EDITOR'S NOTE
The Great Escape
by Tomm Carroll
 Tomm Carroll |
As I write this, in mid-October, the stock market has been plummeting daily for over a week, and adversely affecting the world’s markets as it nose dives. If this isn’t yet a new Depression, we are definitely trapped in a hand-basket and heading southward at a furious clip.
If there is any positive spin on this situation at all, it is that Hollywood always seems to thrive during an economic downturn. As our Labor writer Jeff Burman reported in our last issue, the film and television industry, whose products offer a welcome, if temporary, respite from financial concerns, appears to be recession-proof. Indeed, Hollywood proved the Great Escape during the Great Depression some 80 years ago.
Fortunately, the late fall and early winter are when the industry releases its Big Guns, so it is well armed to take our minds off of our post-Bailout blues and incredibly shrinking retirement accounts. And in this issue, we look at the making of two of the most escapist fantasies to be released in November: the latest James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, and the birthing of a vampire love story franchise, Twilight.
Bill Desowitz interviews the newest Bond editors, Matt Chessé, A.C.E., and Richard Pearson, who edited Quantum in London (and are pictured on our cover mixing work and pleasure at Dukes Bar, one of Bond author Ian Flemming’s favorite Soho martini bars), about their experiences on the 22nd entry in the Bond saga. Desowitz also talks with director Marc Forster about the new, introspective Bond, and Michael Kunkes rings up several Bond editors from the past, who relive their memories cutting the adventures of the super-spy. Even our Post-Prod Puzzler Crossword is Bond-themed this issue.
Meanwhile, Robin Rowe plays a post-production Van Helsing of sorts when he investigates the picture and sound editorial work on Twilight, questioning editor Nancy Richardson, A.C.E. and her team, as well as sound editor Frank Gaeta and music editor Adam Smalley, about their efforts to bring this blood-letting love story to life.
In the land of television, congratulations to all of our Guild members who brought home Primetime Creative Emmy Awards in September. In this issue, you’ll find photos of the honorees as well as brief interviews, conducted by Laura Almo, with several of the winners: editor Lynne Willingham, A.C.E.; sound editor Michael Lawshe, music editor Chris McGeary, re-recording mixers Frank Morrone and Scott Weber, and technical director Charles Ciup.
In addition, Kunkes provides a report on the latest sound technology from the 125th Audio Engineering Society (AES) Show, which was held in San Francisco in early October. And speaking of technology, in our Tech Tips section, the Guild’s West Coast Training Coordinator, Dieter Rozek, test-drives the XMiL Placer, a new visual effects spotting application developed by assistant editor member Rainer Standke. Also, re-recording mixer Mat-thew Iadarola offers tips on creating an efficient ProTools workflow.
And finally, with the general election looming, Burman takes a look at our two presidential candidates from a Labor perspective. It should come as no surprise which one scores the highest on that account. And that candidate is also the best equipped to dig us out of the ever-deepening hole in which the current administration is leaving us.
Thanks for reading. And for voting.