December 5, 2025

Shot Talk – Weapons with Dir. Zach Cregger & Editor Joe Murphy

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Summary

In this episode of Shot Talk, Oren Soffer sits down with director Zach Cregger and editor Joe Murphy for an in depth conversation about Weapons.

From Zach’s meticulous pre-planning with photoboards, to Joe’s work shaping the tone of Gladys in the edit, to the rare opportunity to receive feedback from David Fincher, the duo break down the creative process behind the acclaimed supernatural horror film.

Key moments

  • 00:00:56 How Joe and Zach Met
  • 00:03:17 Key to Getting Your Team in Sync
  • 00:05:02 Editing Approach: Cutting While Shooting
  • 00:08:37 Brutalist Editing: Don’t Be Afraid to Be Rough
  • 00:10:24 Creating a Pitch Book with ShotDeck
  • 00:10:57 Studying the Genre Then Adapting It to the Footage
  • 00:12:28 Editing Before Stepping on Set
  • 00:15:08 The Cold Opener: Key to Feeling the Story
  • 00:15:50 Photo Boarding Every Shot of the Movie
  • 00:19:44 Different Shooting Approaches to the Film
  • 00:23:11 Planning for the Edit and How Shots Actually Go Together
  • 00:26:41 To Plan or Not to Plan
  • 00:28:18 Scene Breakdown: Opening Running Sequence
  • 00:31:36 The Needle Drops, Planning the Soundtrack and Selecting Music
  • 00:34:52 How Zach Worked on the Score
  • 00:41:54 Scene Breakdown: The Stakeout
  • 00:43:37 Riding the Beat of the Shot
  • 00:45:48 Scene Breakdown: The Principal’s Office
  • 00:47:33 Letting the Audience Tell You What They Enjoy
  • 00:48:55 Test Screenings, Embracing the Feedback
  • 00:53:55 If It’s Not Part of the Story It’s Window Dressing
  • 00:55:19 Scene Breakdown: Arthur’s Dream
  • 00:58:24 What “Scary” Sounds Like
  • 01:00:23 Reminding the Audience This Is a Scary Movie
  • 01:01:48 What Was Left on the Cutting Floor
  • 01:03:40 David Fincher Input on the Film Edit
  • 01:08:29 Shooting from a Character Perspective for the Chase Sequence
  • 01:14:47 A Tight Shooting Schedule and Not Doing Many Takes
  • 01:15:47 Getting to Know Glady’s in the Edit
  • 01:17:31 Editing for the Story, Keeping It Grounded
  • 01:18:54 How Amy Madigan’s Performance Elevated the Film
  • 01:22:01 An Unexpected Twist, Finding a Brand New Cast
  • 01:24:01 A Collaborative Art: Movies Are Artists Coming Together
  • 01:26:46 Final Thoughts
Where to watch

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