l- (o Australian Screen Editors If you wish to canvass an opinion or o) seek feedback from other members you PO Box 6, St Leonards, o) can do rt vta a letter to the editor. o NSNtr, 2065, Australia Ph:950 3753 -c Filling these pages with enough +, O Fax:950 3798 up *, o interesting information to make a newsletter each month be (Newsletter: Fax: 413 8603 useful will hard work - and thats where you come o em ail : m atth ewt@mpx. c om. au) in! If you have anything to contribute, o be it an article you have written, a J Committee - a Presidmt Henry Dangar newsclipping we might have missed, an o a VPraidentJohn Pleffer editing-room hint or amusing anecdote (I'm sure there are hundreds out there), Treasurer Barbar a Bedf ord please hesitate share us. Secretary Fiona Strain don't to it with o Steven Barbour E Any inpwt is most appreciated! o= f Benita Carey Emma Hay F b Michael Honey - Helen Martin Matthew Tucker Marc Van Buuren Contributions should be typed or Frans Vandenburg \Ward preferably on floppy disk or sent via Jenny email. If you are sending contributions electronically please save and send them Committee meets on the first as ASCII text only. Monday of every month. The deadline for contributions to this Newsletter will be the Friday prior to that meeting. ASE General Meeting and Election. This Newsletter is published by Australian Screen Editors Inc. in NSN(. The meeting that was held on opinions expressed in this \flednesday Zth Feb, was attended by a newsletter are not necessarily those large number of members. It $/as A.S.E. Copyright of all articles remai addressed by Kim Villiams, head of with the author. Fox Studios Australia. He spoke at some length about the proposed s issue edited bv Matthew Tucker development at the showground, and answered questions from the floor. \We were left with a clearer idea of what Fox is hoping to achieve, however I am Editiott? sure that as the development proceeds a Collectof's lot of questions will arise regarding post-production, As this is our first edition, it is not \7e now have a fully elected board. I only a potential collectors item worth would like to thank all the people who roubles, also a a millions of but bit of volunteered and helped on the interim Ve'11 be looking at the testing ground. committee. An enormous amount was format, the layout, number of pages, achieved in the first six months and it newsletter is style of articles etc. This could not have happened without the what for you the members, so tell us continual enthusiasm and hard work of you you think, what you want, what these dedicated people. love and what you detest about it.

- In the coming year, the new Subject to final confirmation the board will work towards establishing conference will be on June 1st at the the ASE as a strong voice within the AFTRS. Further details will be industry. The board will uphold the published in the upcoming post objectives of the ASE which are:- production issue of Encore. Details of the format and guest speakers at the (1) the pursuit and recognition of conference will be circulated to all excelience in the arts, sciences and members in April. technology of production, specifically Rushes Wanted: with an emphasis on post-production, - Marc Van Buuren for motion picture film, television, A.S.E is trying to put together an SP multi-media and other forms of new Betacam library of scenes to be used by technology. members as editing exercises. So you can have something REAL to edit vzhen (2) To promote, improve and protect NElt'$ DE$[ you're learning a new system! the role and rights of editor as an If you're working on a scene that is essential and significant contributor to EIIITORS IOVE''HATREI}'' particularly challenging or interesting all such productions. \0e want to hear to edit, please consider asking your from you. Any ideas or suggestions on ASE recently hosted screening of producer permission to copy the rushes how the ASE can best work for you a "Hatred" directed by Mitzi Goldman for that scene, either sync or mute SP + will be very welcome. This is your and edited by Denise Haslem. The film DAT audio, plus a copy of script pages, association. was screened at Film Australia and was sound, camera, and continuity sheets very well received. ASE Members were for our library. A.S.E can provide some Best wishes for the coming year in the able to ask questions of both Mitzi and tape stock if required. cutting room. Denise, and the session was followed by All contributions will be most drinks in the foyer. welcome. Thanks to Henry Dangar - Henry Dangar. Also screened was the short film for starting the collection, and to Mike "The Beat Manifesto" directed by Honey and Steve Ktapman for Daniel Nettheim and edited by Roland selected scenes from "The Leaving of Gallois. Liverpool". Despite some murmerings that Contact any committee member for Post Production Lindfield was too close to the North Pole, at the last General Meeting it was further details. agreed that we would continue to hold Conference d screenings at the Roxy at Film Australia! Thank you to Don Tanner for donating his time in the proiection A meeting of the conference steering box. tosT! committee was held on the 20th One Acmade 16mm Edgenumbering February at the AFI in Paddington. C(lNGRATUTATI(lNS! The conference will be staged jointly by Machine in excellent nick, belonging the ASE, ASDA, the Australian Guild to Mighty Movies. ASE congratulate Marcus D'Arcy and of Screen Composers, ASSG, and Friedkin for their Oscar SPAA. The FFC have agreed to support Iay Stuart lent it to somebody a while ago - Nomination for "Babe"! us and Sandra Alexander who is their now Caroline has a buyer and would budget assessor will be on the like it returned. Can you help? organising committee. Also on the committee are Matt Carroll (SPAA); If you know athere it is please phone Robin de Crepigney, Steve \Tallace and Caroline Armstrong on 9960 5240 Lois Randall (ASDA); Martin Armiger (AGSC); Rose Dority, Nick Beauman (What's that sun got to do with things? Fills a and Marc Van Buuren. Fiona Verge is gap, that's what!) co-ordinating the Conference.

- for SCORSESE ) and local heroes such (attn: Mike Honey) or if you're really asJILL BILLCOCK who have made it not in a hurry write to ASE, PO Box 6, big overseas. The idea is to see how St Leonards, to put your name on the they cut "over there "and to look a bit waiting list and receive a more detailed beyond the editing process to see how course outline with dates and times. the systems are set up in different But its first in, first served, so be AFTRS EDITING STUFF countries to deal with not only new quick! technology, but also the Apprenticeship and training of assistants and new -tohnPlffir Courses Available Soon: Editors . Non Linear Editing fot Assistants on AVID: 2 x 2 - Day courses stafiing Also planned are more Seminars 20th & 27th March New Technology - aiming to make LIGHTW0RKS: 2x2-DayCoursesstatting information available to more people 9th & 23rd March for less money. #r'+lu Linear for Editors - Fiona Strain Non Editing COMBINED COURSES AVID: 2x4-Daycoulses JANUAR,Y JUNE 1996 starting lst & 9th April -Day LIGHTWORKS: 2 x2 Courses starting Non Linea,r Editing 2nd & 16th March STOP PR,ESS! Avid Editing Systems present a course Non Linear Protocol for Directors for women in television and film and Producers ( Send your director, producer, production- FREE Creative Training Course Limit: 8 persons nanager along to learn how to treat you as a Workshops Course Duration: 3 full days hunan being! ) 2 x 2 - Day courses stailing on 18th & 25th Cost: $700 ASE is delighted to announce an March Date: 27,28,29 March upcoming series of FREE week- end Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm creative editing workshops to be held at Tutors include: Mike Honey, Stephen the ABC on AVID non-linear Media Enquiries: \ruFT p2) 332 2408 Smith, Jason Ballantyne, Martin Composers. Connor and Julian Russell - All experts in the nonlinear field. Designed for editors and assistants who &&& already have a basic knowledge of editing, these workshops will provide a ALL COURSES OFFER chance to focus on creative techniques A DISCOUNT TO under the guidance of more experienced ASE MEMBERS! *** editors. Non Linear Editing courses are A selection of rushes vzill be available, NOT the bat uay to get gmeral Courses You Missed: Just including drama, documentary and computer knowledge! And though commercial and whilst the workshops compttter savr:y is not a prerequisite \7e have just held our first course on not intended as an AVID training for such cou,rses, you will get a lot Shotlister Non-Linear system ^re the course, basic tuition will be available. more for your money out of the 'dAVE. which was well received. You course if you are not grappling uith will be notified of the next series! rVe anticipate that these workshops computer basics at the same time. will be very popular, and numbers will There are excellent night coursa in Other stuff coming up: be limited. The workshops are available gmeral computer skilk at TAFE and, to ASE members ONLY. VTEA. You don't have to pdy An internatonal 'FRAME BY $250/day to learn hou to use a FRAME'in May or Juiy to look at the To apply, ASE members should ring mouse! works of famous editors such as Mike Honey on 472 a055 ftu$ or 868 THELMA SCHOENMAKER (Editor 1370 (AH), or send a fax to 419 8807 Some programs save your work medium and procedure. (See next instantly, others save every few anicle) This could be a to a floppy minutes or so, others don't save disk, optical disk, digital tape, another anlthing to disk unless you ask it to hard disk, or a "ZIP" drive. do so. Once saved, you can turn the The backup copy MUST exist on a computer off with impunity. Vhen physically different disk to where " Backing Up Is you want to resume work on the your work is normally stored. refers to the last Be sure you understand the correct il project, the computer Hard To Do ... saved version on disk, and away you procedure for the facility you are go. using, including a way of verifying if the backup was correctly done. Er, it isn't, actually. If you work or Go are going to work with nonlinear But... Things Iilrong. is Responsibility. computers then "backing up" could be If the disk on which your work THE MOST IMPORTANT thing stored breaks down or individual files Yours and yours only. Don't leave you will ever learn. Here's why. (If get corrupted - and despite what the it to your assistant. The day you need your you already know all this then skip it) brochure says, this uill happen one that backup disk will be the day day - you have very little chance of assistant got called away early the A Ilumb Machine? being able to get that work back. Or night before ... And if you are an maybe, someone is looking at your assistant, you could get a lot of That computer is a machine like any cut while you're at lunch, accidently mileage out of making a full backup of other. It doesn't think for itself. It erases an audio track and turns the your ov/n whenever you can, for does what you tell it to do, and when off ... when your editor has a momentary you turn off the power it stops. But computer happen lapse of reason! unlike other machines, a computer Such things won't often, but, One D^y Iflhen You Least does so many things so well that we Expect It ... this occurs, some A Warning: often entrust to it our thoughts, ideas, fVhen certain Major our creativity for safekeeping. But editors refer to a If one day you suspect that you Bummer - whoever he was - who first one d^y it will, like other have done something dreadfully ^ny disappointing machine, break down - and that's discovered this wrong and the producer is coming in phenomenon way back when.) where problems start. Its important to an hour to see the fine cut, understand how the computer looks DO NOT BACKUP IN PANIC! after your creativity. S0... You MUST have a second copy - a - By doing so you may copy a dud Saving the Ilay backup - of your work, and this copy edit over your only hope of salvation! should be as up-to-date as possible. \il/hen you create an edit, the If you must backup in panic, then at Note that if you computer saves your computer creates a new "file" on the least use a differmt disk/tapeloptical THIS IS NOT hard disk that will hold the set of work automatrcally disk, just in case. A instructions for the edit. Then you can THE SAME THING AS Then have a calm think about BACKUP! add new shots, change bits, trim shots, what you have done and try to work try out a dissolve or two and then put out whether you could get back what it all back the way you had it in the How often? you have lost from your backup disk. first place. All these decisions are Hovr valuable is your work? Most stored in the system's memory for fast editors backup twice a day, at lunch Notes: means access and ease of manipulation. and last thing in the day. This 1. Some editors take a copy of the But if some idiot comes along and at worst you will have to repeat half a backup home at night in case a bomb trips over the power cord, or you day's work. If you are not prepared to drops on the cutting room... accidentally hit the reset button with take that risk, do it more often; but 2. Always back up before doing your knee, all your recent work may bear in mind that on large projects it something rudical such as deleting a be lost if not stored to some more can sometimes take 15 - 20 minutes. lot of stuff. One slip of the mou"[@ ) permanent storage medium. And hey, if you don't mind redoing a 3. If you haven't had a computer To save the changes, the computer whole week's work, then back-up crash yet, its your turn very soon. copies the data from memory into a once a week! 4. You can't fit much onto a floppy file on the hard disk, just as we tend disk these days... to write things on a piece of paper as a Where to? safeguard against forgetting them later Every brand of nonlinear machine - Matthew Tucker on. has its own recommended backup appropriate place on the tape has been BACKING UP ON AVID located. However this procedure can by Mike Honey take several minutes to achieve. In addition it is a more complex process g2sking up data on the Avid systems than the other two methods and can be done in three ways: involves a third party programme - Offu, of a Lifetime ARCSERVE - to do the job. 1)Floppy disk To backup using this method first EDITOR NEEDED FOR FEATURE Backing up data in this way is really requires a cartridge to be inserted into IN ADELAIDE only practical with small projects. the tape drive. Exit the Media Backing up large amounts of data is not Composer and activate ARCSERVE. 16mm, low-budget, low-ratio only time consuming and tedious but The project or its individual bins are feature film. You will be flown to given also involves the frequent changing of then selected and tagged and the correct Adelaide, you will be accommodation in a house on a disks. destination identified. Select RUN beach, you will be paid $ZSO a The procedure, however, is quite from the menu and the system will take week ... simple. Insert the floppy disk into the automatically complete the task. It is Quadra/Power Mac. Open the projects advisable to select data verification as folder on the Avid drive and drag the an option. All sound too good to be true? Read on appropriate project onto the floppy It is also possible to back up Media disk. If the project is a large one then Files on DLT. If this is required, use open its folder and only drag the cartridges other than the ones used for ... You will have 5 weeks to cut number of bins that will comfortably data backup, otherwise the search time the film (including sound post) fit on the floppy disk. Repeat this for future data backups will increase ou will have no assistant an the house you will be staying process until all the bins have been dramatically. is in the middle of a nudist camp. copied. Eject the floppy disk and close the folders on the Avid drive. shoot starts on the 2n Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho March , editing starts soon after. 2) Magneto optical disk This is the most efficient way of \ 17 filrn is about a nudist colony. backing up data on the Avid system but ,r'=--\ -( -_ ) - it is also probably the most expensive. ,\z'- Interested ???????!!!!!!!!!! It should be noted, though, that Avid longer support optical drive no = Page Simon James for script on 0L6 020, technology as an integral part of their How many directors does it take Quote #221 402, or ring 360 4085. system. to change a lightbulb? Insert the optical disk into its drive and 1{o t{um lfo I{um 1{o I[um open the projects folder on the Avid Dunno ... what do you think? drive. Select the project to be backed 9{ow do yu speff tfte common term up and drag its folder onto the disk. syncfrronisef rusfies? sunft! suncfi? This process is very quick and the disks for sunc? or sftoufd it 6e ryncfref? And are are large enough to back up even the rusfres ever sank3 '/at fo yu sink! largest of projects without having to 001 0s1 vA1 D 024 resort to the backing up of individual 02:L4:23:OL bins. Many editors using this method I of the So THAT S what it takes to will back up on a different side get an online editor disk on alternate days as an extra j-nterested!! Many ASE security measure. members are wondering why so few of you have joined? 3) Tape streamer We do need your invol-vement Avid recently introduced its DLT to help us solve some of (Digital Linear Tape) drive. It is the many postproduction THANKS to AVID, accompanied by 20 Gigabyte cartridges. problems that we are SPECTRIIM and ATLAB for their j-der This method of backing up is efficient f acj-ng. Please Cons ! support of ASE. once the drive is set up and the

