Vintage Tech: "The Film Editor" Career 1982 Steenbeck 16mm film cores, splicing

In this film short, a film editor describes how he feels about his role in the film creation process. Seen in the film are the Steenbeck editing console, splicing tool, work area and various film cores. Editor talks about how he feels about his career.
The flatbed film editing console is by STEENBECK, makers of flatbed editors for 16mm and 35mm optical sound and magnetic sound films.
The Steenbeck company was founded in 1931 by Wilhelm Steenbeck in Hamburg, Germany. The company is now based in the Netherlands and thousands of the machines are still in use around the world.

[@space_1073]

This guy articulates the joy of editing so well, even if his experience editing is physically very different from today, the creative control it gives and the "film keeping you company" part really resonate still today. I hope the best for him wherever he is today

[@Dr.W.Krueger]

Splicing film was part of learning the trade for me in the 80s. One thing I definitely don't miss.

[@1rotbed]

We edited commercials in the late 1970s mostly on a KEM flatbed until Avid came along. Your right fingers would rest on the control dial, you’d mark your cut point with a grease pencil (picture and sound), then reverse the film while you pull the film on the left side with your left hand to your splicer. Never got the hang of using a Moviola which some swore by.

[@jakescartoons6045]

I know I have a nice gaming PC which makes film editing far more convenient, but I'd still love to learn how to edit film like this someday.

[@arricammarques1955]

16mm flatbed with two & sound heads for mag. stock. Miss working with 35mm & 70mm film.

[@frankowalker4662]

What a beautiful editing suite.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Yes, very nice! Looks like he needed lots of concentration to keep all the film pieces in the right sequence. (My cat would have jumped on the spinning reels and made a nightmare out of the whole deal.) : )

[@frankowalker4662]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject Yes, and the film he had hanging would have been shredded. LOL.

[@shaffer4220]

I actually worked at a Carbide Machining Facility in CA. (Back in late 70’s) where I was a lead position in the department that manufactured “Hollywood Film cutters”. These looked like thin cutting wheels. I wonder what was the name/type of device these were used on.

[@lenowoo]

The real Film editing

[@PlanetImo]

Brilliant. I loved that. :)

[@notreallyasloth]

frankly hard for me to believe that people edited video at all before computers, like i can see what he's doing but it's hard for me to even comprehend how it's possible, you must have to keep so much in your brain at the same time

[@sharonsmithholley3087]

and he was doing it on 16mm which is much harder to see your images.

[@lidarman2]

Just think, we can do in an hour digitally what it took a week to do using the actual cut and splice method of that day.

[@captainkeyboard1007]

Yes! The conventional way of editing film can be done right the first time by a professional editor who is dedicated to working with motion pictures and enhancing sound. Also, a digital film can have its image and sound cleaned with software that was impossible to accomplish by doing the process the conventional way.

[@ionwebs1907]

@Generic Name You have overlooked "thinking time". Effective storytelling (editing) depends on this. Once digital editing was established, editing schedules were compressed to save money without reference to "thinking time". Producers assumed the editing would be just as good, because the push button technology was so quick, you could deliver the first assembly in 1/5 the time. Ditto for the director's cut and the final cut. So the real question you ask producers is "Do you want this good, or do you want it fast?"

[@video99couk]

Now every KZbinr can get to do much the same with DaVinci Resolve or similar. Very different but somehow very similar in what you are trying to do. I think every KZbin video I make is telling a story, just like his films did. There's an important connection between digital editing and film: There is no generation quality loss. In the days of analogue video tape, even the highest quality formats (BetacamSP) would suffer a small generation loss. So if you completed a film then you needed to make a change, you would be faced with starting again or suffering a generation loss. Film, digital tape (usually Digital Betacam) and software editing all have the advantage of being able to make changes at the end.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi video99.co.uk, excellent point! Probably the greatest benefit of the digital format is the lack of generation quality loss. It has really changed the playing field for film creators and editors. It seems going forward that we face the new challenge of creating reality in digital films that never really existed, and it is hard to determine what part of the film is real and what is "created" in editing. Thanks for the great comment! ~ Victor, CHAP

[@hattivat]

Thanks!

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi Hattivat, thank you very much for your contribution of $20 to our channel! This helps us find, obtain, restore and preserve more interesting vintage technical content! Very much appreciated! ~ CHAP

[@johnopalko5223]

I'm guessing the Moviola was obsoleted by the Steenbeck which is, itself, being replaced by digital film editors.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi John, wow, "Moviola" that's got quite a history. Research says they cost $600 in 1923 (equivalent of about $20,000 today). They were the first editors. A fascinating history they have. Thanks! ~ Victor, CHAP

[@pd1jdw630]

Kinda curious what film he was editing there.

[@aiglon27]

Very nice recap of editing in film back in the day. And who is the editor who's so eloquently sharing his craft and his passion?

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi Erik, thanks for the kind words. The film editor in the video is "Arthur Ciocco," film maker. I think he was affiliated with the Senior Law Center, in Philadelphia. He seems to have been very talented and really loved his job! ~

[@aiglon27]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject Thanks very much for providing the name of the gent--delightful raconteur helping to demystify the process of artful filmmaking.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

You are most welcome.

[@captainkeyboard1007]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject That makes all the difference in the world.

[@shankarn6184]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Odessia-ij5ys]

The Italian low cost film industrial used 16 mm film only the big companies used 35 mm film to shoot

[@ericbogle9054]

What happened to the color?

[@Odessia-ij5ys]

Video editing Is more faster....the new cinema technology of today

[@jacksonhayat2151]

Hey! I'm interested in using some of this footage in a short documentary, is there an email I could contact to get in touch with the CHAP team? thanks!

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi Jackson, thank you for your question. I am looking for the source for this clip. We do not own the original source. I have no objection to you using the clip, but cannot give you official "permission". Will try to find the source and let you know. Thanks.

[@jacksonhayat2151]

@@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject thanks for that!

[@filmsforallnations]

Long before you could edit a film on a computer, films were edited mechanically.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Absolutely! Thank you for visiting our channel! ~

[@filmsforallnations]

It was a pleasure!

[@vitoscaletta3886]

Unfortunately lost art! Wish i could be a cutter on Steenbeck.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Yes, it looks like quite a fun and professional machine to work with!

[@cetocoquinto4704]

When things are in analog editing was good..when in digital all is crap

[@asphaltandtacos]

I agree with you. Analog teaches discipline so you don't have a high ratio as you would with digital. The problem with digital is that you can wind up with a mountain of footage which means your hard drive will fill up very quickly. I prefer something simple and straightforward. There is too much emphasis on the instant gratification side of the equation. Everything feels so distant, cold and artificial in the digital world. Analog is much closer to real life. The dust, scratches and film grain makes movies more personal. All of these high resolution digital formats lack character. Digital is overrated and may result in sensory overload for people in the autism spectrum. Film has a more calming effect. Film editing gives you something that digital will never give you. There is a sense of pride, you are holding the art in your own hands and running film through a machine gives you something to look forward to. The sounds of the motor and watching the film move is just magical. Digital is too immediate, tense and there is no joy with the format.

[@ran2wild370]

So many ouch-es! 1) you need a degree in uni. 2) It's all analog an miles of real film, as it was in the beginning of the cinema era. 3) that guy probably made it until year 2000, and then was shocked to jump into digital tools then back to film splicing again. 🤣🤣And finally in 2010s should have happily retired from the day long work.

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

Hi Ran2wild, it does look like a very tedious operation, but it was state of the art back in the day. And still used today! Great comment, thank you! ~ Victor, CHAP