How editors Troy Lewis and Adelina Bichis used Premiere Pro and Frame.io to craft moving documentary “Daughters”

How editors Troy Lewis and Adelina Bichis used Premiere Pro and Frame.io to craft moving documentary "Daughters"

Image Source: Netflix.

The Oscar Shortlist documentary "Daughters" follows four girls as they prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers. This unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C. jail is the only time some of the daughters will be able to touch or hug their fathers during their sentences, some of which are as long as 30 years.

Editors Troy Lewis and Adelina Bichis, BFE, used Adobe Premiere Pro to help them bring this emotional film to life by conveying the deeply emotional connections between subjects who spend very little time together, both in real life and on screen. Pairing Premiere Pro with Frame.io was also essential during post-production to not only provide feedback on cuts, but also to organize five years of footage shot in different camera formats into one cohesive narrative.

"Daughters" first premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, taking home two awards: Festival Favorite and Audience Choice, U.S. Documentary Competition. We caught up with Lewis and Bichis to get a behind-the-scenes look at editing this moving, multi-year story.

How and where did you first learn to edit?

Lewis: I first learned to edit working on Lego animated films with my best friend growing up in Zambia. During my junior and senior years of high school, I was able to intern at a small Zambian commercial company, Inzy, where I edited hotel and insurance commercials, and became more fluent in Premiere Pro. While my interests began at Northwestern University in literature and screenwriting, I started to see the parallels between the cutting process and writing process, and my interest in editing re-emerged. I very much enjoy moving between narrative films, where I started editing features, and non-fiction, learning from both medium's qualities. In documentaries, I learn from the chaos and unpredictability of life and find a vitality in collaboration that isn't always granted in scripted films. In narratives, I now look at every take and performance as holding its own stories and idiosyncrasies beyond the script.

Bichis: Since I was a child, I loved drawing, which compelled me to join the Romanian National Film School to study animation, editing and sound design. It was during my time there that I discovered editing was my true passion. My early training was in a few different editing platforms, as well as editing 16mm and 35mm films on Steenbeck tables. In fact, our professor, Adina Petrescu, insisted we work strictly with physical film in the early years, avoiding digitization to build a deep understanding of the craft. I loved the tactile experience of handling film - it taught me to think critically and deliberately before making a cut.

How do you begin a project/set up your workspace?

Lewis: I often begin a project through the writing process, coming up with a series of index cards, collecting not only scenes, but also themes, character arcs and traits, and visual motifs, placed on a cork board or the wall. These often then directly translate into Premiere sequences in my Brainstorm folder, where I can collect resonant images and moments and watch through them with varying audio and music tracks, mixing and combining as I attempt to find a tone and rhythm for a film.

Bichis: I always begin a project by watching all the rushes, taking extensive notes in my notebook, and creating select sequences. This initial step helps me map out the material. The habit of taking physical notes comes from my early years learning to edit on film, and it's something I still rely on throughout the editing process. I've developed a visual marking system using dots and stars to flag moments I like or love, which makes it easy to revisit key elements later.

Once I've immersed myself in the footage, I shift to using index cards to map out the film's structure. This is where I start thinking deeply about the themes of the film, the characters, their arcs, the plot and subplots.

Tell us about a favorite scene or moment from this project and why it stands out to you.

Lewis: One of the challenges that became apparent early in "Daughters" was building emotional connections between characters who spend a very small percentage (a single dance) together, out of the many dozens of hours of footage we had at our disposal. As I marinated in the many hours of the fatherhood circles, and the daily lives and rituals captured of the daughters, I began to find parallels, both subtle, from tiny facial tics shared between them, to the creation of dream spaces, such as in the final scene, a moment I hold close to my heart.

For me, it's a perfect combination of the naturalism of that final verite moment, as Aubrey says, a pained goodbye to her father after the visit, and within the collage in the previous scene: a cinematic dreamspace that allows Aubrey and Keith to express emotions that can't be shared through words.

Bichis: There are so many moments in the film that I love, from the dreamlike sequences exploring the girls' world to the heartfelt wisdom shared in the fatherhood circles with Chad. But if I had to choose one, it would be the corridor scene where the fathers and daughters finally meet. This moment stands out because the entire film has been building towards it. We've shared in the excitement and the fears of both the daughters and the fathers, and this is where it all culminates. Hearing Santana shout "Daddy!" as she hugs Mark so tightly always breaks my heart - it's such a raw, emotional moment of connection and vulnerability.

What were some specific post-production challenges you faced that were unique to your project? How did you go about solving them?

Lewis: The extreme length of the "Daughters" production left the film with a heavy mix of formats that was at first intimidating in the face of creating a cohesive multi-year narrative. But as the rhythms of the film and character arcs revealed themselves, the 16mm became a beautiful metaphor for the fragile memory of the dance. Michael (Cambio) Fernandez's majestic Alexa footage perfectly captured the nostalgic essence of childhood moments as we approached the dance. In contrast, the later, more sterile, digital Blackmagic footage reflected the harsher realities the girls face. As the film evolves into a more direct protest piece, it confronts the consequences of the carceral system head-on, blending genre and form to amplify its message.

Bichis: One of the biggest post-production challenges was managing the sheer volume and variety of footage. The film was shot over five+ years using different cameras and formats, resulting in hundreds of hours of complex material. Premiere Pro handled the various formats smoothly, allowing us to create proxies where necessary and consolidate footage from over 20 drives onto one master 40TB drive. This streamlined our workflow and made the editing process more manageable.