- Letters to tfie lEfitor? "The future of the Australian film industry depends on the development of creative t Yes Please! c IVert fssue! talent. This initiative by . IIave a Voice! Idigenous filmmakers makes a valuable and long overdue contribution to that future" Overseas ...

lul)lu! -Bruce Beresfurd The following excerpts are taksrr from a recent article in VARIEW: CALL FOR ENTRIES: " Postproduction schedules are The 6th Annual \Women On contracting as the result of several (\fo\f) Film Festival. \(omen Are you Subcommittee things: Producers and people at studios don't know yet what the presented by \MFT In Film fiVomen Material? new technologies can do; they and Television) NSV, to be held at the because we use Chauvel Cinema, Paddington, on May think that ASE has been formed to "... promote, instantly, 10th, 11th &.12th1996. computers we can cut improve and protect the role of editor and we can't ... you have a one- big job, and the - Deadline for entries: Thu April 4 ...u - but that is a weekend window to be a success Committee can't do it all by or a disaster!" The festival is open to any 16mm or themselves. \fle're looking for "By putting two or three editors 35mm film or video of less than 40 volunteers to become involved on on a project, a producer saves a mins, made in the 18 months prior to subcommittees to research, discuss, and week's interest payment, so still the festival deadline, and must not have prepare issues for presentation to the comes out ahead of budget." been previously entered in VOV. committee. "lt cheats the product and its not the best way to get things Videos are eligible to enter if either the done. Everyone has a different style A subcommittee is: director is a woman or if both the of cutting, and if you're the lead producer and writer are women. 1, editor on a project, you wind up in !E A great way in which members a supervisory situation this Enquiries and entry forms: can meet other members, express their means your own cutting time is vrFT (02) 332 2408 ideas and otherwise get involved with reduced. " A.S.E.

s4 Sound familiar? Some members of our E e way of sharing the work around counterpart in the USA, the Motion so that the same people don't do all the Piaure Editors Guild, have formed a work all the time and eventually get fed committee to study and discuss comprased $AND IROlI/l TO CELTUI,OID up and stressed out. schedules, mdlathon editing shifts and work-related injuries. It seems '(I)e now Some of the subcommittees that are have a good ally! Six new works from Indigenous currently needed are: "The Editor's Guild has never Filmmakers are to be screened at - events and screenings really had much influence. That's the Chauvel Cinema in Paddington Social organise Training-Abigissue what these people are trying to do on 20, 2I, & 22 March 1996. now, bring up some issues and see Newsletter - get this out every month! I what we can accomplish as a the group. But we've never been a Under an initiative by Those that were involved with the guild that's bee f amous for our Indigenous Branch of the AFC, six committee found the interim - Don Zimmerman, Guild films have been produced and are lobbying" experience fun and rewarding. president. being presented together on the one program which lasts about an you think you are subcornmittee If W'e uish them luck ... it will be interesting to contact a committee hour. It should be of interest matetial, to see howfar thq get. everyone to see new talent being member soon! exposed in such a format.

I The Motion Picture Editors Guild (USA) placed the following letter in Daily Variety and Hollywood reporter. Ile reprint it here with pernission, for your interest:

To: The Directors Guild of America From: The Motion Picture Editors Guild Committee on Creative Rights Date: January 19, 1996

Dear Directors:

We are aware that you are in contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The issue of directors' rights is of tremendous importance not only to you, but also to editors and allthose involved in the post-production process. ln the last two years, we have witnessed an unprecedented erosion of your creative rights. Postproduction schedules have been shortened to accommodate unrealistic release dates, and as a result, you are asked time and again to relinquish your contrdctual ten-week cut. First, you are asked to show the studio your work long before it is ready. Then the film is immediately previewed and after that first preview, it is often the audience who edits the picture.

The advent of digital technology has created the mistaken illusion that the editing process can be continually shortened. ln fact, the technology has had less effect than is commonly assumed. Postproduction is still being accelerated the way it always has been - by adding additional editors. When this happens, the director's attention is divided and too many tasks are performed simultaneously: picture changes, looping, scoring, temp and final dubbing, negative cutting, answer printing and all suffer. Too often we see pictures finished in a whirlwind process that leaves everyone, director included, dazed. Under these circumstances, there is no time for the real work of editing to take place: assessing the story and structure, shaping and polishing a performance, or most important, doing the work well. lt is only after the picture is released that the creative team realizes where the power of their material lay and it is only in hindsight that they understand what they could have done with a few more days or weeks - time that in retrospect seems all too inexpensive.

Janet Maslin, writing for the New York Times (August 8, 1995) described many of the summer's forced schedule, big budget pictures as suffering from "sloppiness" and looking "amateurish." Release dates are driving the schedules and marketing is dictating these dates. Of course we need people in the seats but what happens if they don't come back?

We unequivocally support you in your efforts to preserve the post-production time necessary to create work with coherence, power, and integrity. We understand the value of a single vision and respect the time it takes to realize it.

