Timeline Analog 3. John Buck

of editing, even when I pretended to know everything. Peter Abbott and Tim Worner encouraged me to hone my editing skills while Steve Christiansen, Jacqua Page, Dave Galloway and Michael Horrocks believed in me, and my editing company.

      Laura Gohery helped me turn it into a success.

      Bill Orr, Pete Hammar and Ralph Guggenheim were endlessly helpful before the idea of a book even existed, and continued with insight throughout its writing. Ralph’s enthusiasm is infectious, Pete’s advice forthright. Despite the fact that Thelma Schoonmaker is one of the most awarded and talented editors ever, she answered my questions as if she were unknown and idle.

      Ted Horton and Vincent Zimbardi supported me with editing challenges through my transition from editor to editor/author. Andrew Morris starred in my 8mm movies, listened to my plans, gave me work and remained an unwavering friend throughout.

      Donna, Manny, Tillster, Miranda, Elena, Mario, the Colettes and Wild Matt encouraged and humored me.

      Bill Warner (above right) changed editing forever. Without Bill there would be no Avid. There would be no book called ‘Timeline’. He encouraged me at every turn, welcomed me to his home, selflessly assisted my research, lent me documents and tapes, drove me around Boston, twisted former colleagues’ arms to talk, and opened up his heart to the project.

      Without reservation. Bill has faced challenges that would humble most, and never gave up. He is an inspiration.

      The Bucks, Waddells and Kuehs have been hugely supportive of Timeline. Mum and Dad gave me the freedom to dream.

      Tan gave me patience and understanding.

      About the Author

      John Buck has been an editor since he needed a way to cut his Super 8 mm camera rushes. Using a splicer and cement, he cut together parodies of TV shows for screening in a home cinema, and eventually graduated to local filmmaker festivals.

      After being fired from his first full-time job as a junior advertising agency producer, John struggled to explain his skill set to the employment official. His father advised him to “get a job that people can understand what it is that you do”.

      The manager of a production company saw potential, and offered him a role as an editor on the midnight shift. John turned his Super 8 mm cutting abilities to ¾”, 1” and 2” tape. He edited everything from commercials to auctions. High fashion to sheep teeth.With a skill that people could understand he left Taimac, and began editing in earnest at local television station TVW-7.

      With a 6pm deadline, an accommodating boss and a talented senior editor to guide him, Buck became an editor.

      He took those skills across the country to a job on the international TV show Beyond 2000 where he helped create award winning programs. Eventually it was time to branch out on his own, but he was unable to afford the Avid that was so mesmerizing at a trade demo.

      Backed once again by his parents, he took a chance and bought a Media 100 digital nonlinear editing system. One unit became two, and three and four. A one man band became a thriving business.

      This edition

       1983-1989

      Timeline: Analog Three is published by Enriched Books Ltd and Tablo. It is the third in a series designed for students of film and television and small screens everywhere. I am updating it regularly with new interviews and images to make it more interesting but at no extra cost to you.

      This update continues new material from Apple's Gene Carter, Pixar's Malcolm Blanchard and David Fung from the Apple Macintosh II team. There are also revisions, corrections and spell checks.

      The book will take you about 4 hours to read. Thanks again to Mark Tuschman for letting me use his photograph of Ralph Guggenheim at no cost.

      I have made recorded contact with all known copyright owners. Email me if you wish to make corrections or spot something that's incorrect or inaccurate.

      The right of John Buck to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act, 1988. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Besides it’s uncool to copy.

      © Copyright John Buck 2019

      Timeline

      "I think there should always be a reason for making a cut. If a scene plays well in one camera set up and there is no reason to cut, then I don't cut."

      – Stanley Kubrick

      14. Friendly's Diner

       NOVEMBER 1981

      The space shuttle Columbia, piloted by astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly, became the first re-useable space vehicle in November 1981.

      At around the same time, editing systems engineer Eloy Chairez received a call from Dave Orr, manager of Fernseh's editing division.

       He asked if I would be interested in an Application Engineer position in Salt Lake City. This position was for the Editing and Machine Control products group and I would be working directly with Dave. Needless to say, I needed a job and nothing was off the table. I flew to SLC, met with Bill Butler, Dietmar Ziegar and him. I took the job and my Mach One journey continued. Dave and I spearheaded a new facelift on the Mach One and at NAB 1982 we introduced the Mach One Series II system!

      The Series II introduced Slow-Motion editing to the Mach One. There was also dual channel audio control, programmable slow motion, updated edit list formatting and cluster event programming.

       I remember we pulled an ‘all nighter” the day before the show opened. We were walking out as they opened the doors for the crowds on day one! We went to the hotel, showered and changed into our suits and returned to the show.

      Another announcement came from CEO Bill Butler:

       At my recommendation, Bosch bought out Bell and Howell’s interest and the company was renamed Robert Bosch Corporation, Fernseh Division.

      Chairez adds:

       We started the 1982 NAB show with name tags that had Bell & Howell/Bosch but ended the show with name tags with Bosch Fernseh.

      Butler had been brough to Fernseh to streamline the US operations.

       Fernseh (US) did make several important contributions to the overall Fernseh operation. First was the shorter development time, which allowed an early market entry. Several products were developed and manufactured by Salt Lake for international sales.

       Second we implemented Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II), known today as the Demming method, which had been adopted by Japanese auto exporters in the late '60s. This gave us huge improvements in cost, on-time delivery and quality. The Salt Lake operation was one of the early US adapters of Demming, made possible by our close continuing association with the Bell & Howell manufacturing chief.

      Butler recalls the next move: