SHORT ENDS
MPEG Raises 4K in 10K AIDS Walk
The Editors Guild AIDS Walk Team did an awesome job at the 21st annual
AIDS Walk Los Angeles on October 16. Twenty-five members, kids and
friends walked 10 kilometers from the Pacific Design Center throughout
West Hollywood and back to the Design Center, raising over $4,000—a
one-third increase over last year's tally. The Guild team was part
of the 26,000 caring people from the Southern California area who
brought in over $3.2 million for the cause.
Without this support, AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) and other important AIDS service organizations in the community would not be able to provide needed help to thousands of men, women and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Many thanks to all the members of the Guild team for their participation and hard work—especially organizer Maggie Ostroff—as well as to all who supported the walkers.
New Year, New Mixer
Start the new year off right by hob-nobbing with fellow Guild
members at the next Membership Mixer. The event will be held Tuesday,
January 10, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Sushi Dan, located at 8000 West
Sunset Boulevard, Suite A202, in West Hollywood. The Guild will provide
food and validations for discounted parking.
How's Your Money?
A Financial Seminar will be held in the Board Room of Editors Guild's
Hollywood office on Wednesday, January 11, at 7:00 p.m. Discussion
topics will include retirement planning, reducing tax liabilities
and funding children's education.
Hosting the event is Marie Steinman, a UBS Financial Advisor with
10 years experience. She is also a public speaker on the subject.
A free comprehensive financial planner will be given away to everyone
who attends the seminar. Refreshments will be served. Due to limited
sitting, please RSVP to wgammon@editorsguild.com.
New York Office Gets the "Works"
The Motion Picture Editors Guild hosted a well-attended seminar
by Lightworks at the training room in its Manhattan offices on November
14. Representing Lightworks were owner Keith Gee and vice president
of North American Operations Seth Hallen, along with David Pincus
of Electric Picture Solutions, who is a Lightworks dealer and film
editor.
Throughout the demonstration of the editing system, editors and Lightworks users Thelma Schoonmaker, ACE, and Tariq Anwar answered questions from other Guild members about their experiences working with the system. Schoonmaker, Martin Scorsese's longtime editor, won two Academy Awards for editing his films Raging Bull (1980) and The Aviator (2004). Anwar is currently editing The Good Shepherd, directed by Robert DeNiro.
Pincus demonstrated the Lightworks Alacrity MR program using a scene from The Aviator as a model. He emphasized the Steenbeck-type dial on the Lightworks console, which is an ergonomically designed playing and splicing tool.
Anwar pointed out that Lightworks appeals to veteran editors who are used to cutting film, as it replicates the film-cutting experience and has a memory that can survive computer crashes. Schoonmaker commented on selected scenes from The Aviator, explaining her editing choices, and amazing even Pincus with the myriad of editing procedures and choices she described.
Schoonmaker also said she appreciates the fact that Lightworks is relatively simple to learn and that it replicates the traditional film editing and splicing techniques but has a responsive memory and assembly. Lightworks is primarily popular among British editors, she acknowledged, indicating that American editors tend to favor Avid or Final Cut Pro.
Guild assistant editors Sharon Smith Holley and Carrie Puchkoff organized the seminar.