Dylan Tichenor

Dylan Tichenor (born 1968) is an American film editor renowned for his work on critically acclaimed feature films, particularly in collaboration with directors Paul Thomas Anderson and Kathryn Bigelow.^[1][2] His breakthrough came with the editing of Boogie Nights (1997), marking his feature film debut and earning him a Satellite Award nomination.^[2][3] Tichenor has edited several landmark films, including Magnolia (1999), Brokeback Mountain (2005), There Will Be Blood (2007), The Town (2010), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Phantom Thread (2017), and Licorice Pizza (2021), contributing to their narrative pacing and emotional depth.^[2][4] Among his accolades, he received Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing for There Will Be Blood at the 80th Academy Awards in 2008 and for Zero Dark Thirty (shared with William Goldenberg) at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.^[5][6] He also earned a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Editing for Zero Dark Thirty in 2013, and wins including a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Editing for Zero Dark Thirty (shared with William Goldenberg).^[7] A member of American Cinema Editors since his election, Tichenor's early career began as an apprentice editor under Geraldine Peroni on Robert Altman's The Player (1992), progressing to assistant and associate roles on films like Short Cuts (1993) and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994).^[2][4] His editing style emphasizes rhythmic storytelling and character-driven tension, as highlighted in discussions of his process on films like Phantom Thread.^[8]

Biography

Early life and education

Dylan Tichenor was born in 1968 in the United States, with limited publicly available details regarding his exact birthplace or family background.^[1] As a child, Tichenor developed an early interest in cinema by frequently watching movies with his father, fostering a foundational appreciation for the medium.^[9] His interest was further sparked by his grandfather, a film projector salesman, who brought home film reels, including one of an Orson Welles movie; at around age 10, Tichenor unspooled a reel and noticed a physical cut between shots, realizing how films are assembled.^[10] Tichenor attended Greene Street Friends School, a Quaker-influenced coeducational institution in Philadelphia emphasizing principles such as honesty, respect for the individual, peace, and simplicity.^[11] He graduated from the school around 1982.^[9] Following this, Tichenor enrolled at Central High School, Philadelphia's historic public magnet school known for its rigorous academic programs.^[12] Tichenor graduated in 1986 as part of the 245th class.^[12] His high school years aligned with Philadelphia's vibrant cultural landscape, which included access to independent film screenings, theater, and arts initiatives that likely contributed to his growing passion for filmmaking. After graduation, Tichenor began his professional journey through an apprenticeship under editor Geraldine Peroni on Robert Altman's The Player.^[13]

Career beginnings

Tichenor began his professional career in the film industry as an apprentice editor under the mentorship of acclaimed editor Geraldine Peroni, starting in 1992 on Robert Altman's satirical drama The Player.^[14] This apprenticeship provided hands-on training in narrative editing techniques during the film's post-production phase.^[15] Continuing his collaboration with Peroni and Altman, Tichenor served as assistant editor on several subsequent projects, including the ensemble film Short Cuts (1993), the fashion-world satire Prêt-à-Porter (1994), and the jazz-era period piece Kansas City (1995).^[13][16] These roles involved supporting the assembly of complex, multi-threaded storylines, honing his skills in rhythm and continuity amid Altman's improvisational style.^[17] Tichenor's first full credit as an editor came in 1996 with the documentary Jazz '34: Remembrances of Kansas City Swing, directed by Altman, where he co-edited with Brent Carpenter.^[18] The film explores the history of Kansas City's swing jazz scene in the 1930s, featuring contemporary musicians performing classics by artists like Count Basie and Duke Ellington, narrated by Harry Belafonte.^[19] This project marked Tichenor's introduction to documentary editing, emphasizing historical narrative flow and musical synchronization.^[18] For his work, he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Special.^[17] In the same year, Tichenor transitioned to a post-production supervisor role on Paul Thomas Anderson's debut feature Hard Eight (also known as Sydney), overseeing the final assembly and sound integration processes.^[13] This position initiated a longstanding professional relationship with Anderson, bridging Tichenor's Altman-era experience into independent narrative filmmaking.^[14] Early in his career, Tichenor earned membership in the American Cinema Editors (ACE), recognizing his emerging contributions to the craft.^[20]

