The Art of Editing

Editing looks like a science. The editor sits before the keyboard and works out what seems to be an algebraic solution so that the picture on screen will either cut, dissolve, spin, morph, or make a Denver omelet. But when you watch Stonefilms editor Stig Daniels at work----or, better yet, watch his results on-screen----you realize that editing is an art form. In the best hands, like Daniels', editing is not algebra; it is ballet.

Some of the true masters of the art of editing will gather in Miami on January 13 for the annual Editors Retreat, and we're delighted to see that Stig has been asked to lead one of the seminars at this prestigious gathering. The keynote speaker will be Christopher Nelson, editor for two standout programs, Lost and Mad Men. During the retreat, editors will discuss a variety of topics, from motion graphics to sound mixing to color correction. Stig's peer presentation, on the challenges of independent film editing, will focus on one of his ongoing projects, Dead of Night, a horror film by Houston indie director Joe Grisaffi.

It is a tribute to Stig's talent---and work ethic---that Dead of Night is just one of the many projects he is currently taking on. He has been Stonefilms' chief editor since May 1995, but he's also one of the most sought-after technical directors in sports broadcasting. Over the years Stig has worked as a TD for Astros, Rockets, Comets, Aeros, and Dynamo broadcasts, and this summer he'll be heading to South Africa as a TD and assistant director for Univision's World Cup soccer telecasts. "I enjoy having a dual career," Stig insists, "because one supports the other; it keeps me fresh."

But it is editing that he truly loves, and his artistry has been evident on a long list of Stonefilms projects. "Editing is always changing," he says. "When I first came here, I was 'just' an editor. Now I'm mixing sound, I'm an art director, I'm working with effects; I have so much creative control."

That creativity is a delight to watch in progress. Stig will plug in his Ipod, treating us to some of the most obscure music known to man, and then he will sit at the keyboard and go to work. He has the hands of a scientist, but the heart of an artist.
--Ronnie

The View from Janus

The Romans stole most of their gods from the Greeks, but they came up with one deity with a terrific moniker and an even better gimmick. That would be Janus, who gave us the name for our year's first month because he could---you guessed it---look both forward and backward at the same time. Having spent the past year getting used to bifocals, I can truly appreciate that kind of visual talent. To look back and to look forward in January 2010 is instructive because it reinforces my belief that Stonefilms has broadened its reach in a marketplace that quite simply demands more from our profession.

And what is our profession? Stonefilms opened for business in 1991 as a video production company. It was very straightforward---we made video content that played on television sets. And in 2009, yes, we produced videos that played on television sets, but that doesn't even begin to tell the whole story.

Stonefilms projects ran the gamut from web content to audio book content, from historical research for a public company nearing its 100th anniversary to a whitepaper analysis for a non-profit, from producing On Demand cable content to the technical production of a gala fundraiser. As I write this post, Stonefilms producers are working on everything from broadcast to cable to internet to radio content, from commercial spots to half-hour programs, and seemingly everything in between. No wonder we expanded our staff in 2009!

It seems likely that we'll see a great deal more in the online arena in 2010. According to analysts at eMarketer, online video advertising will be on the rise in the coming year. Internet now reaches 66% of the U.S. population. That's over 205 million people.

The view from Janus' vantage point is breathtaking. I sure hope we'll see more of you in 2010. Happy New Year!
----Ronnie