As we dive headlong into fall, with Summer 2017 moving into the rear-view mirror, two editors from bicoastal Union return a little more “bronzed.” Spots cut by Karen Kourtessis and Eric Argiro were each honored with Bronze Lions in the Film Craft – Editing category at this year’s Festival of Creativity in Cannes, and each ad conveyed a sense of adventure. However, there are “once-in-a-lifetime” adventures, and then there is the ultimate redline of extreme sports.
Edited by Kourtessis, “Google Photos: Free Up Space” (via Google Creative Lab) broke during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, and played throughout. The spot tells the story of people in vastly different situations united by the fact that you only get one chance to capture once-in-a-lifetime moments. They’re thwarted by maxed out storage on their phones, but thanks to Google Photos you’ll never miss a moment again.
Created via Sid Lee, directed by non unlimited’s Stacy Peralta, and edited by Union’s Argiro, “The North Face Question Madness Anthem” is a 50th Anniversary spot reflecting on the duality of adventure: the pain and perspective, the wild extremes of frustration and exhilaration experienced by extreme sports enthusiasts.
Argiro had this to say about his own adventure cutting “The North Face Question Madness Anthem”:
“We were working with basically a half-century of archive footage including many documentaries. The North Face has been deeply involved with the extreme sports world from its very beginning. It gave me a mind-blowing appreciation for this small, physically elite group of men and women who have chosen to put their lives on the line for their sport,” Argiro observed. “I came to realize they don't do it for fame and certainly not money. What draws all of them is this deep need to explore the absolute limits of…well, really, of their souls – by literally putting themselves in the ultimate peril.
Argiro appreciates the vicarious experience this project afforded him. “It is a freely spoken notion that many ‘free climbers,’ for instance, won’t live past 40. This is incredible to me,” the editor marvels. “The ones who are still alive simply haven't found their ultimate redline yet. But with every climb they poke at it and prod just a little further. “These days, at 40, with bad knees and an 18-month old son at home, I carve down mountainsides on my board nice and easy and can only marvel at these folks. This project gave me a 2-week glimpse into this world where men and women face death and test their will, something that I never fully appreciated. That was my greatest take-away. When you’re lucky enough to work on the right project, editing gives you this fabulous opportunity to peek into people’s lives, passions and tragedies, for a few weeks at a time. It makes you just a little more informed about the world in which we live.”
About Union
Union Editorial has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and London, where it maintains an alliance with Marshall Street Editors. The company also develops and produces original content, in partnership with Killer Content companies through its Union Entertainment Group banner. Other Union companies include Platform, a creative and advertising solution for the gaming industry; and Resolution, a visual effects boutique specializing in commercials, features and gaming.
Union is presided over by Partner/Managing Director Michael Raimondi in LA, Partner/Executive Producer Caryn Maclean in NY and Partner/Executive Producer Rob McCool in Austin. The Union roster is comprised of Partner/Editors Jim Haygood, Einar, Jay Friedkin, Sloane Klevin, Marco Perez, and editors Christopher Huth, Nicholas Wayman-Harris, Rachael Waxler, Daniel Luna, Jason Lucas, Kevin Ray, Laura Milstein, Eric Argiro, Karen Kourtessis, Zach Kashkett, Andrew Doga, Paul Plew, Jinx Godfrey, Ben Longland and Nico Alba as well as select projects with Tim Thornton-Allen, Matt Chesse, John Mayes and the Marshall street roster.
