Everything Everywhere All At Once presents a distinct perspective on the concept of the multiverse that doesn’t feature any Marvel superheroes. Instead, the focus lies on a family and their intricate intergenerational dynamics, intertwined with the challenges faced by a struggling laundromat and the scrutiny of IRS audits.
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ is a unique, unpredictable, crazy, emotional rollercoaster. The director duo tells the story of the hopes, failures, disappointments, love, and emotions of an Asian immigrant family in a science fiction movie about the multiverse. Michelle Yeoh captures all the emotions and feelings of multiple universes in the main character of the movie, Evelyn. There is no viewer who has not been moved to tears by Ke Huy Quan’s words of kindness and love as Evelyn’s husband, Waymond. Stephanie Hsu gives a poignant performance of the dual roles of deep depression and doom. Everything Everywhere is a universal story that focuses on family, human relationships, and love.
“Everything Everywhere All At Once”: Defying Boundaries with Independent Editing Brilliance
In an industry where massive budgets and extensive crews dominate the limelight, the remarkable film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” stands as a testament to the triumph of creativity and unwavering dedication.
What’s truly astonishing is that this visual spectacle was brought to life by a team of only five to seven video editors.
With a modest 2017 iMac and Adobe Premiere Pro as their tools of choice, independent editor Paul Rogers crafted the entirety of the film, which won 7 Oscars. Supported by a group of self-taught visual effects artists, they conjured an awe-inspiring experience that rivaled the grandest blockbusters.
How did they accomplish such a feat? According to the team, it was a combination of relentless hard work, unwavering dedication, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Countless hours were spent exploring different techniques, acquiring new skills, and collaborating remotely from the comfort of their homes.
Remarkably, this marks Adobe Premiere Pro’s first Oscar win in the editing category.
Adapting Film Editing Strategies During the COVID Era
The filmmakers of “Everything Everywhere All At Once” opted for in-house visual effects post-production, driven by their previous negative experience with a dedicated post-production studio during the making of Swiss Army Man. Rather than outsourcing, they formed a small team of five talented artists, including Zak Stoltz as visual effects supervisor. Utilizing Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro, they skillfully produced all the visual effects. When the pandemic struck, they relied on Resilio Sync to facilitate the seamless sharing of large amounts of data.
Despite limited resources in terms of crew, budget, and post-production equipment, Everything Everywhere managed to achieve an impressive level of grandeur and production quality. According to Rogers, the film was edited on a 2017 iMac in his living room, utilizing a small hard drive and a pair of headphones. Additionally, the VFX team consisted of seven close friends of the Daniels who were skilled in After Effects. This choice was deliberate, as Scheinert explained, since they wanted to seamlessly integrate VFX into the editing process without complicated workflow visuals. Throughout the production, they continuously worked on rough VFX drafts. To help envision the final scene progression, Rogers would even create temporary VFX shots using Premiere. He humorously recalls how Paul enjoyed experimenting with split screens, combining his favorite elements from various scenes without seeking permission from the rest of the team.
Watch the following video, where Paul Rogers describes everything.
“Everything Everywhere All At Once” stands as a testament to the boundless possibilities that can be unlocked through tenacity, creativity, and a touch of DIY spirit. It redefines the limits of what can be accomplished, proving that the most remarkable achievements often emerge not from gargantuan budgets or extensive crews but from the relentless dedication and fervor of individuals who dare to dream big.
