The Next Step: Avidiola Editing

by Nick T. Spark

The more things change, the more they stay the same. This rule certainly seems true when applied to editing. Despite the advent of the digital age and the replacement of the clattering Moviola with the hard-drive whirring Avid, editing remains just as much an art as it ever was. A fact lost on many people (especially producers) is that while the Avid may make certain tasks faster, the decision-making process that embodies good editing still takes time, simply because good judgement takes time. One of the drawbacks of Avid editing, in fact, is that by allowing the exploration of so many zillions of editing possibilities in so little time the Avid actually discourages thoughtful, deliberate editing.

The only thing about editing that has really changed in the past ten years is the time it takes to make a cut. No more splicers, no more tape, no more trim bins... But let's not forget that Moviola editing was non-linear just like an Avid is non-linear - it just wasn't "instant access." So little about editing has changed, in fact, that not even the routine maintenance is that different. Consider for example frequent Avid problems and their Moviola counterparts:

Moviola (then) Splicer blade needs sharpening Lightbulb needs replacing Belts worn out Sound head dirty Motor needs oiling Motor burned out

Avid (now) Media database needs rebuilding Monitor needs degaussing Mouse needs cleaning Pulldown switch in wrong position Desktop file needs rebuilding Hard disc crashed

This last item brings up another issue lost in the high tech hoopla, which is that the Avid is far less durable than its predecessor. Heck, a Moviola could roll out the back door of the editing room, hit a tree, and still work just fine. A Moviola could lose its sound motor and still limp along to picture lock - like a B-29 on its way back to England circa 1944 - on the strength of the picture motor alone. Just try that with an Avid. You spill a Diet Coke on the thing, and it keels over faster than you can say, "XXXX" (which is the unprintable word you'd say after dumping your Diet Coke on an Avid!)

Anyway, the key question facing many editors today is, is there a way to make Avid editing a bit more thoughtful and artful? Is there a way to create an "Avidiola" - a machine which combines the spirit and thought process of the "old" editing era with the speed and versatility of the new? The answer is: "Yes!"

How To Upgrade Your Avid To An Avidiola

(Note: modifications should be undertaken with extreme caution, and never around Diet Coke. Proceed at your own risk!)

• Paint your Avid CPU metallic green. This "retro" look will visually connect your cutting room to that of a bygone era, and will put you in that thoughtful "Moviola state-of-mind."
  
  
• Mouse pedal. By using an extra-long mouse cable you can simulate Moviola pedals. This not only adds precious seconds to the cut vs. think equation but improves foot to eye co- ordination while alleviating the risk of carpal-tunnel syndrome.
  
  
• Mouse jog. Part of the Moviola's charm was that, since motors tended to be a bit eccentric, you never knew if picture was truly at 24 fps. This relaxing effect can be simulated using the Avid's mouse jog function. Voila! 23 fps? 25 fps? 790 fps? Thanks to the Avid's digital readout, you'll always know exactly how screwed up your "picture motor" is!
  
  
• "Moviola sound." Digitize 5-10 minutes of Moviola noise (available in most sound libraries) and cut it into a track. Now, every time you play a sequence you can hear that classic putt-putt sound. Play it loud for maximum relaxation/concentration.
  
  
• Picture head simulator. Turn your Avid's monitor brightness down to simulate the image supplied by a Moviola. Who needs to see what's going on, anyway? Purists may want to consider purchasing a small (5" or less) TV set to approximate the dimensions of a real picture head...
  
  
• Dress the part: go "retro!" Ditch the Birkenstocks and the Hawaiian shirt and wear a starched white shirt and thin necktie to work. Tuck your tie into your shirt so that it doesn't get caught in the Avidiola's CD ROM. Remember: in this industry, the more clean-cut you look, the less you'll look like everyone else. Which means people are likely to consider you a "free thinker" and an "individualist," and give you artistic freedom.
  
  
• Avidiola editing. The most sophisticated Avidiola modfications are not hardware related, but have to do with process. By decomposing your sequences and editing only with subclips, you can simulate "recon" and "frames missing." By deleting sequences after every picture change and redigitizing tape outputs, you can bring back the good old days/good old ways of dirty dupes and key logs!

Perfecting these Avidiola techniques will produce an intermediary between new and old and result in a happier cutting room and a better end product

One final suggestion: keep a splicer handy. Although in this day and age it may seem useless (except to crack walnuts), splicers do serve a special function. As one of my mentors once jokingly said, "When the pressures of editing become too intense, it's reassuring to know there's a razor blade close by." This kind of comment may be in poor taste, but when stated at the appropriate moment to your producer, it can really buy you a lot of cutting time.