Jon D edits

Adventure Time Toys

2011-12-19T08:01:00.000-08:00

Writer: Matt Laster
Designer: Candice House
Editor: Jon Dilling

Hall of Game 2012

2011-12-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

This year Cartoon Network's Hall of Game will be hosted by Shaquille O'Neal.
To promote the show, I worked with Craig Gordon to create a series of teaser spots inspired by the Reagan era "Morning in America" campaign. These silly spots contrast the lush and warm tones of a feel good spot with the ridiculous sensibility that makes Cartoon Network the nutty place it is. I can't wait to see the show. Designer Brian Smith did a great job on location as well as with the post production composite of Shaq with the GAME trophy on his head, and the wind surfer at the end.

Heroes United

2011-11-25T06:09:00.000-08:00

Two worlds collide when Ben 10 meets Generator Rex. I was surprised to learn they weren't the same guy. Who knew?

More SMFA

2011-10-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

If you liked the first SMFA spots, you'll love these.

Secret Mountain Fort Awesome

2011-09-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Network's latest comedy offering.
I worked with Clint Carruth on the the launch campaign for this new series.

Thundercats

2011-08-02T07:47:00.001-07:00

Hey! Remember the Thundercats?

Well, they're back.

Working with Writer/Producer Matt Day, I got to edit the promos leading up the the show launch last Friday. "Thundercats Ho!"

Boys Choir - Promax Update

2011-07-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

"Boys Choir" - see previous post, won several awards at Promax.

Gold for Best Copywriting, Silver for Best Directing, and Silver for Best Children's Spot.

Hurray!

Boys Choir from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Concern for the Future

2011-06-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

"All in all the worst product launch I've ever seen from Apple or pretty much any software manufacturer."

-- quote regarding Apple's new release of Final Cut Pro X

Some Days

2011-04-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not even sure where this falls in the scheme of what I do, but it's in there somewhere.

Some days your job is exactly what you think you're walking into, and then there are days like this: The night before, a network executive decides he needs a 2 minute sizzle reel that encompasses every important show on the network. And he needs it for a meeting tomorrow. So you walk in just before 9am and realize your day has been cleared for just that task.

You have no assets, no script, just a music track to work from and a few hours to make the network look as good as you possibly can. Go!

The reality of production today is, expectations like this get met all the time. I can access clips about as fast as someone can describe them to me. Name a show, I'll pull up the clip. Producers know this and pretty much expect it to happen that fast. Recently I've been pondering the impact of how technology has accelerated video production. Is this a good thing? A bad thing? Has cheap, fast and digital made creativity something that is cheap, fast and disposable? Or has it always been that way? Does it matter? The truth is, I don't know. I can edit faster now than I ever have. I think less about what I'm doing because there simply isn't the luxury of time to ponder things the way we used to. Could this edit be better? Absolutely. Is it a pretty decent cut given I walked in the room with little more than a cup of coffee and a few hours later I had this? I think so. I'm sure in a few weeks, I'll be cutting a whole new reel because this one looks "dated."

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

2011-02-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

I got to see 2 films in this year's Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

Jews and Baseball, edited by my friend Amy Carey Linton.

and Standing Silent, edited and co-produced by my friend Ellen Goldwasser.

Jews and Baseball was a fun night at the Fox Theater. The kick off for the festival.

Complete with organ music and a Jewish Cantor singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in Hebrew. Lots of fun.

Standing silent is a powerful film that takes on the difficult issue of molestation in the Orthodox Jewish community, specifically in Baltimore, MD.

A moving story of one man's journey to uncover the deeply hidden secrets in a community that is very reluctant to face the ugly truth of damaged lives and corrupt leaders. A tough topic that is handled with grace and sensitivity.

Young Justice

2010-12-01T09:22:00.000-08:00

Cartoon Network debuts "Young Justice"

A new show featuring the side kicks from your favorite Justice League heroes.

Writer Producer Matt Day

Editor Jon Dilling

Young Justice from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Tower Prep

2010-10-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

Here's one of the launch spots I did for Cartoon Network's show "Tower Prep"

Producer Ben Amick

Editor Jon Dilling

Tower Prep from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Sym-Bionic Titan PSAs

2010-10-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple funny PSAs I cut with Billy Cone of Cartoon Network for Sym-Bionic Titan

Sym-Bionic Titan PSA - Dad from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Sym-Bionic Titan PSA - Mom from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Director Matt Piedmont

Writer Billy Cone

Editor Jon Dilling

CN Boys Choir

2010-08-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Network's Chip Duffey produced a series of short musical numbers to promote the network's new show lineup.

Shot in Toronto, on a Cannon 5D SLR. This was the first of a growing number of jobs I've worked on using this new format.

Boys Choir from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

American Jihadist

2010-04-17T13:10:00.000-07:00

Director Mark Claywell, a friend of mine, screened his documentary "American Jihadist" at the Atlanta Film Festival, April 17th, 2010.

It's an amazing story and compelling film.

I was fascinated not only by the film itself, but by the story of the films origins in Mark's own experiences tied to the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Watch the film if you have the opportunity.

It will make you think.

Clients from Hell

2010-02-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a funny example of how bad it can and sometimes does get.

All my editor friends kind of laugh at this with a wince of some memory this triggers.

Whoosh! - watch more funny videos

StarWars: The Clone Wars Season 2

2009-10-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

Here is the extended trailer teasing the second season of the animated StarWars series on Cartoon Network.

