Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/773214
www.postmagazine.com 34 POST JANUARY 2017 C reativity and storytelling have always been at the foundation of editing, but it has been refreshing to see that clients are really shifting the focus back on how they can connect with their audiences on a more personal level — and that has been an exciting endeavor on the editing side. I find that I am called upon more often to deliver this type of storytelling in pieces both shorter and longer than 30 or 60 seconds. With short form social media video content and longer form digital content, there is a call for interesting stories told outside of what is typically expected in promos and advertising. Though budgets may not be growing in the way that we may all like, there is certainly more work now than ever before. Between traditional broadcast, social media, digital series and beyond, there is content every- where you look, and on every screen. But now, you have to be smarter about how you approach your workflow and surround yourself with lots of creative people. Since joining Northern Lights in June, I have really been able to see the value firsthand of working alongside in- telligent people that bring their talents together to craft creative solutions. The nimble collaboration between editorial, graphics, audio and produc- tion is critical to delivering projects on deadline and on budget, and it really is the future of where the industry is going. Being able to provide high-level creative talent in-house allows us to work with the shifting budgets to con- tinue to provide excellent creative work for our clients. For an editor, software is a personal preference that equally impacts work- flow and overall creativity. In 2016, I re- ally noticed a significant rise in the pop- ularity and use of Adobe Creative Suite. The ease of integration between the applications allows for seamless internal collaboration, and I have seen the pop- ularity for the Adobe products steadily increase as a result of this across the board, from post facilities to networks. As an editor, I enjoy working with both Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro, but I am finding more so than ever that clients are now request- ing the use of Adobe products on proj- ects. As a self-professed techno geek, I find the challenge of working between two editing software systems exciting. With Avid right now, it is beneficial to be able to collaborate with multiple editors, and the 2017 update for Adobe is going to be a major game-changer in this shared workflow scenario. It truly is an exciting time for us creatives. The demand for new tool kits and the shifts in the industry are allowing us to get back to doing what matters — creating the most compelling content through the art of storytelling. BY PAT CARPENTER CREATIVE DIRECTOR/EDITOR NORTHERN LIGHTS NEW YORK NLEDIT.COM 2016: EXPANDING THE TOOLBOX & A RETURN TO STORYTELLING O ne thing that's constant in advertising and in our market is change. That sounds like the setup for a joke, but it's true. While we can't predict the future, we strongly believe that offering clients a vast array of creative solutions is a big part in staying ahead of that unknown curve. With this in mind, in 2017 we are expanding our finishing department Jogger in New York to include addition- al online capabilities and a design de- partment. Jogger already has a strong presence in LA and London, and we are excited to bolster our offerings on the east coast. We have found that when an editor is part of the design process, it adds continuity and community to the big picture creative. Having the ability to integrate design during the offline leads to a seamless workflow and deep- er creative exploration. By expanding our design department we can help develop the design ideas with agency creatives at their point of origin. It is also important for the Cut+Run family to continue to meet the global realities of our industry while maintain- ing a sense of community. Our clients are constantly on the move and we want to make our talented and diverse network of artists available to them wherever they are needed. With offices in London, New York, Austin, San Francisco and LA, we can travel our edi- tors seamlessly between offices, on set, or anywhere in the world a project is located. Because our industry is about relationships as much as it is about talent and workflow, our goal is to make each place we set up shop feel like a home away from home. Timelines and other factors may demand efficiency, but we never want to cut back on human connection. We recently expanded our remote edit- ing capability to easily connect our editors with directors or to be able to run editing sessions when the agency team is not based in the same city. Last month, we edited a Google project with a team split between LA and New York. With remote editing, they were able to work on a complicated project together in realtime instead of having to fly in creatives for the edit. There's nothing to match in-person collaborations, but this comes close. One trend we have been noticing is that along with traditional content and formats, we are being asked to take on more non-traditional editing as part of experiential and multimedia campaigns. We've edited art installations for Marco Brambilla, interactive billboards in Times Square and of course VR content. These projects are all about the ability to reach an audience on a deeper level. The same creativity and problem solv- ing that make a truly great editor are re- imagined in a new way when working in multimedia. And that's part of the fun! The team at Cut+Run thrives on being challenged and we are excited to see what 2017 has in store for all of us. BY LAUREN HERTZBERG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CUT+RUN NY NEW YORK CUTANDRUN.COM CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT OUTLOOK EDITING O OUTLOOK O OUTLOOK