With solidarity and resolve,

Edward Abroms, A.C.E. Stuart Baird, A.C.E. Fred Berger, A.C.E. Peter Berger, A.C.E. Kent Beyda, A.C.E. John Bloom Francoise Bonnot, A.C.E. Charles Bornstein, A.C.E. George Bowers, A.C.E. Conrad Bufl John F. Burnett, A.C.E. Jacqueline Cambas, A.C.E. Donn Cambern, A.C.E. Bruce Cannon Joanna Cappuccilli Richard Chew Lisa Churgin Jim Clark Anne V. Coates, A.C.E. Atthur Coburn Steven Cohen, A.C.E. Scoft Conrad, A.C.E. Carmel Davies Freeman Davies Rudi Fehr, A.C.E. Robert Fenretti, A.C.E. Richard Francis-Bruce Lois Freeman-Fox, A.C.E. Tony Gibbs, A.C.E. Mark Goldblatt, A.C.E. Mia Goldman, A.C.E. Margie Goodspeed William D. Gordean A C.E. Bruce Green, A.C.E. Jerry Greenberg Wendy Greene Bricmont, A.C E Richard Halsey, A.C.E. Gerry Hambling, A.C.E. Janice Hampton, A.C.E Alan Heim, A.C.E. Mark Helfrich, A.C.E. Paul Hirsch, A.C.E. Tina Hirsch, A.C.E. Jack Hofstra, A.C.E. Michael Hoggan, A.C.E. David Holden Peter Honess, A C.E. Maysie Hoy Michael Jablow, A.C.E. Michael Kahn, A.C.E. Sheldon Kahn, A.C.E. Harry Keramidas Lynzee Klingman, A.C.E. Bonnie Koehler, A.C.E. Jane Kurson, A.C.E. Robert K. Lambert, A.C.E. Chris Lebenzon Robert Leighton Sid Levin, A.C.E. John Link Carol Littleton, A.C.E. Andrew London Barry Malkin Richard Marks, A.C.E. Craig McKay, A.C.E. Sally Menke Jim Miller Randy Jon Morgan Susan E. Morse, A.C.E. Walter Murch, A.C.E. Priscilla Nedd-Friendly, A.C.E. Thom Noble Lee Percy, A.C.E. Anthony Redman, A.C.E. William Reynolds, A.C.E. Stephen Rivkin, A.C.E. Tom Rolf, A.C.E. David Rosenbloomm A.C.E. Steven Rosenblum Harvey Rosenstock, A.C.E. Adhur Schmidt Thelma Schoonmaker, A.C.E Robert F. Shugrue, A.C.E. Claire Simpson Robert L. Sinise, A.C.E. Howard Smith, A.C.E. Nicholas C. Smith, A.C.E. Fredric Steinkamp William Steinkamp, A.C.E. Michael Stevenson, A.C.E. James Symons, A.C.E. Neil Travis, A.C.E. Michael Tronick, A.C.E. Jack Tucker, A.C.E. Frank J. Urioste, A.C.E. Mark Warner Billy Weber Ralph Winters, A.C.E. Pam Wise, A.C.E. Sidney Wolinsky John Wright, A.C.E. Don Zimmerman, A.C.E. Peter Zinner, A.C.E. The above are \X/rVW sites. Perhaps BTW: Don't try evaluating your ilNTEKNET: even more useful and interactive are signal off the (AVID Graphics) monitors - they are computer mailing lists and newsgroups. A mailing monitors and cannot be calibrated to list is a series of email communications NTSC or PAL specs. Trust me, it that are sent to your email address can't be done. every day. You subscribe to a mailing Then comes calibrating the signal list much as you would to a magazine coming into the Avid. This step is except that it costs you nothing and absolutely critical. lf the incoming you you can make queries or contributions signal is not calibrated then will never be able to get good quality out as you wish. of the system. That means not only calibrating with Bars and Tone (with Here an extract tbe AWD-L WHO.WMAT"WMY? is from the internal scopes), but mailinglist. Lina surting uith ) are MONITORING the signalwith analog quota from the original query. This scopes as it comes in and being Should ASE take ride on the a extnxct ha; bem lightly abridged. prepared to adjust calibration and superhighway? Ve think so! The redigitize. Internet is not only a great way to From: [email protected] Remember, the bars at the head publise the activities of ASE both Date: Sun, 25 Feb 96 23:31:08 of a tape are a reference. lf the bars locally and worldwide via the Vorld Subject: What is "Online" quality? came from the house and the tape was shot in the field with the iris or Vide Veb, but could also provide a >Recently, white balance not properly set, then great resource to its members. I had a client come in to >online a thirty minute piece he had all you will be able to do is digitize Simon Smithers has offered to >cut with an offline Avid. However, beautiful bars. You need to be organise a Vorld Vide Veb page for >after seeing the quality difference monitoring the signal at every step. A.S.E at no cost to us. This is a great >between the source SP tape and This means that the all too opportunity and we will hopefully be >AVR-75 playback, he decided common step of hiring an assistant to able to rePort movement in that >midway through the redigitizing stay up overnight and feed tapes into the deck may have be amended. direction in the next mailout. >that the quality was not sufficiently to >good project. This works great for an offline - But in the meantime, and before we enough for his He >wanted online quality - end of quality isn't as critical. For an online go too far down that track, it would be >story. you need someone trained to useful to know how'many of ASE's calibrate who will make sure members have access to the \tr'W\tr, To answer this I'm going to pose a everything comes in correctly. email etcetera. slightly different question. lnstead of *lF*AVR 75 is absolutely gorgeous So do the following: send me an asking "what is online quality," we the source was properly digitized. email at the following address and let really should focus on the question: quality Finally you need to concern me know you are connected and how "Where does online come from?" This is the true heart of the yourself with the output calibration. you can be contacted. (And if I don't matter. This is even easier with the Avid "hear" from you, I'll assume you're Everything that makes up a Broadcast Video Board but must be not!) quality online can be summed up in a done with external scopes. single theme: CALIBRATION. The [email protected] quality of the online depends entirely The above reply uas seleaed because not upon how well calibrated the room is. only is it a good example of the usefulncs And for those of you who ARE t.1 of the avid-l mailing list, but I think uhat Calibration is the most important here are a few useful'{rufl\f Mr Suten is uriting about applies to ALL connected, aspect of any online and is sadly the online situations! pages to flick through ... one most often ignored when people work on the Avid. [...] http: / /wvrw.mediacube. de,/avi lf you don't have analog scopes To subscribe to the avidJ mailinglist smd d,/ us er- group / and properly calibrated NTSC or PAL an email message to: http: / /www. ftech.net/-cross monitors then you're fooling yourself Maj ordomo@udomo. calvin. edu oak/ avid/ if you think you can produce what is http: / /www. ozema j-l- . com. au/- utith often referred to