Creative editorial boutique, Machete Edit & Design, has been launched in Chicago. Partners in the new venture are editor Marty Bernstein, formerly at Chicago-based Spots BME, and editor/effects designer Luiz Landgraf, who had been at now defunct Skyview Studios, Chicago.
Commenting that it was "time to do this my way," Bernstein said he found a simpatico business partner in Landgraf. "Luiz and I talked, and we knew we had the same vision of how the business should be run," said Bernstein. "It’s a different business model than Chicago and most of the country is used to, in terms of post."
One point of difference, related Bernstein, is that he and Landgraf own their own equipment. Bernstein acquired an Avid G4, and Landgraf bought a Discreet Logic Edit/Paint/Effect, a nonlinear edit solution that offers compositing, 3-D video compression, clip animation and visual effects capabilities. "We run our autonomous business with an open philosophy, an open architecture," continued Bernstein. "We want to attract other people that have that same entrepreneurial spirit. [The plan] is to grow in small steps."
Landgraf concurred, noting that he and Bernstein shared compatible goals and ideas. "I was looking for a situation that doesn’t exist," said Landgraf. "The establishment dictates that you’re either a freelancer, an employee or a business owner/ partner. I’m interested in bits and pieces of what works in each of those categories, but I don’t subscribe entirely to one category. In thinking about it, I put the best of the three categories together into a different business model that works best to empower the talent, to allow the talent to keep more of what they have, while at the same time having a shared, scaleable overhead."
Bernstein, who is known for cutting narrative and comedy spots, is working on several projects at Machete, including a three-spot campaign for Hallmark’s 99 cent cards via Leo Burnett Co., Chicago. His last project at Spots BME was "Remember," a McDonald’s spot promoting its Ronald McDonald Scholarship Fund, also out of Leo Burnett.
Under the Machete banner, Landgraf, who specializes in graphics and design-oriented ads, is currently working on a multi-spot package via Leo Burnett for an undisclosed client. His recent credits include spots for Ameritech via Ammirati, Puris, Lintas, Chicago; Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal via Campbell Mithun Esty, Minneapolis; Egghead.com via A. Eicoff & Partners, Chicago; and Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese via J. Walter Thompson, Chicago.
Bernstein spent the past three years at Spots BME editorial house (SHOOT, 3/14/97, p.7), preceded by a seven-year stay at the now-closed Chicago-based Cutaways. While at Cutaways, he edited a number of high-profile image spots, including those for Hallmark and McDonald’s. "That’s where I really established myself in commercials and built a good following," said Bernstein.
Before that, Bernstein spent several years editing out of his own Chicago-based shop, Fine Cut, where in addition to spots he worked on the independent feature films Desire (which was released theatrically in Europe) and Shaking the Tree. He got his start in the early ’80s working as an in-house editor at Sedelmaier Productions, Chicago, for comedy director Joe Sedelmaier.
Since fall ’97, Landgraf had worked at Skyview as a creative editor/effects designer (SHOOT, 10/31/97, p.7). This was preceded by a two-year stint with Chicago and Santa Monica-based creative editorial boutique The Lookinglass Company.
A native of Porto Alegre, Brazil, Landgraf began his career in ’82 in animation and effects design at Kurtz & Friends, Hollywood (now based in Burbank). He proceeded to Los Angeles-based Wystrach (now Santa Monica-based Anchor Editorial), where, from ’86-’92, he edited domestic and international spots for clients including Federal Express, Reebok, Acura and Toyota. Landgraf then launched his own L.A.-based company, The Image Fountain, which he ran for three years. In that span, he focused on coordinating and editing special effects and design projects for the U.S. and Brazilian markets; among his spot clients were Carnation, Colgate, Motorola, Ford and Volkswagen.
Located in the North Pier complex, Machete also includes executive producer Tony Karam, a producer at Skyview for four years, and assistant editor Mary Roland, who assisted Landgraf at Skyview.
