The LA-based Final Cut editor on the significance of his Star Wars-themed tattoo (above), the "insane" demands of record labels, and telling a sweet Christmas story with Bryce Dallas Howard.As we head towards the end of 2024, Antonio Gómez-Pan can reflect upon another successful, award-winning year. Notching up commercials for the likes of The North Face, Samsung, Coke Zero and Nissan, the Madrid native, now based in Los Angeles and represented by Final Cut in LA, also added a win at the Tribeca Film Festival for his work on Christmas-themed short film The Note. That followed his success in 2023 with music videos for The Weeknd and Jungkook, and Nick Roney's audacious comedy short The Flute, a winner at South By Southwest.Antonio's other recent music video credits also include promos for Rosalía, Tove Lo and Becky G and C Tangana - and he's not just a very successful editor of commercials and music videos. He has also written a book about editing and audiovisual narrative, The Art Of Renunciation, published at the start of 2024. So we're delighted Antonio has now turned his attention to The Snapshot Q&A, with entertaining stories of his first exposure to movies, his first break in the film industry - and discussing the film he edited that will definitely get you in the festive spirit.Name: Antonio Gómez-Pan for most purposes. Antonio Gabriel Santiago Gómez-Pan Rodríguez is the official one -and the one my Mom uses when she is mad at me.Birthday: 11/24/1985. After seven years of living here, I still have to think twice to write it like that (in my mind, it will always be 24/11/1985). Why not make it universal?Where did you grow up? Madrid, Spain.Place of further education and course (if any)? I went to film school in Barcelona and lived there for many years. Where do you live now? Los Angeles.What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed?In 2009, during my third year of film school, my best friend Pablo [Larcuen] and I, passionate about cinema, faced challenges with our short films and were on the brink of failing the film practice course. The school organized a small internal festival, and we eagerly participated, hoping to showcase our work on the big screen. The teachers would choose the best short films from each class, and we were determined to be among the over a hundred contenders.We were up against over 7,000 short films. I figured: why not take the bet? This film was our last chance. We rented a 16mm camera and spent a weekend shooting at Pablo’s grandparents’ house. Against all odds, we made it into the festival and premiered our film [My Invisible Friend]. They loved it, and we won several prizes.Pablo, brimming with pride, suggested submitting it to prestigious festivals like Sundance, Cannes, Berlin… But we had no savings, and the application fees were costly. I advised realism, as we were the worst in the course. But Pablo proposed a compromise: he’d pay the Sundance registration fee if I tattooed the main character, Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars, on my arm if they chose us. The odds were stacked against us. We were up against over 7,000 short films from all over the globe. So I figured: why not take the bet?We became the youngest Spaniards selected at Sundance. The short film opened the door to professional jobs, and I started my career directly as an editor at only twenty-four years old. Whenever I see that hideous tattoo, I remember the improbability of it and how I almost let it go. I learned to believe in myself, my friends, and our project.[vidtoken data:0]Best film you’ve seen this year? I recently splurged on this awesome projector, and it’s been a game-changer. Two movies that immediately come to mind are Perfect Days (Wim Wenders, 2023) and Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (Alexandre de La Patellière & Matthieu Delaporte, 2024).Favourite song/album/music artist this year? Baby Beluga and Down By The Bay by Raffi. I just became a Dad.Favourite music video/videos you’ve seen this year? Girl by Cayucas. It’s directed by my friend Nick Roney, and it’s absolutely brilliant! When I’m feeling down, I always watch Tove Lo’s music video Glad He’s Gone [directed by Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia] and it instantly lifts my spirits. And this year, Sabrina Carpenter’s video Taste [directed by Dave Meyers] is a perfect tribute to the classic film Death Becomes Her. [vidtoken data:1]What has been (or usually is) your favourite night out this year? At Dunsmoor in Los Angeles, with a table full of Spaniards eating and drinking as if there were no tomorrow.Labels want you to deliver the final cut three days after they shoot, which is insane. Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice? When I was six, my parents were away on a business trip. My nanny let me stay up late and watch TV with her. There was this cool segment called The Raft inside Creepshow 2. It was about a giant killer blob, and I was totally hooked! From that moment on, I wanted to escape into other worlds, even when it involved those creepy blobs.[imgtoken data:1]In terms of the music video-related jobs of the past year or so, what were the most rewarding creatively, and why?Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to work with the amazing directing duo Bradley and Pablo on a K-Pop music video called Seven by Jungkook. Luckily, we had a decent-sized budget (considering this was a music video) so we got to do all sorts of crazy stuff. We flooded a laundry room with water and had the character walk over a moving train. It was so much fun!In the edit bay, we found the structure, changed the order of the sequences, and created a final crescendo that wasn’t there in the beginning.[vidtoken data:2]The song was a huge hit! We got nominated for the MTV Music Video Awards and the UKMVAs, and it became the fastest song to surpass 100 million streams on Spotify and to reach the first position on iTunes. What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?Every year, I try to work on a personal project. The last two years have been amazing! I edited two projects that won awards at South By Southwest and Tribeca. In 2023, I worked on The Flute with Nick Roney. It was an incredible experience. Nick is not only incredibly sweet but also a visionary director. [vidtoken data:3]This year, I worked on the Coca-Cola Christmas film The Note, directed by Bryce Dallas Howard. She directs, considering the edit in a way I haven’t seen before. Working with her also taught me a lot about acting and directing.What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened this year?Every year, I make it a goal to collaborate with a director I really admire. And guess what? This year, I finally got to work with Brian Billow on three different commercials. It’s been on my bucket list for ages.As for awards, I wasn’t expecting the AICP nomination for best music video, nor the MTV nominations, or even winning at Tribeca for The Note. It has been an incredibly lucky year![vidtoken data:4]Working with Bryce Dallas Howard taught me a lot about acting and directing.Most annoying/irksome thing that’s been going on this year (work-related or otherwise)? Trump. Again.Your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works? More time to explore. They want you to deliver the final cut three days after they shoot, which is insane. The more you can play, the better it will be.What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year? I have been begging my wife for a Playstation 5 for ages, and yesterday, she came home with the PlayStation 5 Pro. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. So, playing until I collapse and spending Christmas and New Year’s in Madrid with my family.• Antonio Gómez-Pan is an editor at Final Cut, based in Los Angeles. More of his work here.
Promonews - 1 day ago
