Led by Editor Clayton Condit, the creative team at Splice collaborated very closely with Director Eric D. Howell and Producer Dean Zanuck on their new film “Voice From the Stone,” starring Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones,” “Terminator Genisys”) and Marton Csokas (“The Lord of the Rings”). Shot on location in Italy, the film made its premiere at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival in April, and is currently in theatrical release at the Laemmle Santa Monica and in 10 cities across the U.S. with international distribution to follow. “Voice From the Stone” is also available on cable and digital demand.
The feature film debut of Director Eric D. Howell, “Voice From the Stone” is a haunting tale of fear, mystery and romance that plays out amid the ghosts of memory at the gates of an isolated stone castle in 1950s Tuscany where a determined nurse (Clarke) arrives to cure the mute heir within. Based on the Italian novel “La Voce Della Pietra” by Silvio Raffo, the film was shot on location in a misted, alternate vision of Tuscany.
Under the guidance of Editor Clayton Condit, the Splice team contributed editorial, visual effects and color for “Voice From the Stone.” Condit traveled on-set to Italy for the film’s production, as well as the recording of the film’s score in London, and final mix at George Lucas’ Skywalker Sound in Northern California. Director Eric Howell has a long-standing collaboration with Condit and Splice, having completed editorial and postproduction on many of his commercial projects over the years. “Splice was the perfect collaborative partner for the postproduction on this film,” says Howell. “This is a very nuanced film, and so there needed to be a delicate balance on what story we were telling. It is a very intelligent film, so as we took in feedback about what was working and wasn’t, it was great that we had such a close collaboration with everyone at Splice. It was really a family affair.”
Producer Dean Zanuck, who’s company Zanuck Independent was the driving force behind getting the film completed, traveled to Minneapolis several times to work closely with Condit and Howell during the offline editorial process. Splice was a strong collaborator from the early stages of pre-production, stepping in and managing all aspects of postproduction. Splice was one of the best post experiences I’ve had in my career. We also capitalized on Minnesota’s film incentive Snowbate, to help get ‘Voice From the Stone’ finished and to theatrical release.”
“Working on Voice was an amazing journey on so many levels,” says Editor Clayton Condit. “Editorial for ‘Voice’ was a truly collaborative effort with the Director, Producers and even the Executive Producer. We successfully navigated multiple perspectives at times and were able to find big and small ideas and solutions to tell the story the best way possible. Traveling to and cutting in Tuscany was an experience of a lifetime. The entire cast made editing a true pleasure with beautiful performance options and rarely a take I couldn’t use.”
Splice Executive Producer Drew Sondeland oversaw the management of the postproduction phase and all of its assets for "Voice From the Stone.” “This was a wonderful film to manage,” he notes. “The passion and dedication of the film’s Director (Eric Howell) and Producer (Dean Zanuck) provided amazing inspiration for us. When the first frames started coming in from the set in Italy, we knew we had a beautiful film and amazing opportunity on our hands. The schedule was such that we needed to role out all departments in Splice simultaneously. The energy that gets created when we’ve got everyone focused on one vision is always a blast."
For Splice Visual Effects Supervisor Ben Watne: "Working on ‘Voice From the Stone’ was a fantastic experience for our team,” he concludes. “We were presented with some subtle creative challenges, and did our part to enhance the mood and tone in what were already breathtaking Italian locations. Our work on the film will hopefully be invisible to all who watch it, allowing them to be drawn deeper into the story. We are honored and grateful to have been a part of it.”
About Splice
SPLICE® is post-production. Our eclectic mix of artists includes creative direction, motion design, edit, visual effects, color, and sound supported by a powerful team of technologists. We partner with brands, agencies, networks, production companies, and filmmakers to tell visually compelling stories in unique ways across all platforms. We provide experience and exceptional client care with tech-enabled creative. Collaborations include feature, broadcast, commercial and experiential design.
Founded by Barb & Clayton Condit in 1999, Splice embodies their collective creativity and business sense. Paired with an innovative entrepreneurial energy, they take exceptional care and understanding of our clients and their stories. Clayton’s passion for storytelling and love of the toys has been powered by Barb’s years of business experience, common sense, and extreme care for people.
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