A landmark photography project
Photography by Kenzie Brannan
Martin Walsh is an Oscar-winning film editor with a career spanning over 40 years. His credits include Mansfield Park, Back to Black, Justice League, V for Vendetta, The Krays, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Cinderella, and Chicago - the latter earning him the Academy Award for Best Film Editing in 2002.
Martin was born in 1955 in Withington Hospital and was raised along with his brother and two sisters in Moss Side. His dad was a plumber and his mum did whatever she could to make ends meet; sewing, dinner lady, auxiliary nurse. He attended Yew Tree High School, but left before completing his A-Levels, with a desire to get a job and earn money.
Martin Walsh - Oscar winning film editor (Photo: Getty Images)
Martin aged 8
Martin & his sister outside their family home - 2 Elmswood Avenue, Moss Side, 1961
Martin takes up the story:
At 18 I went to my local careers office and there was a card that said, ‘Trainee Film Maker’. The job was at a little Salfordian outfit called Cinephoto who made films for industry. I went along and got the job the same day. After a couple of years I moved to Greendow at the bottom end of Bootle Street. They were a collective of editors and assistants who provided cutting room facilities and rented us out to TV companies who needed editors to cover staff off sick or on maternity leave. It was the making of me. Even though I was quite inexperienced I decided never to say no to anything. Faced with all the toys, most people want to grab the camera, but my first passion was sound – I was also trying to be a musician at the time – and through that I discovered sound effects editing, mixing and then on to editing pictures. It felt organic to me.
Martin as a rookie film editor at 'Greendow', Bootle St, Manchester City Centre
Manchester in the 80s wasn’t exactly recognised as the Hollywood of the UK. But there was television at Granada and the BBC. I worked on local news shows as a freelance and moved on to current affairs and documentary, lots of music shows and then into drama. Along the way I formed relationships with people I still work with today.
There has to be a talent for the job but there’s always an element of luck. Right place, right time. Getting to assist a good editor is always a good start.
I was sent to BBC Belfast during the troubles - that was an eye opener. I thought it would be a good idea to take my brand new, English registered Alfa Romeo on the ferry. Both car and I made it back to Manchester unscathed but not without a few scary wrong turns into unfriendly neighbourhoods. I was back and forth to Belfast several times.
London beckoned in the early 80’s and it was an offer I really couldn’t refuse. My partner Bev and I had only been our house for 3 months. She wasn’t very happy!
Martin’s career has seen him work both in the US and the UK. In 2002 he received the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for his work on Chicago. With more than 30 film credits to his name, Martin is still as busy as ever editing some of the cinema’s biggest film releases.
Martin receiving his Academy Award for Best Film Editing for Chicago (2002)
I’m too proud of my Oscar to hide it in the toilet. It’s on a sideboard in the living room. I do remove it if I’ve got a builder coming round though. I reckon it doubles the quote.
Martin is both a member of Guild of British Film & Television Editors (GBFTE) and American Cinema Editors (ACE).
THE SHOOT : Bootle Street, Manchester city centre
The street was the location of 'Greendow' the creative cooperative where Martin's editing career began
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Student reflection: Kenzie Brannan
Working with Martin was an incredible experience. Not only is he a great character, but also genuinely good company. Martin chose Bootle Street as the location for the shoot, a place that holds deep personal meaning for him. It was here, in a small office/studio called Greendow, that he first began his film editing career. Although much of Bootle Street has since been redeveloped, it still retains the charm of a traditional Manchester Victorian red-brick street.
We began the shoot with some simple portraits of Martin against a classic red-brick wall. This helped both of us ease into the session. Me behind the camera, and Martin in front of it. From there, we moved a short distance to the Sir Ralph Abercromby, one of the city’s most iconic pubs and just a few yards from where Martin used to work. The bright summer sun brought some challenges, casting strong shadows from nearby buildings and making certain angles tricky. Fortunately, Martin’s old workplace was on the shaded side of the street, which gave us much better light. It was around this point that Oscar joined the shoot. They both perched casually on the ledge of a loading bay, looking completely relaxed. I managed to capture a series of shots with Martin holding his statuette in various poses - some of my favourites from the entire shoot. Martin was incredibly easy to direct throughout
At the end of the session, we sat down together. He asked me about my photography, offered thoughtful advice, and gave some genuinely encouraging words. And perhaps most surreal of all, I got to hold Martin’s Oscar… It was much heavier than I’d expected!
The shoot