Major collaborations and achievements

Tichenor's longstanding collaboration with director Paul Thomas Anderson began in 1997 with Boogie Nights, where he served as post-production supervisor before taking on full editing duties for subsequent projects including Magnolia (1999), There Will Be Blood (2007), and Phantom Thread (2017).^[21] In these films, Tichenor has been instrumental in shaping Anderson's narrative rhythm, often employing longer average shot lengths—such as 13.3 seconds in There Will Be Blood—to build deliberate pacing and emotional intensity through dynamic compositions within extended takes.^[22] A pivotal milestone came in 2005 when Tichenor completed the editing of Brokeback Mountain for director Ang Lee following the sudden death of his mentor Geraldine Peroni, who had begun the cut; the film is dedicated to her memory.^[23] This task presented significant emotional challenges, as Tichenor initially hesitated due to his close professional relationship with Peroni but ultimately integrated her work with his own to preserve the film's subtle character dynamics.^[15] Technically, it required seamless blending of existing assemblies with new material to maintain the story's intimate rhythm. Tichenor partnered with Kathryn Bigelow on Zero Dark Thirty (2012), co-editing with William Goldenberg to construct tension in thriller sequences from over 320 hours of multi-camera, documentary-style footage shot across four to seven angles per setup.^[24] Their approach emphasized creative freedom in selecting takes to heighten suspense, transforming raw verité material into a taut procedural narrative. In editing Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) and other projects, Tichenor focused on stylized pacing suited to Anderson's precise, mathematical style, such as uniform shot durations in flashback montages that occasionally deviated for emotional emphasis against the music.^[10] He also navigated challenges like overlapping dialogue scenes—such as those involving Gene Hackman and Danny Glover—by carefully selecting takes to retain authentic performances without disrupting the film's quirky, rhythmic flow.^[10] More recently, Tichenor adapted his techniques to large-scale blockbusters, editing Marvel's Eternals (2021) under Chloé Zhao by balancing dense exposition with character moments, iterating multiple versions to avoid information overload while integrating humor into dramatic tones and managing complex postvisualization for action sequences.^[25] For Scott Cooper's The Pale Blue Eye (2022), he collaborated closely to pace the gothic mystery's twists and reveals, ensuring a balanced rhythm that sustained suspense across the film's expansive narrative scope.^[26] Tichenor's contributions extend to multiple Academy Award-nominated films, earning editing nominations for There Will Be Blood at the 80th Oscars and Zero Dark Thirty at the 85th, alongside Brokeback Mountain's broader recognition.^[5][6] His precise control of rhythm and performance integration has influenced modern editing practices in character-driven dramas, particularly through collaborations with stylistically distinct directors like Anderson and Bigelow.^[15]

Filmography

Feature films

Tichenor's editing on feature films has encompassed a diverse array of genres, including drama, thriller, and comedy, often enhancing narrative pacing and emotional depth in collaborations with directors like Paul Thomas Anderson and Kathryn Bigelow.

