Michael Wohl, Producer

Selected editing work

FEATURE DOCUMENTARY · 2012
EDITOR

A commissioned feature documentary examining the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

Clash of Colors

NARRATIVE FEATURE · 2003
WRITER • DIRECTOR • EDITOR

My debut feature, a dramedy exploring sex addiction and dot-com mania.

Want

PERFORMANCE

Follow what feels true.

An authentic moment can carry more weight than a technically perfect shot. I look for the gestures, reactions, and unexpected details that make a person believable and a scene matter.

HOW I WORK

CHANGE

Find the hinge.

Every scene needs a reason to exist. I look for the moment when something shifts in a character, a relationship, or our understanding—then build around what leads to that change and what follows it.

STRUCTURE

Shape the whole.

Rhythm and structure operate at every scale: within a shot, through a scene, across an act, and throughout the film. I work between those scales so each moment contributes to a satisfying whole.

I love solving difficult footage. Material that initially seems impossible to assemble can hold unexpected possibilities. Finding them takes patience, experimentation, and a willingness to rethink the first plan.

A career spent exploring the craft.

BEYOND THE TIMELINE

Alongside making films, I helped design the original Final Cut Pro, authored more than a dozen books on editing, filmmaking, and post-production, and taught editing and filmmaking at UCLA and other institutions.

That experience informs how I work: a deep understanding of the tools, curiosity about what the material can become, and close attention to the choices that shape an audience’s experience.

I use technology to remove distractions, make room for experimentation, and keep the creative process moving. Story, performance, and emotional connection guide my cutting decisions.

Original member of Final Cut Pro Design team

Professor of Editing at UCLA School of Film & TV

Bestselling author of 15 books on editing and post

START A CONVERSATION

Tell me about your film.

I’m interested in narrative and documentary projects, whether you’re preparing to shoot, beginning an edit, or looking for a fresh perspective on an existing cut.