as "online quality." lf negthink,/ subscribe AVID-L-DIGE S T you don't have (properly calibrated) http : / / www.tek. com,/Llghtwor in the body of the message. ks/wefcome. html scopes you don't know what your http: / /vtww. hut. fil-iisakkil- signal looks like and if you don't have you ,/videof ormats . html- a properly calibrated monitor can't even make an educated guess Suqgestions invited for the next issue! about your signal. finished with Stuart's cuts intacl. lt's safe to most successful and critically acclaimed mini- Stuart Armstrong say that no assistant ever felt the need to do the series -the last installments of "Fields of Fire". same thing for him. ln 1989 he cut Elfick's feature "Harbour Beat", a beautifully edited film that showed Stuart's craft ln December 1979, when Stuart returned to at its best, but which did not get the audience it 'rubber on sunc rushes deserved. Years ago Stuart Armstrong told me that he had Australia, the numbers'. always planned t0 get out of the film business were still labouriously written on the film by hand. He saw an opportunity, and imported the ln 1992 he began working with Sandra Levy and one day, and find a more peaceful occupation. I first Acmade numbering machines into Australia. John Edwards on "Police Rescue", and the remember thinking, but probably didn't say, that ln 1984, while working on Crawford's "Five Mile "Cody" telemovie series. This was a relationship this would have been the industry's great loss. I Creek", realised that film-based drama for that continued until a few months ago, when don't know whether he really meant it, as he he iust post-produced more illness finally forced him to bow out. never mentioned it again, but it was not to be. television could be far quickly 0n tape, no loss of Stuart died recently leaving his wife Caroline, and inexpensively with quality. lndeed, the image that went to air - Stuart is someone of whom it is easy to say good and children Dominic and Hugo. He was 41 . telecined as it was from the original negative - things. lt is unbelievably hard to have to do so in superior. This was at a time when these circumstances. We had known each other Film editing is often an invisible craft; when it's was clearly drama in the United States was still since 1964, when we were both 10 years old. done well. audiences are unaware of it. Millions television on his knowledge and of television viewers in Australia and Britain. being cut on upright moviolas, and finished As impressive as technical craftsmanship was, his greatest strength was particularly, have known Stuart through his work film. 0n more than one occasion he kept in a range of dramatic series, mini-series and loyalty. staff on at Mighty Movies long after was films. Many will remember commercials he cut it financially viable, and known to hire free- with lveson Clark for Nobbies Nuts, AAMI (the was lancers in need of work to do non-existent - runaway truck), SPC Baked Beans (the Rube lobs Goldberg can_opening machine), Twisties at personal cost to himself. He was a master at schedules and budgets to give aspiring {lndiana Jones meets the Purple Rose of Cairo) luggling and 'chippies' (the Gobbledock). Anyone that editors he admired a break. even during his last illness. He worked particularly hard balance ever collaborated with Stuart will testify that he to his career with his family life, often going home worked at an astonishing speed, the more to make dinner and help put children to bed, then astonishing the more you understood what he was doing. Somehow this speed never affected returning to work until one or two in the the quality of his work, which was always morning. superb. He was one of the very best we had. When word spread through the film industry in 0ctober last year he had been diagnosed Apart from being a fine editor, Stuart was a that pioneer in the use of film editing technology, with a brain tumour, the reaction was universal; could happen people? being among the first in Australia to use video how this t0 Stuart, of all As if there's a rhyme 0r reason for such things. tape t0 post produce film-based drama, and later, Stuart started Mighty Movies as a one r00m to go digital. offline suite, which expanded over a period of a ln recent months Stuart was well aware of the few years into a full video off-line and sound discomfort visitors felt at seeing him so ill, and He knew where he was heading from an early editing facility. characteristically sought set them ease age.ln December 1971, the week after finishing to at with a joke. For him, humour was the cement of high school. Stuarl went to work as an assistant I first heard the word 'Avid' in the cutting rooms friendship, and it was typical that even at this editor at Amalgamated Pictures Australasia. at Mighty Movies, and remember arguing that time his thoughts were of others. ln an industry Friends from that time remember him for his the Australian film industry, constrained by known for its raging egos and image-is- enthusiasm and a repertoire of highly original - smaller budgets, might not be able to sustain the everything ethos, Stuart had no time for either. and extremely dry - witticisms. These were luxury of expensive digital post"production. He He was admired for his skill and his character by characteristic of Stuart right up to the last wouldn't hear a bar of it. ln 1991, at a time those he worked with, and loved by those who weeks of his life. when Avid demonstrations were a novelty for knew him best. most of us, Stuart bought one-in a joint venture Early in 1976 he travelled to London. where he with lveson Clark. That his confidence in the -Nick Holnes impressed members of the staid British film new technology was iustified is now beyond industry with his larrikin sense of humour and doubt. stamina. There, he assisted on several Hollywood features, including "Superman", "Star Wars", The list of Stuart's collaborators over the past and "Reds." 0n one, he tried unsuccessfully to l5 years includes many of Australia's top convince the editor that a particular action producers and directors, of which there are far sequence was cut too loosely. ln the end Stuart t00 many to mention here. ln 1987 he began decided to stay late one night and 'fix'it for him ' working with producer/director David Elfick, a an unheard-of piece of cheek. The film was collaboration which resulted in two of Australia's