• Boogie Nights (1997): Ensemble drama capturing the rise and fall of the 1970s porn industry in Los Angeles, with Tichenor's editing contributing to the film's energetic, character-driven rhythm.^[27]
• Magnolia (1999): Interconnected ensemble drama set over one day in the San Fernando Valley, featuring Tichenor's editing to manage the film's sprawling, emotionally intense storylines.^[28]
• Unbreakable (2000): Superhero thriller exploring a man's discovery of his extraordinary abilities, with Tichenor's editing building suspense and thematic depth.^[29]
• The Royal Tenenbaums (2001): Quirky family comedy-drama chronicling a dysfunctional dynasty's reconciliation, with Tichenor's precise editing supporting the film's whimsical narrative structure.^[30]
• Brokeback Mountain (2005): Poignant romance-drama depicting a forbidden love affair between two cowboys over decades, with Tichenor's subtle editing underscoring the story's quiet emotional restraint.^[31]
• The Good German (2006): Noir thriller set in post-WWII Berlin investigating war crimes, edited by Tichenor to evoke classic black-and-white film styles.^[32]
• Michael Clayton (2007): Legal thriller involving corporate corruption and moral dilemmas, where Tichenor's editing built suspense through layered revelations.^[33]
• There Will Be Blood (2007): Epic drama tracing an oil tycoon's ruthless ambition in early 20th-century America, with Tichenor's cuts enhancing the film's operatic scope and character intensity.^[34]
• Doubt (2008): Tense drama examining suspicion and faith in a 1960s Catholic school, edited by Tichenor to sustain ambiguity and interpersonal conflict.^[35]
• Whip It (2009): Coming-of-age sports comedy about a teen discovering roller derby, with Tichenor's dynamic editing capturing the sport's high-energy action.^[36]
• The Town (2010): Crime thriller following bank robbers in Boston, edited by Tichenor to intensify the heist sequences and personal stakes.^[37]
• Zero Dark Thirty (2012): Procedural thriller chronicling the CIA's hunt for Osama bin Laden, with Tichenor co-editing to convey procedural realism and mounting tension.^[38]
• Lawless (2012): Prohibition-era crime drama about bootlegging brothers in Virginia, edited by Tichenor to heighten tension and period authenticity.^[39]
• Selma (2014): Historical drama depicting the 1965 voting rights marches led by Martin Luther King Jr., edited by Tichenor to evoke civil rights urgency and historical weight.^[40]
• Inherent Vice (2014): Neo-noir comedy-mystery set in 1970s Los Angeles, where Tichenor's editing navigated the film's hazy, psychedelic detective plot.^[41]
• Child 44 (2015): Cold War thriller investigating child murders in Stalinist Russia, where Tichenor's cuts heightened paranoia and pursuit.^[42]
• Hail, Caesar! (2016): Comedy satirizing 1950s Hollywood, with Tichenor's editing mirroring the era's studio system frenzy.^[43]
• Triple 9 (2016): Crime thriller about corrupt cops planning a heist, where Tichenor's editing ramped up the multi-threaded action and betrayal.^[44]
• Phantom Thread (2017): Psychological drama of a 1950s dressmaker's obsessive relationship, with Tichenor's meticulous editing enhancing the film's elegant tension.^[45]
• Stronger (2017): Biographical drama of Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman, edited by Tichenor to portray resilience amid trauma.^[46]
• Eternals (2021): Superhero epic exploring ancient immortals protecting Earth, with Tichenor's editing managing the film's expansive mythology and action.^[47]
• Antlers (2021): Supernatural horror film set in a small Oregon town, edited by Tichenor to build atmospheric dread and emotional layers.^[48]
• The Pale Blue Eye (2022): Gothic mystery thriller involving Edgar Allan Poe solving murders at West Point, edited by Tichenor to build atmospheric suspense.^[49]

Tichenor has also performed uncredited additional editing on select feature films, including Pleasantville (1998) and Almost Famous (2000).^[2]

Television and other projects

Tichenor's initial foray into editing came with the 1996 documentary short Jazz '34: Remembrances of Kansas City Swing, a PBS special directed by Robert Altman that evoked the swing era through performances and archival footage. Co-edited with Brent Carpenter, the 60-minute production captured live jazz sessions featuring artists like Geri Allen and David Murray, blending historical narration by Harry Belafonte with contemporary music. For his work, Tichenor shared an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Special at the 49th Primetime Emmy Awards.^[2] In addition to shorts, Tichenor has edited several music videos, often in collaboration with director Paul Thomas Anderson. Notable examples include Aimee Mann's "Save Me" (1999), a poignant clip tied to the Magnolia soundtrack that intercuts performance footage with symbolic imagery of isolation; the video earned Tichenor the MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing in a Video.^[1] Other credits encompass Fiona Apple's "Fast as You Can" (1999), a stylized narrative directed by Anderson featuring rapid cuts to mirror the song's frenetic energy; Jenny Lewis's "Just One of the Guys" (2014), a comedic gender-bending piece with ensemble performances; Joanna Newsom's "Sapokanikan" (2015), an abstract animation synced to intricate folk arrangements; and Haim's "Little of Your Love" (2017), a vibrant, retro-infused promo shot on 35mm film.^[50][51][52] Prior to these, Tichenor handled post-production coordination on Hard Eight (1996), overseeing assembly and sound work during the film's completion under Anderson's direction, which laid groundwork for their long-term partnership.^[53][2] While Tichenor has occasionally contributed additional editing to features, his television and non-feature output remains selective, with no extensive credits on ongoing series or pilots as of November 2025, underscoring his primary emphasis on theatrical and short-form cinematic endeavors.^[4]

