When it comes to film editing, it can be a pain in both the ass and your wrist.
That's because in the olden days, you had to handle actual filmstock by not just holding the film with your own hands but also using cutting tools, tape, glue, staples, etc.
The image above is that of a FEMALE EDITOR working with filmstock in the 1940s.
My guess is that she's using this:
Until the advency of the computer, FEATURE FILMS were editing the physical way but not with MOVIOLAS.
Rather this contraption shown bellow:
It's purpose was to make Editor easier by having a multi-control interface with stereo speakers when editing filmstock.
Also, there were these sprocket holders
According to my readings, these were to hold the film together without creating a mess on the floor or dealing with some many holders held up at once.
In the name of tidy order.
As some people on the internet might think that editing through physical means are superior to the digital method we use now with AVID, Adobe Premiere, or even DAVINCI RESOLVE,
The reality is that the older methods have their downsides.
Not only do you risk destroying a master with the repeated cutting, storage canisters, and timing issues but also the cost of Film Development and the waiting period for them chemicals to finish developing
as the sordid stories of HEAVEN'S GATE still being wet from the lab are any indication.
And STAR WARS creator GEORGE LUCAS was one of those who got sick of using the old school method of EDITORIAL.
So after getting inspired by the story of the CMX 600 machine from 1971
He got to work collaborating with his COMPUTER DEPARTMENT at LUCASFILM.....
This group was called DROIDWORKS & CONVERGENCE CORPORATION.
The idea was not just to simplify the age old FLATBED editing process but also make it digital as so George doesn't have to look through bins or ask for assistants to hand him reels or sticky tape during editorial.
This gave rise to the EDITDROID system
It was a PURPOSE built system meant for editing film without using physical pieces of acetate filmstock.
Just a bigass desk with 3 Monitors
2 for interfaces with the 3rd being the center to view your sort of finished work.
That as well as a KEYBOARD, TRACKBALL, and some JOGWHEELS.
All powered by this guy below
To sell the idea to other people in order to buy the equipment,
The SUN MICROSYSTEMS SUN-1 WORKSTATION.
Some raw footage of YODA ON HIS DEATHBED was edited using the new EDITDROID system
However, it was the 1980s.
Not every filmmaker at the time was willing to switch from their TRIED-&-TRUE Steenbecks to a bigass desk with computer monitors and keyboards.....
Nor would they want to justify the cost for needing the equipment or storage....
And storage was another issues.
The EDITDROID system needed LASERDISC to store the info but if you've read about the LASERDISC's drawbacks on storage capacity, then you'll know how it became the downfall of EDITDROID to begin with.
But LUCASFILM didn't give up.
Some people from APOLLO COMPUTERS decided to buy parts of the tech and develop what would become the AVID system that HOLLYWOOD uses nowadays.
In the earliest days, AVID was compiled mostly to run on APPLE's MACINTOSH II line of computers due to their supposed workstation feel of their tech
But as the tech grew,
AVID eventually began branching into other OSes like WINDOWS, SGI IRIX. and So on.
While people who do VIDEO WORK often have to choose between ADOBE PREMIERE or DAVINCI RESOLVE for their editing fix,
HOLLYWOOD prefers INDUSTRY STANDARD and AVID seems to fit that bill rather well.
While I primarily do my editing on ADOBE PREMIERE PRO,
I would love to try out AVID even if the way you cut and edit is different than what I'm used to.
But If I need a cheat sheet, I can just refer to keyboard diagrams I can find on GOOGLE IMAGES.
But since I'm a proponent to MECHANICAL KEYBOARDS who refuses to go back to RUBBER DOMES,
Thank balls the KEY SHORTCUTS use the TENKEYLESS format.
Here's my suggestion to AVID or Keyboard MANUFACTURERS:
Please supply AVID MEDIA COMPOSER friendly KEYCAPS that I can use my Mechanical Keyboards.
That would be most appreciative.