Binary Zen

Health Tips

Binary Zen: Physical Fitness on the Job

by Joanna Jimenez

How's the old rewind arm, shoulder and neck after syncing dailies for that feature? How about the bruises on your legs from bumping into things running around to meet schedules? The atmosphere in the air conditioned hermetically sealed suite which has no extra ventilation for the coding machine and film cleaner? How many razor nicks on your fingers, and film cuts, and how's the old lower back from rushing around with the reels for the mix on a hand truck? The digital age will save you some of these worries but the new health hazards need clever solutions.

Two years ago Board members discussed the fact that chiropractic and psychiatric bills were the majority submitted by members' doctors. With electronic editing, the musculo-skeletal disadvantages have shifted stress points. The head, neck and lower back are still vulnerable, wrists ache from repetetive motion and neglecting to take regular breaks may cause kidney problems. In an electromagnetic field moist eyes attract dust, airborne particles, and other unfriendly organisms, and dehydration of ocular vitreous humor isn't very funny. Television mixers and electronic editors have been doing this for four decades so look in their direction for evidence of increased risks. Television monitors have been in use since 1949. It was noted in a 1994 issue of Science Magazine that a whole day of sitting in front of a television monitor exposes us to as much radiation as a five minute walk in sunshine. But some folks are probably more sensitive than others and No-Rad screens and magnetic shields offer some protection. (See accompanying article)

Reports of weight gain have been noted with the shift from the diverse forms of physical activity in film editing to the increased mental concentration on complicated operating systems that can keep a person fixed for hours in front of a CRT, moving little more than the arms, neck and head. I was half joking when I asked a few vendors if they could provide a Stairmaster version of Lightworks only to be surprised when Patrick Gregston, of Electric Picture Solutions, Inc., mentioned a famous editor who uses an exercycle in her editing room. Patrick has built standing stations with adjustable chairs, will customize any design according to the editor's needs, and give unlimited technical, physical, trancendental, moral, and whatever-is-necessary-to-get-the-job-done-well support. Good technical support can preserve and even improve your mental health.

A PC for logging and one Lightworks the assistant operated during dailies or lunch was used on 'Waterworld'. Doreen Dixon, who supervised post on 'Waterworld', remarked that previews, changes and predubs are still the most challenging part.

Warner Brothers has rewired their entire Hollywood studio with fiber optics and has installed a central video server. This should reduce shuffling elements from department to department.

At Lightworks, Deborah Harter stated that the shuttle console was ergonomically designed to avoid repetitive stress on the wrists. Tektronix, the Wilsonville, Oregon-based company that owns the Grass Valley Company, finalized their acquisition of Lightworks on June 2, 1995. Founded in 1946, they rank 305th in the Fortune 500 and had revenues of $1.32 billion in fiscal 1994. I expect more quality R&D from this merger in the near future. Newly introduced Digistations and Shared Storage already enable assistants to give up the owl shift and were used on 'Congo', 'Indian In The Cupboard', 'Casino' and 'Broken Arrow'. 'Virtuosity' has been using Avid's MediaShare and their editors are accommodating an attenuated schedule.

Other ways to improve things: I retrained my left hand to mouse on the AVID to avoid wrist problems. A non-interlaced monitor with a refresh rate between 75 and 120Hz cuts eye-straining flicker. I have spent days and nights for weeks glued to a system and use sterile saline solution to cleanse and soothe tired eyes. My dream LWORKS> would have a Universal exercise machine with weights and timed interval icons that appear to remind me that it is time to visit the lounge, get some exercise or take refreshment. Deborah Harter and Chris Genereaux of Lightworks listen to editors and when one said that her producers won't let her stop even to go to the lounge, discussions about adding timed 'take a break' icons (e.g. a restroom door or a steaming cup) began at once. For those who still don't understand that it takes longer than they think for us to do our work, an interactive "Producers are from Mars, Editors are from Venus" by John Gray may be available on disk for their laptops someday. We are still humans operating these machines.

R&D gets more sophisticated every day and I urge you to contribute your ideas to your favorite system's company. Your suggestions will be most welcome at Lightworks: (213) 465-2002 or through Avid's Feedback form (under the Special menu, make sure your company supplied a modem with your machine so you can e-mail it).

Joanna Jimenez recently edited three films
concerning human rights in South America on a Lightworks.