- Michael Webb This is a list of all ASE members at Carryl lrik David Jaeger Tim Wellburn the date of publishing. Apologies for Simon James Noelleen Westcombe any omissions or errors - let us know! Veronika Jenet Andrew Yuncken Committee members names are shown 0uentin Johnson Darren K. Jonusas Student Members: in bold type. They have been elected to Lile Judickas Arnaud Anquetil available to represent YOU and are Bobert l(abel Jane Cole answer questions and present your Brian l(avanagh (Vic) Adolfo S Cruzado suggestions to the Committee. Cindy L l(elly Christian Gazal Heidi Kenessey l(a ren Johnson contact If you would like to have a Nick l(enway Douglas Lewis next to your name in number included . Simon l(laebe Sophia l( Platthy the next issue, please notify Matthew Linda Kruger Ben Beid Tucker or one of the Committee Wayne LeClos Marl< P Spessot 631 1164 members as soon as you can. John Lee Rhiannon Treasure-Brand Tim Lewrs {Vic) Associate Members: Full Members David Lourie Michelle Barta Pippa Anderson Jan Louthean Lynne Broad Bobin Archer Andrew Macneil Greg Chapman Andrew Arestides James Manche David Hannay Bernard Ashby Annie Marles 9959 3384 John Hollands Sunesh Ayyar Helen Martin 555 9265 Bruce Lamshed Stephen Barbour 9908 2201 Simon Martin Natalia 0rtiz - Ceberio Nicholas Beauman Nick Meyers Jane Paterson Barbara Bedford Treas 436 4590 Marl< Middis Chris Rowell Sara Bennett Jessica Momberg Adrienne Shaw James Bradley Lindy Monson Peter Watkins Bob Burns Kim Moodie Julra Wrrght Neil Burton Lisa-Anne Morris lan l. Young Louis Byrne-Smith Cleo Myles Laura Zusters Benita Carey ss97 5005 Derry 0'Rourke 484 8100 Peter Carrodus (Vic) Ted Otton

