A pUBLlcA'noN OF THE HONORARY PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY-AMERICAN CINEMA EDITORS, INC. .. __ . _ .. __ . 0_' _ I ) i ARTICLES10F POST-PRODUCTION IMPORTANCE FILMMAKER LEONARD NIMOY TREKKING THROUGH POST-PRODUCTION THE STATE OF THE EO' STOCK LIBRARIES DIW , ~ NEW SERIES A VIEW FROM THE BAY The StackHouse Motion Picture Stock Shots 6922 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 621, Hollywood, CA 90028, (213) 461-0061 Jim Watters "What if we had an 1125-linehigh-definition TV system ...and then some- one invented something else with 2000 lines of resolution ...with tremen- dous latitude and contrast and unbelievable sensitivity to light. It would onfiIlm•. give you all of the flexibility you ever wanted, with a ready-made interna- tional standard. There would be no more built-in obsolescence of equipment. Itwould be the greatest invention this industry has ever seen. We could call it 35 mm film ...Today we have a new breed of pro- ducers, directors, and cinematographers. They want every movie and TV program to be likean indi- vidual painting. As a result, the artistic quality of films has improved dramatically If we believe a pro- gram hasa future, we shoot and edit it on 35 mm film. We have more than 3000 feature film titles and thousands of TV episodes in our vaults. They are our most valuable assets.Whatever happens with high-definition TV we can bank on the 35 mm standard's being compatible. That's important because we aren't in this business for a year,or five years, or 10years. We are in this business forever." Jim Watters is senior vice president/post production, Universal City Studios, Inc. iCastman Motion Picture Films Fall 1988 AMERICAN Vol. 38, No.3 ACINEMEDIlORPublication of the Honorary Professional Society - American Cinema Editors, Inc. FEATURES The State of the Editor's Art 12 Marketing the World on Film Henri Ehrlich, Film Search Computer Applications For Stock Libraries Patrick Montgomery, Archive Film Productions It Looks Better With Some Aerials Matthew Muller, MacGillivray Freeman Fi/ms Special Photography For Stock Louis Schwartzberg, Energy Productions 14 Film Maker Leonard Nimoy Trekking Through Post-Production 20 A View From the Bay New Series Exploring Video and The On-Line Bay 23 Nightmare on Stock Street Beth Fordham Editor 24 Ron Sawade Chases Lightning, Howard Kunin, A.c.E. Sun Bal/s, and Bald Eagles Associate Editor 26 Learn Electronic Editing? Denise Abbott Michael Rubin Art Director 30 I Need A Sound Effect! Where Do I Get It? Randi Goldstein Laura Cohen Editorial Departments: Irim Bin Dann Cahn, A.C.E. Bob Bring, A.C.E. Foreign DEPARTMENTS George Grenville, A.c.E. 6 From the Editor Publisher Denne Goldstein 16 Letters to the Editor Cover 16 In Memorium Design by Nancy Nimoy 32 The Trim Bin Photography by Gregory Schwartz 34 Scene and Heard 34 Index of Advertisers The Amer/can C/nemeditor is sponsored by American Cinema Editors, Inc., the honorary professional society of editors and is devoted to film and video tape editing and allied television and motion picture post·production. It does not neces- sarily reflect the official policy of the society, and signed articles express the views of their authors. Material may not be reproduced or photocopied in any form with- out the written permission of the publisher. For permission to reprint, please con- tact this publication. ACE CREDO Copyright © 1988, C.E. Publications The objectives and purposes of the American Cinema Editors are to advance the art and science of the editing profession; to increase the entertainment vaiue Business matters for A.C.E. Inc. should be addressed to: American Cinema Editors, Inc. of motion pictures by al/aining artistic pre-eminence and scientific achievement Oreck Association Management in the creative art of editing; to bring into close alliance those editors who desire 2410 Beverly Blvd., Suite 1, Los Angeles, CA 90057 to advance the prestige and dignity of the editing profession. (213) 660-4425 Editorial and business malters of American Cinemeditor magazine should be addressed to: C.E. Publications, P.O. Box 16490, Encina, CA 91416-6490. Phone: (818) 907-7351 4 AMERICAN CINEMEDITOR From ~he Editor. "please pass the rye bread, Harry," said the man sitting ed from humble beginnings by bold entrepreneurs working to the right of the legendary Harry Cohn in the Colum- with a small "family" of trusted employees - a mirror image bia executive dining room. It was dinner time before of the movie industry. And don't forget that the computer in- the first preview of the classic film, From Here To Eternity, dustry owed its beginnings to a technological product that and studio chief Cohn had gathered his intimate staff for din- caught the attention of the public - and so did the