Another challenge was ensuring visual consistency. Our incredible colourist, Simone Grattarola, and his team at Time Based Arts worked their magic, seamlessly matching the different rushes and giving the film a stunning look that enhanced Cambio's beautiful cinematography.

What Adobe tools did you use on this project and why did you originally choose them?

Lewis: I used Premiere Pro to edit "Daughters," while using Frame.io to collect notes on various cuts and scene samples, as well as longer string-outs. The directors and I constantly placed markers throughout Premiere Pro, allowing us to accumulate thoughts on the often overwhelming amounts of footage and material. Transferring Frame.io notes to markers in Premiere was vital to our process, not only for the times when we were working remotely, but also so we were able to directly integrate the notes of others with my own thoughts already marked in the timeline. It also allowed me and one of the directors, Natalie, to quickly combine our thoughts for longer string-outs such as the 3-hour fatherhood circles.

Bichis: The project was initially started in Premiere Pro by Troy, so it made sense to continue and complete the film using the same platform. Premiere Pro was particularly well-suited for this project because of its ability to handle multiple formats and resolutions seamlessly, which was crucial given the variety of footage we worked with.

Since Natalie Rae and I were initially based in London, while co-director Angela Patton worked both in the U.S. and temporarily in London in the run-up to Sundance, Frame.io became an essential part of our workflow, allowing us to bridge the geographical gap. We used Frame.io to upload cuts for review, which made it easy to share progress and collect detailed notes from the team. Its integration with Premiere Pro helped streamline the feedback process, allowing us to stay connected and collaborative despite being in different time zones.

If you could share one tip about Premiere Pro, what would it be?

Lewis: My tip for Premiere Pro would be to use it first and foremost as a place of experimentation. While I have folders organized and categorized, and my various cuts arranged, I also have a brainstorm folder where I collect dozens of sequences, often connected by only the loosest of themes. And I'll often marinate in these sequences, with Spotify open in another window, as I try to find unique moods and rhythms for the edit.

Bichis: One tip I'd recommend is to add "Reverse Match Frame" to your shortcuts. It's an incredibly useful tool for navigating seamlessly between your source footage and your cut.

Who is your creative inspiration and why?

Lewis: An eternal inspiration for me will be Jonas Mekas, who first taught me the way film can make the rituals of daily and family life sacred and its ability to make any small moment or gesture cinematic. For "Daughters," I was also constantly inspired by narrative coming-of-age films such as Shinji Somai's "Moving," Andrea Arnold's "American Honey," and Lynn Ramsay's "Ratcatcher."

And in terms of the editors I look up to, Nelly Quettier's films have changed my life, most of all her work with Claire Denis in "The Intruder," a film that inspired me to look for more unique and idiosyncratic rhythms and associations between my cuts.

Bichis: David Lynch is one of my most significant creative inspirations. His approach to filmmaking is enigmatic and profound, and his book "Catching the Big Fish " is a favorite of mine for its insightful exploration of the creative process.

I also find great inspiration in the imaginative and playful films of Michel Gondry and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Their unique visual styles and sense of wonder push the boundaries of storytelling. On the other hand, I admire the bold, uncompromising work of Lynne Ramsay. Her films have an intensity and raw emotion that make them unforgettable.

What's the toughest thing you've had to face in your career and how did you overcome it? What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers or content creators?

Lewis: I particularly like to live and marinate in my projects and material as much as possible, which can often be very time consuming, and burnout is always a danger. I now try to balance my desire to marinate with breaks, and time away from the material. Every year, I'm learning more and more healthy habits to balance life and work. I'm eternally thankful for my post-production manager, Grace Hahn, who helps me with my general relationship to temporality as well as sanity.

Bichis: The filmmaker's journey is rarely smooth or straightforward. One of the toughest challenges is learning to stay resilient and adapt to the many obstacles the industry and life inevitably bring. Overcoming this requires patience, perseverance, and a belief in the value of every project you take on, no matter how small.

In my career, I've worked on a wide range of projects - from artist films and installations to narrative and documentary shorts and feature films. Each one, regardless of its size or scope, has contributed to honing my storytelling skills and shaping my artistic voice.

My advice to aspiring filmmakers is to plant seeds wherever you can. Every effort you put into your craft adds to your growth as an artist and will eventually bear fruit, You never know which project will open the next door.

What's your favorite thing about your workspace and why?

Lewis: When the Century 12 Evanston theater closed down, I was able to contact the demolitionist, and Grace Hahn, my post-production manager, and I were able to collect almost a dozen theater chairs from the building. We moved them into our editing space and installed them in front of a projector screen. The act of watching films has become vital to my day-to-day editing life, having become an avid blue-ray collector and dedicated audio commentary listener during lockdown.

This setup allows me to start the edit day with an early morning film viewing, before jumping into Premiere, but also allows me to watch cuts or one of my brainstorm string-outs in the makeshift theater space. On my current project, I'll frequently have a Jonas Mekas film silently playing on the projector in the background as I edit.

Bichis: While I have a nice editing setup at home, I much prefer working in a studio - even if it's an improvised one. I've been fortunate to edit in incredible locations around the world, each allowing me to immerse myself in different cultures and environments. My projects have taken me to the stunning shores of the Isle of Skye in Scotland, a wooden cabin on the North Sea coast in the Stockholm Archipelago, a charming summer home with breathtaking views of Portofino in Italy and a beautiful post-production house in Brooklyn, to name a few.

For "Daughters", the final editing weeks took place in LA at the historic Sunset Gower Studios, formerly Columbia Pictures Studio. Our edit room was in what used to be the Writer's Quarter, and working there felt like stepping into cinematic history. There's something magical about being in a space steeped in creativity.

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