Anne Ca rter Sam Petty Bruce Chalker JohnPleller V-Pres. 818 3603 Application form Michael P Chirgwin Jackie Powell Michael Connerty David Pulbrook {Vic) E putt E student E Associate lmelda Cooney Bill Russo $100/year $2Slyear $S0/year Dany Cooper Ken Sallows (Vic) Name: Henry Dangar Pres. 660 4839 Melanie Sandford B1B 1034 Harold R Dews Stella Savvas Liz Doran John Scott Home Telephone: Stephen Doyle (Vicl Shawn Seet Company: Sixel Leigh Elmes Margaret Address: Leslie Fiddess Peter C Skarratt Dominique Fusy Simon Smithers Work Telephone: Linda Gahan Peter Somerville l\4. Carmen Galan Susannah Spittle Anne Geldens Bill Stacey by: Bronwen Gower Patrick Stewart .E. Member) Seconded by: Michael J. Hagan David Stiven S.E. Member) 660 3990 Denise Haslem 810 3499 Fiona Strain Secretary Signature Emma Hay 380 5647 Duncan Taylor l(evin B Hinchey Ray Thomas Richard Hrndley Nigel Trarll members: Please photocopy, send the above form together, with Nick Holmes Matthew Tucker 560 1766 to: Michael Honey 86B 1370 Marc Van Buuren 9968 3436 l(athy-Anne Hopkins Frans Vandenburg 365 7585 Australian Screen Editors Davrd Huggett Jacquie Walker PO Box 6, St Leonards, NSV, 2065 Dana Hughes Elizabeth Walshe Denise Hunter Jenny T. Ward 810 265S