movie ner prior to attending the event. industry. The right-hand man to Cohn this evening was one of his A large number of computer companies began, and still are favorite editors, the late Bill Lyon. Cohn, immersed in conver- headquartered, in California; specifically in the Silicon Valley sation with his other neighbor at the table, ignored Lyon's sim- of Northern California. Interestingly, some very successful en· ple request. "Please pass the rye bread, Harry," repeated Lyon. terprises in our post-production industry are also located in But Cohn was still oblivious to the request for the bread bas- the same area. I was recently invited to visit three of them; ket next to his plate. Someone else passed it across the table; the Skywalker ranch of George Lucas, the Grass Valley Group Lyon reached in and took a piece. Suddenly, Cohn glowered plant in a forest to the north of Silicon Valley, and the CMX at Lyon and viciously slapped the slice out of his hand. plant in the heart of computer country. Lyon was indignant. "What was that for?" Creation of an attractive employee environment seems to "That's my rye bread!!" admonished Cohn. be a standard consideration in the high-tech world. I marveled Silence engulfed the table. Cohn continued, "I found a lit- at the setting of George Lucas' Skywalker ranch, where thE' tle bakery in Chicago that bakes this special for me. It's flown magnificently equipped editors' rooms have French doors to me in Hollywood and costs $1 a loaf (editor's note: this opening to beautiful views of a lake surrounded by hillsides. was 1953 when that price was 3 times normal). The rest of Everyone who has lost faith in American manufacturing you can eat the rolls!" capabilities should have the opportunity to visit the "campus" Lyon took the slice and threw it back in the basket. "You or factory of the Grass Valley Group. Highly motivated em- can have your lousy rye bread back!" ployees work in teams to achieve an output objective and set Cohn grabbed the piece and flung it onto Bill's plate. "It's their own hours to accomplish the work. Trucks come up the yours. I won't eat that bread once you've touched it!" Cohn two lane road with basic raw materials like aluminum plates, bellowed. wiring, and cardboard boxes; they go back down the road haul- Bill Lyon related the preceding story to me some years ago, ing away manufactured items like $300,000 switchers and oth- near the end of an illustrious career that included five Oscar er editing and broadcast devices considered among the finest nominations and two Oscars - one of them for the feature quality equipment manufactured anywhere in the world. And From Here ToEternity. I told him that I admired his courage, it's not just an assembly operation. Circuit boards are com- for it's inconceivable in the environment of today that any edi- pletely manufactured from raw metal, electro-plating is done tor would challenge his studio head at the executive dining in the plant, and all design/engineering takes place on the site; table. But Lyon didn't think there was any danger of upsetting even the metal cases enclosing the products are cut, drilled, Cohn beyond the moment; Lyon and Cohn considered each and formed on the premises. other "family" - and individuals within studio "families" were The CMX plant rubs elbows with a potpourri of computer fiercely protective of each other. firms. Again, a visitor has to be amazed at the motivated em- Harry Cohn, Jack Warner, Sam Goldwyn, David O. Selz- ployees' attention to detail. Every editing machine is specifi- nick, Darryl Zanuck, Walt Disney and Louis B. Mayer were cally configured and tested to the client's individual order, even all studio chiefs who ran "hands on" operations with consider- down to the checkout of each device or software program that able personal contact with employees such as editors. These will work with the equipment at the client's installation. eccentric moguls cast immense power over the well-being of In Hollywood, there are companies that believe people nice- anyone in their respective studios, but they rewarded loyalty ties payoff. For example, an employee at Pacific Video or The with loyalty and treated their regular employees in a compas- Post Group is invited to partake of a free lunch served on the sionate manner. Everyone of these titans built his empire from premises. The meal isn't always French cuisine, but people en- small beginnings, and all of them were fond of, and relied heav- joy the savings in time and money and a chance to relax with ily on, their immediate "families" of trusted employees. their contemporaries. My guess is that enticing the staff to Working in "show biz" was emotionally rewarding in those stay in the building for a half-hour lunch break is a very effi- years.