Berenbaum worked with Al Pacino on Chinese Coffee.

Trust yourself. A lot of times I’ve worked with first time directors and they get into situations where people are telling them 'This is the way it should be' or 'We're running out of time,' and they let people who don't really know what they're trying to capture on film change their ideas. And they always regret it.

We're often in the editing room saying: "I wish they hadn't talked me out of doing what I wanted to do" or "I wish I hadn't listened to them." And that's the case in any situation. You have to believe in yourself. You have to trust your instincts. And you have to let people know what your thoughts are. You can't sit back and do nothing. You have to get the nerve and get up and do it.

Some people may say film is a hard career to get into. A lot of people I went to film school with are no longer in the industry. But if you have the determination and the love of film, you stick to it. Eventually you'll get where you want. Some people struggle longer than others. I've had great luck in my career in that one thing has lead to the next. You can certainly study film, try and follow the footsteps of the great masters of film. But editing all comes down to an instinctual feeling of what you should be looking at, what you want to tell the audience and a sense of rhythm. And I don't know if you can learn that. But first and foremost, you have to trust yourself, not let anyone talk you out of what you want. You have to trust your heart.

Editing Filmography for Michael Berenbaum

Chinese Coffee (2001)
Before Night Falls (2000)
A Cooler Climate (1999)
Illuminata (1998)
Kicked in the Head (1997)
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
White Lies (1996)
Basquiat (1996)
Reckless (1995)
Canadian Bacon (1995)
Mac (1992)
Barton Fink (1991)
Misplaced (1990)
Miller's Crossing (1990)
D.O.A. (1988)
Raising Arizona (1987)
The Cotton Club (1984)
Alphabet City (1984)