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Dylan Tichenor received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Film Editing for his work on Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood (2007) at the 80th Academy Awards ceremony in 2008.^[5] The film's editing was recognized for its precise pacing and rhythmic intensity, contributing to the epic scope of the narrative spanning decades in the early 20th-century oil industry.^[54] Tichenor worked solo on the project, but the award ultimately went to Roderick Jaynes for No Country for Old Men.^[5] Tichenor's second nomination came for Best Film Editing on Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty (2012) at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013, shared with co-editor William Goldenberg.^[6] The editing was praised for its taut, documentary-like tension that built suspense across the decade-long CIA hunt for Osama bin Laden, blending procedural detail with emotional restraint.^[55] However, the Oscar was awarded to William Goldenberg for Argo.^[6] To date, Tichenor holds a record of two Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing with no wins, both for films lauded for their innovative narrative structures and critical success in highlighting editing's role in heightening dramatic impact.

BAFTA Awards

Dylan Tichenor received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Editing for his work on Brokeback Mountain (2005), shared with Geraldine Peroni, at the 59th British Academy Film Awards ceremony in 2006.^[56] The film's poignant portrayal of forbidden love garnered international acclaim, reflecting its broad appeal beyond American audiences, though the editing award went to Claire Simpson for The Constant Gardener.^[57] Tichenor earned his second BAFTA nomination in the same category for Zero Dark Thirty (2012), co-edited with William Goldenberg, at the 66th ceremony in 2013.^[58] The thriller's intense narrative on the hunt for Osama bin Laden earned global recognition, but the award was won by William Goldenberg for Argo.^[59] Tichenor's overall record at the BAFTAs includes two nominations and no wins in Best Editing, underscoring the academy's appreciation for his contributions to emotionally resonant films that achieve international resonance, including his collaboration with director Ang Lee on Brokeback Mountain.^[60]

Eddie Awards

Dylan Tichenor has earned multiple nominations from the American Cinema Editors (ACE) for their annual Eddie Awards, highlighting his contributions to film editing in dramatic and comedy categories. These honors underscore the guild's recognition of his precise pacing, narrative flow, and emotional depth in high-profile projects. Tichenor's first Eddie nomination came in 2002 for Best Edited Comedy or Musical Feature for his work on Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, where he shaped the film's quirky ensemble dynamics and whimsical storytelling.^[61] He received another nomination in 2006 for Best Edited Dramatic Feature, shared with Geraldine Peroni, for Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, praised for its sensitive handling of intimate character arcs over two decades.^[62] Subsequent nominations include 2008's Best Edited Dramatic Feature for Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood, where Tichenor's editing amplified the film's epic scope and intense performances.^[63] Tichenor garnered a 2013 nomination for Best Edited Dramatic Feature, shared with William Goldenberg, for Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, noted for its taut thriller rhythm.^[64] Despite these four Eddie nominations, Tichenor has yet to secure a win, reflecting the competitive nature of the awards while affirming his sustained peer acclaim within the editing community. Across his career, he has accumulated 34 total award nominations from various organizations.^[65]

Other accolades

Tichenor earned a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Editing for his work on Zero Dark Thirty (2012), shared with William Goldenberg.^[66] He received the Hollywood Editor Award at the 16th Annual Hollywood Film Awards in 2012, recognizing his contributions to Zero Dark Thirty.^[67] For Boogie Nights (1997), Tichenor was nominated for a Satellite Award in the category of Best Film Editing.^[65] Additional nominations include the Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing for There Will Be Blood (2007) and Zero Dark Thirty (2012).^[68][69] Tichenor shared wins for Best Editing from the Boston Society of Film Critics (2012) and the Chicago Film Critics Association (2012), both for Zero Dark Thirty.^[70][71] In television and music video work, he received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or Special for Jazz '34 (1996) and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing in a Video for Aimee Mann's "Save Me" (2000).^[65] Overall, Tichenor has accumulated 13 wins and numerous additional nominations from critics' groups and other bodies, with no major recognitions reported for projects after 2022 as of 2025.^[65]