the experts find the funny in any project—by a filmmaker who has worked with some of the funniest people in the business and has edited Emmy-nominated episodes from series such as VEEP, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Who Is America?

Nobody knows who first said, ""Dying is easy, comedy is hard."" But almost everyone in the film business agrees it's true. Roger Nygard will share his anecdotal experiences in television, features, and documentaries as a filmmaker and editor—struggles and successes any filmmaker can identify with. Nygard also includes tips for Hollywood professionals and fans alike on how to successfully navigate the business of being funny.

Along with a major focus on film editing, the author also shares filmmaking stories that will leave readers feeling inspired and better prepared to deal with their own struggles. The book also features contributions about writing, creating, and editing comedy from some of the biggest names in the comedy business today, including Larry David (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm), David Mandel (VEEP), Sacha Baron Cohen (Who Is America?,Borat), Krista Vernoff (Grey’s Anatomy), Alec Berg (Silicon Valley, Barry), Jeff Schaffer (The League, Dave), Mike Binder (The Upside of Anger, Black or White), Judd Apatow (Girls, Love,The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Julia Louise Dreyfus (VEEP, Seinfeld), Steve Oedekerk (Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls, Patch Adams), and others.

By: Roger Nygard
Imprint: Applause
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 230mm, Width: 154mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 535g
ISBN: 9781493061235
ISBN 10: 1493061232
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 15 November 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Roger Nygard grew up outside Minneapolis on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. At age seven he discovered his father’s 8mm camera and began making short comedy films—and he never stopped. Nygard has since directed TV series such as The Office and The Bernie Mac Show, and he has edited Emmy-nominated episodes of VEEP and Curb Your Enthusiasm. As an award-winning documentarian, Nygard has tackled serious topics in a humorous way, like Trekkies and The Nature of Existence, and his latest work, The Truth About Marriage, which examines how we can all make relationship happier, or at least, less disastrous.

Reviews for Cut to the Monkey: A Hollywood Editor’s Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Making Hit Comedies

""Roger Nygard's book Cut to the Monkey is like a secret weapon for filmmakers.""- Chris Gore, Filmthreat NetGalley Review: 4 stars Last updated on 10 Oct 2021 ""This is a combination of industry memoir and technical guide to film and television editing and storytelling. Film students and others aspiring to work in the industry will probably find both parts quite compelling. As an interested outsider, I much preferred the nerdy details. Reading about the theory of comedy, the structure of storytelling, and even the mechanical aspects of how to mix sound was absolutely fascinating! For me this was at its best not when we were discussing Larry David again (not that he doesn't have plenty of expertise and insight to offer) but when concepts were illustrated by a wonderfully wide-ranging list of films and TV shows (references to the Iranian film A Separation happily coexisted with wisdom mined from Adam Sandler's The Waterboy). The thoughtful variety of works cited underscores the universality of the core concepts of what makes a joke funny or a story watchable. Anyone wanting to pursue a creative aspect of film or television production would do well to give this a close read. Those who merely find the subject interesting will find a lot to enjoy, but should feel free to skim without remorse when it starts getting very ""inside"". Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!""--L Gage, educator at BookWorks ""Enormously entertaining . . . . An essential read for anyone who wants to broaden their editorial horizons and comes highly recommended.""--Cornelius Galen, First Frame, British Film Editors ""Roger Nygard's book Cut to the Monkey is like a secret weapon for filmmakers.""--Chris Gore, Filmthreat ""This book isn't just great. It's essential!""--Jonny Elwyn, Cut/daily ""Roger Nygard is a funny man. That is, he's a sought after editor and filmmaker, and now author, who has written an excellent book on the art, craft and business of cutting comedy; Cut To The Monkey. And the book is funny as well as incredibly insightful. It should be on your Christmas list for sure.""--Jonny Elywn, Cut/daily.com ""This book isn't just great. It's essential!""-Jonny Elwyn, Cut/daily