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Not long ago, the scene in an editing room was unlike that in any other workplace. Who but editors and assistants would have reason to hunch over a Moviola or a KEM all day, piecing film together with a splicer? But now editors spend all day sitting at a computer — much like lawyers, accountants, secretaries and nearly everyone else with a white-collar job. Computers have become the thing we all have in common, and to varying extents, we are all turning into computer geeks. For many, this change has not been a welcome one. As an animator we know once lamented, “I used to be an artist — I never wanted to be a computer guy.” The transition from specialized editing equipment to general-purpose computers has also meant that editors are no longer anyone’s special baby. When relatively small companies dedicated themselves to the needs of film post production, their survival depended on paying close attention to the needs of the community and responding quickly. In today’s world, film and television post is only a niche market for the non-linear editing manufacturers — a prestigious and glamorous market, indeed, but a relatively small one. We were surprised to learn, while meeting with Avid regarding the release of Adrenaline, that from the company’s perspective, creative film and television represents only 20 percent of their business. Even in the early days, Avid’s arrival in Hollywood was hotly debated at the company. Those who wanted to enter the high-end feature and television world thought the users in this community would be their toughest customers — but satisfying Guild members would mean that they would be able to satisfy anyone. In time, this prediction proved surprisingly accurate, and partly for that reason, Avid achieved the market dominance it has today. Yet even though this community is no longer the main economic player in the editing marketplace, members of the Guild should still insist on a leading role in determining the future of the craft, not only aesthetically but also technologically. Look through any magazine catering to commercial or multimedia post production, and you’ll see ads from manufacturers listing the Hollywood films and television shows that use their technology. Because Guild members work at the highest level and set the standard for all other users, their opinions are still relevant to manufacturers. That clout can — and should — be used. This hasn’t always been easy to do. But inspired in part by the interview we set up for this issue, Avid is now talking about a new program designed to gather more input from Guild members. And in cooperation with the Magazine, Apple plans to send a survey about Final Cut Pro to all Guild members. We’ll have to see what these programs produce — and we need to create more of these dialogues with other manufacturers, as well. Spending more time thinking about post production tools will ultimately mean that they require less thought when it really matters — when they’re being used. While technology may be something that is now accessible to everyone, talent is something else altogether. Nothing will change the fact that the real contribution Guild members can make is the artistry that only they can offer. |
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