Background
Buff is the son of the architect Conrad Buff III and the grandson of children"s book creators Mary and Conrad Buff (painter Conrad Buff II). He was born in Los Los Angeles
Buff is the son of the architect Conrad Buff III and the grandson of children"s book creators Mary and Conrad Buff (painter Conrad Buff II). He was born in Los Los Angeles
Buff attended Pasadena City College for two years before joining the United States Navy.
Buff learned film editing while working for the Navy"s Motion Picture Office in Hollywood. In the first phase of his civilian career Buff was the "visual effects editor" on several successful films, ranging from The Empire Strikes Back (1980) through Ghostbusters (1984). His first editing cr was as the co-editor with Barton for Jagged Edge (1985), which was also directed by Marquand.
Buff is noted particularly for his editing of four films directed by James Cameron, including Titanic.
Buff edited The Abyss (1989) with Joel Goodman. Buff was nominated for an Oscar and an Eddie for the editing of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991 - with Mark Goldblatt and Richard A Harris).
He was again nominated for an Eddie for True Lies (1994) (also with Goldblatt and Harris). In addition to its actual awards, Titanic was nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Best Editing.
Since Thirteen Days, Buff has edited four films directed by Antoine Fuqua: Training Day (2001), Tears of the Sun (2003), King Arthur (2004.
With Jamie Pearson), and Shooter (2007. With Eric Sears). Buff has been elected to membership in the American Cinema Editors.