For his work on Singer's 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, Ottman won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing.

Growing up in San Jose, Ottman made many amateur films garnering local attention in the community.

He attended De Anza College and then transferred to the School of Cinematic Arts of the University of Southern California, where he graduated in 1988.

Ottman navigated the film's development in post and the tricky waters between film-maker and studio, working with producer Graham King and Dennis O'Sullivan.

Ottman, aware of the clip, explained that for a test screening, a heightened pace for the first act was asked for by the studio.