“I’ve been really lucky, where I haven’t been pinned down to anything, which makes me happy, because it’s good to try something new everyday,” says editor Crandall Miller of The Whitehouse. “I love being able to jump back and forth–do a really nice commercial, and then do a crazy abstract music video, then do a short film. I’ve been lucky so far. I hope I can keep that going.”
Miller, who is based in the New York office of The Whitehouse–the shop also has offices in London, Chicago, and Santa Monica–effortlessly moves from effects-intensive work to more linear storytelling. One of his latest spot efforts is “Graffiti,” a HIV/AIDS-awareness spot for the Kaiser Family Foundation out of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami. The ad, which encourages people to get tested for HIV, was directed by Anders Halberg of bicoastal/international Believe Media, features the Barnstormers, a collective of graffiti and mural artists, creating their work throughout downtown Philadelphia in time-lapse fashion–from dark tunnels to a sunny street–to illustrate how knowledge of one’s HIV status is spreading. The ad ends with the tagline “The Know is spreading.”
Miller actually went to Philadelphia for a couple of days to observe the shoot–which involved having the artists paint along several different areas. “I’m trying to start to do more of that,” he explains. “It’s good to get on set, just to visualize, and it gets the camaraderie going.” While he does go on location depending on the project, he notes that at times it’s good to view dailies with a fresh eye, with no bias towards a particular shot.
He has high praise for Mass Market, the New York visual effects shop that worked on the spot, and enjoys working on the occasional effects-intensive project. “It’s fun to conceptualize,” he states, “and watch it get put together. I don’t think I’d want to do it everyday–sometimes you just want a nice story.”
The editor’s storytelling prowess is on display in his work for Champ Sports, including the spot “Split,” out of AKA Advertising, New York, and directed by Bruce St. Clair of bicoastal/international Chelsea Pictures. The ad features Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, about to go long on an empty football field. A voiceover explains the importance of a single second–it might not seem like much time, but in a football game it can make all the difference.
Miller began working in the Chicago office of The Whitehouse as a runner four years ago; two-and-a-half years later, he relocated to New York to work as an assistant editor, primarily for editor Colby Parker, Jr., although he has worked with several of the other Whitehouse cutters as well. “There are always visiting editors, so it was really good to learn from everybody,” relates Miller. “I definitely learned how to cut music videos [from Colby]. The Whitehouse is a really good space–to have a lot of creative people around, to bounce ideas off of, and show them your cut, get a fresh view on it [is good].” Miller started editing with promo work for MTV, collaborating with directors such as Aaron Stoller, Eric Eckelman, and Adam Levite, who now helms music videos via bicoastal/international Partizan. Miller also worked on projects in conjunction with other Whitehouse editors, doing :15 and :30 versions of spots.
Through Levite, Miller began working on clips–the pair collaborated on Beck’s “Black Tambourine,” which features the artist as typeface. The performer’s entire body grooves to the beat, but instead of flesh and blood, Beck is composed entirely of type, which shifts and moves as he does. Miller also cut Interpol’s “C’Mere” for Levite. Some of the editor’s other music videos include Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Going Down,” directed by Matt Lenski, and Feist’s “Inside & Out,” helmed by Ramon & Pedro of Partizan. On the spot front, Miller is about to head to West Coast office of The Whitehouse to cut a job for Sprint and Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco. Miller notes that the editing shop provides a great environment for up-and-coming editors. “They always have everyone helping out,” he says, “and very much like bringing up the new talent.”
