John Zieman was a top NYC editor for 40 years, working in all categories of post-production: Art, Feature Films, Documentaries, Music Video, News, Arts Programs, PR and Commercial Advertising.
He founded an Editorial Company with 2 staff, in ’87, that grew to be a top nationwide company, with 37 employees on 3 coasts, (NYC, LA, Boston).
He was as comfortable with elaborate visual effects work as straight cuts, biggest budgets to no-budget, and cared deeply about the audio, (“…Sound is 51% of the Picture…”) and the music, whether classical, pop, or punk.
His strong documentary skills always delivered the issues with clarity, brevity, and an attempt toward true fairness.
Can’t touch this! Charlie Sheen with Japan’s top model (at that time), the priciest Madonna soundtrack possible at that time. End Sequence: 200′ crane shot cuts to chopper shot, which flies under the bridge!?
The style is stiff and formal, which was perfection for Japanese tastes at the time. Zieman edited (88?) for director Ken Nahoum.
Director Alex Pikas brought me really fun things that he shot, to edit!
A visual effects-heavy assemblage of rather plain sports & news video footage, collapsing 6 years of Lance Armstrong’s Tour De France wins into 30 seconds. Fun to edit! (how times change…)
This was never meant to be a public-facing edit, it was a “pitch” film using “swipe”, (borrowed footage and music) and can never be shown outside that context. As such, it is a pure editor’s delight. Later, the agency showed it in a mass assembly to all the staff, saying – this is how it can and should be done…
1988 Vanessa Williams, fresh from scandal and tabloid notoriety, starts her music career. Zieman edits for notorious fashion photographer / director Rebecca Blake.
