December is here so the Christmas shopping scene is in full swing. As we have done many years in the past here’s a list of potential Christmas gift ideas for editors everywhere. This is the 9th year the Editblog has gathered up ideas for editors and since the inception, other blogs across the internet have ripped off been inspired to do the same. As always if you need other ideas, look back on the last 8 years right here as there are tons of other great ideas. Editors, forward this link to your family and friends who don’t know what to get you for Christmas. Or just buy some stuff for yourself.
CinemaEditor magazine subscription
The American Cinema Editors union has a print magazine and editors everywhere can subscribe for $39 a year.
- 4 print issues mailed quarterly (Domestic or International
- Online access to both current and back issues(pdfs), photos and blog content
- Online access to EditFest London & Los Angeles videos.
Want to see what’s in the current edition? This is on the top of my list this year.
Airpods
If the iPhone user in your life doesn’t have Airpods then they need them. I was skeptical (mainly because people who wear them around like fashion accessories look like dorks) but I can’t deny their usefulness. So easy to setup and use. They sound good and the case design makes them pleasant to use. Plus you can pair them with iPads and Macs and computers and most any Bluetooth device. And according to the Internet, you can use Apple Airpods with an Android device. If you don’t want to buy Apple there are other Android options as well.
And if you do get a pair of Airpods for someone consider a Protective Silicone Case that is probably most useful with the keychain attachment. Or you can get a neoprene case if silicone isn’t your thing. If you really want to go all out on the gift go for a handmade custom leather Airpod case because you can’t have too nice of a case for your case.
“Push Button” tea pot / tea infuser
I don’t drink a lot of coffee but I do enjoy tea as a way to both drink more water as well as enjoy some amazing flavors. As I’ve been consuming more and more loose teas this POT-LAZY EASY PIAO I TEA POT “PUSH BUTTON” MULTI-TEA SERVER is by far the fastest and easiest way to steep a good cup of tea. Amazon has it too. It beats tea bags by a mile. Grab a nice loose tea starter kit and some rock sugar and your editor is ready to have a tea time like no other.
The Making of a Motion Picture Editor book
It would hardly be a Christmas gift list without a good book recommendation. This year it’s the brand new The Making of a Motion Picture Editor by Thomas A Ohanian. The Amazon description says: Learn from some of the most decorated editors in motion picture history over the span of 551 films, 360 Academy Awards (R) and another 785 nominations. From Apocalypse Now to West Side Story. From the suspense of The Silence of the Lambs to the comedy of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. From the realism of Saving Private Ryan to the universe of Star Wars. And the author has commented that the book is six years of research and writing which equals 1.8 pounds of reading material! You can also get the book from Barnes and Noble, both physical and digital.
And for lots of other book ideas from previous years browse the past entries into this topic for many books covering the craft and the technology of editing.
Uxelite – the television stone
Editors need good conversation starters around the edit suite. How about a piece of uxeite rock known as the “tv stone?” Why is it called the “tv stone?” YouTube can answer that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpcrbkb2TiU
And, of course, they can be purchased via Amazon.
Magnetic Balance Lamp
An editor can’t have too many cool lights and lamp around. Actually, we probably can but here’s another cool one. The $70 Magnetic Balance Lamp uses magnets on strings to turn it on and off. I’m not sure what kind of light it puts out but it sure would make a cool conversation piece. If you want to spend $15 more there’s a Wood Magnetic Balance Lamp too!
GrowlerWerks pressurized growler
If your editor likes to keep a fresh growler of draft beer in the edit suite refrigerator then consider a pressurized growler to keep that beer fresher, longer. No one likes flat beer. No one. GrowlerWerks uses tiny CO2 cartridges to keep the beer fresh. It looks like it’s pouring a fresh tap every time. The growlers range from $149 – $250 and CO2 cartridges go from $13 – $28. Of all the useless things on this list I’d never buy myself, this is my favorite. I’ll happily take it as a Christmas present!
VHS Backpack
We all want some kitschy thing that says to everyone else we work in television post-production right? This year it is the VHS backpack. What better way to show you’re a video nerd than to carry your crap around in this thing. This is definitely backpack art and you can also get one with cassettes, old video game cartridges or all of the above. Like most on-demand sites these days those designs are all available on stuff like pillows, phone cases, clocks, tables, trays, rugs, mugs, you name it. Just scroll down from the links.
Keep Calm and Edit On
Of course, the Keep Calm meme has to come to editing! I’ve seen variations on this around the internet for a while so here’s one from teespring. If you notice this teespring link says it’s available until tomorrow but it’s been saying that for weeks now. Or just download your own poster and print it for yourself.
G-DRIVE mobile SSD
Finally … recommending a hard drive for an editor is an easy one and we’ve recommended several over the years. An SSD is something that is small, fast and very useful for an editor. My current favorite is the G-Technology G-DRIVE mobile SSD. It takes the design up a notch from the Samsung T5 SSDs (which are a great gift too) and personally I trust G-Tech products for post-production. Prices on the G-DRIVE mobile are pretty good with a 1 TB hitting $260. IMHO, 1 TB is a sweet spot in price and size but if you can get the 2 TB for $580, go for it!