THE EDITOR

Michael Kahn is nominated (his fifth time) for editing “Saving Private Ryan.”

Describe what you do

There are times when I don’t know what I’m doing. I guess I take images and sound and move it around so that it makes a nice soup, tastes good and tells a good story.

How did you become involved with the picture?

Steven [Spielberg] asked me if I’d like to do the film with him. Anything he does I’m happy to do. I started working with him on “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and since then I’ve been left breathless. A good director will make an editor look good. He indicates to me what takes he likes and what he wants to do with a scene, and I take it and put it together. It’s a collaborative effort. We’ve been doing it for such a long time. It’s a harmonious relationship. I feed off Steven. He has a lot of energy--a lot of excitement. I would think that he feeds off the film that he sees. It’s great to be a team. The team that has the most experience together usually wins the game. After 23 years, I think we are experienced--and we still talk to each other after all these years.

What was the greatest challenge for you on the film?

At the end of the picture [in the final battle scene] when we were intercutting different activities--there were a lot of scenes happening at the same time. So keeping it all rhythmically sound and alive was difficult. The most emotionally difficult part was the landing [at Omaha Beach]. I didn’t know so many Americans were killed on Omaha. It’s an incredible story. In the film it’s so explosive, so real, like you’re there.

How would winning an Oscar change your life?

I don’t think it means that my life will change. It didn’t change after the first or second Oscar [wins for “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Schindler’s List”]. Some people, who you hadn’t heard from in years, come out of the woodwork. But if you get an Oscar nod it’s icing on the cake. I like what I do day by day. It’s a blessing. If you enjoy what you do, you’re going to really be careful to do the best you can.

What’s your next project?

“The Haunting of Hill House,” directed by Jan De Bont.