Brigham Young University Film Alum David Broberg Discusses His Passion For Film Editing and His Experience Working on the Iconic ‘Titanic’ Movie
Long before being part of the team that helped shape one of the highest-grossing films in history, David Broberg was a teenager in Idaho, sitting in a theater, captivated by what he saw and heard on screen.
Broberg grew up in Pocatello, Idaho, but his summer trips to visit his grandparents in California meant going to Disneyland and Universal Studios. Being surrounded by imagination and stories at these theme parks sparked his fascination with the movie business. The catalyst that solidified his passion for film took place in 1977.
“I was just the right age when the first ‘Star Wars’ came out,” Broberg said. “It blew me away. The first time I saw that Star Destroyer come across the top of the giant silver screen in the theater, I was hooked. I thought, ‘Yeah, I want to do that.’”
It was not just the story that intrigued Broberg — the new sound system and unique editing that “Star Wars” introduced fascinated him. At the time, most theaters projected audio from a single center speaker. But George Lucas had introduced THX sound technology, creating a fully immersive audio experience for audiences.
“It was completely different,” Broberg said. “That pretty much sealed the deal for me. At 14 years old, I knew that was what I wanted to pursue.”
When Broberg enrolled at Brigham Young University, he was admitted to a film program that would give him his first real experience in the industry. The program was small, accepting only eight to 10 students per semester, since everything was shot on film back then and there was only so much equipment to go around.
“It was a very hands-on experience,” Broberg said. “We worked on everyone’s student movies. That helped me understand the entire process. We also had the incredible opportunity to work on professional projects at the BYU Motion Picture Studio.”
At BYU, he learned how to break down scripts, build budgets and schedules, cast actors, shoot footage and edit in post-production. The comprehensive education allowed him to explore multiple roles before finding his niche.
Mentors such as Peter Johnson, director of the BYU Motion Picture Studio at the time, played a pivotal role in shaping his path. Through Johnson’s industry connections, Broberg secured an internship at Disney Studios — his first step into Hollywood.
“It was humbling. I went from being at the top of the heap in my program at BYU to making photocopies for executives,” Broberg laughed. “But it was a really good start in production where I got to see the industry from the studio point of view. I got to see what all the different crafts were, the people who worked in them and what their lifestyles were like.”
Broberg went on to work for Disney Studios in production for the first five years of his career. Although he enjoyed many aspects of filmmaking, he eventually realized the editing room was where he felt most fulfilled.
“The director has the overall vision of the film — his job is to capture the performances from different angles,” he said. “The editor’s job is to take all those pieces and tell the story.”
That passion for storytelling led him to work on major studio projects, including “Father of the Bride,” “James Bond” and multiple “Spider-Man” films. One project in particular stands out: “Titanic.”
Broberg spent a year and a half on the film, some of it in Rosarito, Mexico, where a near full-scale replica of the ship was constructed along the beach.
Broberg recalled that filming the Southampton dock scene was particularly interesting because the set had to be built on the ‘wrong’ side of the ship historically speaking. To solve the problem, the art department painted all signage backward and adjusted costume details so the footage could later be flipped in post-production.
“All the ladies had to move the bows on their hats to the other side. The wardrobe and art departments had to flop everything, so after filming we could take the negative and just turn it over, essentially putting the dock on the correct side of the ship,” said Broberg. “It was a massive set. The detail was amazing.”
Broberg's work on “Titanic” also took him overseas.
“We had all of the footage built into reels, which I was able to take to London to screen for members of the royal family,” said Broberg. “They had a film committee who would screen several movies each year and choose one to be shown at their royal premiere.”
The night Broberg arrived in London was the night Princess Diana died. The screening was postponed, and he remained in London during a historic and surreal week. Five days later the film committee reviewed the movie, and “Titanic” was chosen.
Broberg also had the opportunity to travel with the movie to Tokyo to screen for the Japanese premiere.
Despite the excitement of blockbuster filmmaking, the work came with long hours and demanding schedules that often meant time away from family. Eventually, Broberg took a position at Sony Pictures, re-editing their theatrical films for television and airline releases. The role allowed him to expand his skills beyond picture editing, including creating visual effects and audio remixing.
“It was great because I got to go into the studio every day, work on some of the biggest films in the industry and keep living my dream, but I did not have to sacrifice my life outside of the studio,” Broberg said. “That was a real blessing.”
Nearly 50 years after sitting in a movie theater as a 14-year-old boy, stunned by surround sound and starships, Broberg can still remember exactly how it felt to be transfixed by movie magic. The difference now is that his own name has rolled across screens worldwide.
Looking back, Broberg sees how his experience at BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications prepared him with the technical skills and the confidence to navigate a constantly changing industry. He was able to take his passion and turn it into a career, while also finding balance when he needed to. Now, having recently retired and relocated to Dallas, Broberg and his wife Debbie find joy in spending time with their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.
“For those looking to make a career in the fine arts, you can do it, but it has to be your passion. Also if you make work-life balance your priority, with a little luck, you will be able to have the best of both worlds,” Broberg said. “I feel pretty lucky to have found my niche.”