Reprinted from
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter
Vol. 16, No. 2 - March/April 1995

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Copyright © 1996, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776


	*Health Tips* Binary Zen: Physical Fitness on the Job by Joanna Jimenez
		How's the old rewind arm, shoulder and neck after syncing dailies for that feature? How about the bruises on your legs from bumping into things running around to meet schedules? The atmosphere in the air conditioned hermetically sealed suite which has no extra ventilation for the coding machine and film cleaner? How many razor nicks on your fingers, and film cuts, and how's the old lower back from rushing around with the reels for the mix on a hand truck? The digital age will save you some of these worries but the new health hazards need clever solutions. Two years ago Board members discussed the fact that chiropractic and psychiatric bills were the majority submitted by members' doctors. With electronic editing, the musculo-skeletal disadvantages have shifted stress points. The head, neck and lower back are still vulnerable, wrists ache from repetetive motion and neglecting to take regular breaks may cause kidney problems. In an electromagnetic field moist eyes attract dust, airborne particles, and other unfriendly organisms, and dehydration of ocular vitreous humor isn't very funny. Television mixers and electronic editors have been doing this for four decades so look in their direction for evidence of increased risks. Television monitors have been in use since 1949. It was noted in a 1994 issue of Science Magazine that a whole day of sitting in front of a television monitor exposes us to as much radiation as a five minute walk in sunshine. But some folks are probably more sensitive than others and No-Rad screens and magnetic shields offer some protection. (See accompanying article) Reports of weight gain have been noted with the shift from the diverse forms of physical activity in film editing to the increased mental concentration on complicated operating systems that can keep a person fixed for hours in front of a CRT, moving little more than the arms, neck and head. I was half joking when I asked a few vendors if they could provide a Stairmaster version of Lightworks only to be surprised when Patrick Gregston, of Electric Picture Solutions, Inc., mentioned a famous editor who uses an exercycle in her editing room. Patrick has built standing stations with adjustable chairs, will customize any design according to the editor's needs, and give unlimited technical, physical, trancendental, moral, and whatever-is-necessary-to-get-the-job-done-well support. Good technical support can preserve and even improve your mental health. A PC for logging and one Lightworks the assistant operated during dailies or lunch was used on 'Waterworld'. Doreen Dixon, who supervised post on 'Waterworld', remarked that previews, changes and predubs are still the most challenging part. Warner Brothers has rewired their entire Hollywood studio with fiber optics and has installed a central video server. This should reduce shuffling elements from department to department. At Lightworks, Deborah Harter stated that the shuttle console was ergonomically designed to avoid repetitive stress on the wrists. Tektronix, the Wilsonville, Oregon-based company that owns the Grass Valley Company, finalized their acquisition of Lightworks on June 2, 1995. Founded in 1946, they rank 305th in the Fortune 500 and had revenues of $1.32 billion in fiscal 1994. I expect more quality R&D from this merger in the near future. Newly introduced Digistations and Shared Storage already enable assistants to give up the owl shift and were used on 'Congo', 'Indian In The Cupboard', 'Casino' and 'Broken Arrow'. 'Virtuosity' has been using Avid's MediaShare and their editors are accommodating an attenuated schedule. Other ways to improve things: I retrained my left hand to mouse on the AVID to avoid wrist problems. A non-interlaced monitor with a refresh rate between 75 and 120Hz cuts eye-straining flicker. I have spent days and nights for weeks glued to a system and use sterile saline solution to cleanse and soothe tired eyes. My dream LWORKS> would have a Universal exercise machine with weights and timed interval icons that appear to remind me that it is time to visit the lounge, get some exercise or take refreshment. Deborah Harter and Chris Genereaux of Lightworks listen to editors and when one said that her producers won't let her stop even to go to the lounge, discussions about adding timed 'take a break' icons (e.g. a restroom door or a steaming cup) began at once. For those who still don't understand that it takes longer than they think for us to do our work, an interactive "Producers are from Mars, Editors are from Venus" by John Gray may be available on disk for their laptops someday. We are still humans operating these machines. R&D gets more sophisticated every day and I urge you to contribute your ideas to your favorite system's company. Your suggestions will be most welcome at Lightworks: (213) 465-2002 or through Avid's Feedback form (under the Special menu, make sure your company supplied a modem with your machine so you can e-mail it).
	Joanna Jimenez recently edited three films concerning human rights in South America on a Lightworks. Reprinted from The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter Vol. 16, No. 2 - March/April 1995 Guild Home \| Newsletter Home \| Top of Page Copyright © 1996, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776