Avid's SMPTE'01 Winner Finds DV Joy

SYDNEY
When Martin Thorne found out he was the lucky winner of an Avid Xpress DV video editing system at the annual Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers exhibition in 2001, he immediately knew he would be able to put his prize to good use. Martin is an editor and graphics support specialist with Frame, Set & Match.
Based in Sydney and established in 1970, Frame, Set & Match was one of the very first Australian companies to install Avid's software. Amongst the firm's current arsenal of Avid equipment is the Avid Media Composer and the Avid Symphony. During his time with Frame, Set & Match Martin has worked on a wide variety of projects including corporate videos, television commercials and television dramas.
When he suddenly became the proud owner of an Avid Xpress DV, he saw an opportunity to take advantage of the portability and flexibility of the system.
"In addition to my work at Frame, Set & Match I do freelance editing projects where I use the company's Media Composer and Symphony systems under a dry hire arrangement," Martin said. "With Xpress DV I realised I could do offline cutting of freelance projects to a professional standard on my home PC - a capability I never had before. This has worked out superbly. Xpress DV is a powerful cutting tool that is compatible with - and complements - the other Avid systems. The interface is very similar to Symphony so getting up and running was easy. Using Xpress DV I now do offline editing in my own time at home when it suits me and then conform at 1:1 resolution on the Symphony at Frame, Set & Match. The same Avid bins can be opened and sequence loaded - no EDLs! The whole process is convenient and very efficient."
Being equipped with the tools to carry out professional-quality editing at home and in his own time, Martin was able to accept an offer to do the post-production of Finding Joy, an independent Australian feature film that had its world premiere screening at the international Australian Digital & Video Ausfest festival in October 2002.
Described as "a different kind of romantic comedy" set against the backdrop of the folk music scene, Finding Joy celebrates the universal themes of friendship, low self-esteem, love relationships, and 'the joy of dogs.' Finding Joy was shot entirely on location in Braidwood, a rural New South Wales town located 300 kms south-west of Sydney.
The movie embraced the latest in digital technology from beginning to end as producer Andrew Einspruch explains.
"Digital gave us a great deal of flexibility," said Andrew. "For example, we were able to choose our post-production team independent of their location. Although our editor Martin was four hours away in Sydney working with him was smooth and efficient. And we've never even met our sound designer in person, as he is in South Australia."
Martin worked on Finding Joy over a period of three months during which he cut more than 20 hours of DVcam footage on his Avid Xpress DV at home which he conformed and colour-corrected on the Avid Symphony at Frame, Set & Match. Martin says that without his Xpress DV he wouldn't have been able to take on this type of challenge.
"From a career-building perspective Finding Joy was a fantastic project which I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do if it weren't for Xpress DV", he said. "I can now edit in my spare time, and deliver results to the level of quality demanded of a feature film. For example, being able to preview DV-quality composites at home on the Xpress DV workstation was a real luxury. Throughout the editing phase I kept my client constantly up-to-date by regularly sending QuickTime files via email.
"The experience of working on Finding Joy was invaluable and has served as a door-opener to similar film and television projects. Since working on the movie I have used Xpress DV to cut both 35mm film and HD original projects. My method of operating has been to dub my source footage to DV - with matching timecode - and then carry out the editing safe in the knowledge that the original tapes will conform correctly on the Symphony."
With tight budgets a constant challenge for independent film producers Martin anticipates growing opportunities for editors who have invested in an Xpress DV workstation.
"Like the majority of independent movies Finding Joy was made to a moderate budget so the producers weren't really in a position to commission a big post-production firm for the editing of the film; fortunately Xpress DV allowed me to take on the task and deliver what the client wanted without it costing the earth. With independent film-makers constantly on the lookout for affordable ways to get their movie projects off the ground I expect that this type of arrangement will become increasingly common.
"Xpress DV also provides an excellent introduction to the complete range of Avid editing tools, which is a great plus when you consider that a high proportion of media production companies use Avid equipment", Martin said. "For less experienced editors who are looking to secure a position with a post-production company Xpress DV can be the key that opens the door to a successful career. Apart from the common interface, Xpress DV introduces users to the techniques and workflow that Avid has pioneered. This alone gives anyone using Xpress DV a sizeable head-start."

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