Writer/Producer: Larry Morris

Editor: Jon Dilling

Trailer StarWars Clone Wars Season 2 from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

It's beautiful in HD. worth an extra click.

FlapJack

2009-05-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

Writer/Producer: Billy Cone

Editor: Jon Dilling

FlapJack from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

CN Real

2009-05-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Network is getting "Real"
With a new block of reality based programing airing this summer
I've worked on several of the new shows including "Survive This"
Writer/Producer Billy Cone and I put together this campaign

Survive This from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

CN - Tamagotchi

2009-02-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

Writer/Producer: Mary Rutt
Director Jim Issa

Editor: Jon Dilling

Tamagotchi from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

TCM - Private Screenings

2008-12-15T09:21:00.001-08:00

I just wrapped up an hour long show working with Sean Cameron Writer/Producer/Director for TCM.
"Private Screenings" in which host Robert Osborne talks with Ernest Borgnine about his long and storied career.

Mr. Borgnine gives a personal account of his life and career in entertainment, including winning the Oscar for "Marty" and all the great stars he has worked with along the way.
A great actor and wonderful story teller. A must-see for any film buff.
Look for Private Screenings on TCM in early 2009.

Whisker Elixir

2008-08-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun interstitial piece I cut with Craig "Sven" Gordon from Cartoon Network.
It was my first experience working with 4K files shot on the Red Camera.
I did a 2 stage down convert to get it to the final delivery which you see here.
First I used the Red Rushes software to go from 4K to 1080i. This enabled me to edit in Final Cut at a viewable HiDef television format. Then after taking the finished edit through Color I did a 4:3 center cut in Final Cut for the NTSC air master.
It was a fun project that allowed me to explore some new work flows.
I was also really impressed with the director Alex Winter. He did a great job getting these kids to deliver on a tricky script.

TCM Uncut

2007-12-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

Here are 3 spots I cut for TCM at the end of 2007.
I was thrilled to work with writer David Byrne of TCM for the first time.
My good friend Tripp Rhame of Spitfire Studios shot these with his Red Camera.

TCM Welder from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

TCM-Paper from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

TCM-Deli from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

The spots look great in HD. worth the extra click.

Memorial Day

2007-05-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Day 2007, Cartoon Network ran a stunt where the network had been taken over by aliens. Here's a promo I cut with writer/producer Ben Amick.

That Crook'd Sipp

2007-05-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

That Crook'd Sipp represents the collision of many worlds. Show creators Nick Weidenfeld, Jacob Escobedo and Mike Weiss drew inspiration from sources as diverse as William Faulkner, Fractured Fairy Tails, and current Hip-Hop culture. Directed by Adam Fuchs, the show is produced at Turner Studios.

Final Cut Pro

2007-01-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

With the start of 2007 I move to editing on Final Cut Pro (version 5).
I have spent the last 15 years editing primarily on Avid Media Composers. I suppose this is the beginning of a new era of work for me. Right away I can tell some significant difference between the systems. Avid was designed by film and linear tape editors and as such has hallmarks of both environments. Final Cut seems to be engineered as a file based editing system much more comfortable with mixing formats and file types. Avid handles files O.K. but lives and dies by timecode. Final Cut can handle timecode, but it clearly was something that got added to the mix rather than used as a basic building block. Avid could be quite constrictive with respect to formats and interfacing with other programs, but as long as you are creating standard NTSC television, the program keeps you on track. Final Cut seems wide open with respect to flavors of video providing plenty of opportunities to hang yourself as an operator if you aren't paying attention. My current one liner..."Final Cut maybe an easier program to pick-up, but its a much more difficult program to run correctly."

Scrubs

2006-10-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

I got to work on a couple of spots for Comedy Central in the fall of 2006.

Working with Writer/Producer Dave Drabik we came up with 4 spots.

Scrubs Unorthodox from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Scrubs - Wrong from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Scrubs - What You Want from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Srubs Promo Operate from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

What struck me about working with the session materials was how well organized and sensible everything was. The graphics, the voice talent, the style guide. Everything was organized in a very logical and easy to execute fashion. I have a lot of respect for those in charge of putting together this network's look.

Stroker & Hoop

2004-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Stroker & Hoop was created by Chris Kelly and Jeff Olsen of Cartoon Network. This was the second animated series that I worked on. I always thought the show was smart and funny and really fit the AdultSwim format. That's why I'm still not sure why the show only ran for a single season. The production model for the show closely follow the template we used for most of the Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law episodes.

Stroker and Hoop from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Batman: The Animated Series

2004-03-12T09:47:00.000-08:00

Batman: The Animated Series originally air on FOX. I think Warner Bros. picked up the series in syndication following a less than stellar first run. It's a beautiful cartoon and had great action sequences to work with. Kevin Mason, writer/producer for Cartoon Network, worked with me on this project.

TCM-City

2003-03-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

TCM has always branded classic movies well. Here is a great example of using some well known and some not so well known clips from the TCM library to craft an image of the "TCM-City."

TCM City from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Samurai Jack

2002-07-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

I worked with Writer/Producer Matt McElhannon on this spot to promote the Cartoon Network original series Samurai Jack.

Samurai Jack from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

I always loved the look of this cartoon. For some reason it never took off the way I thought it could have. Some of the backgrounds are hanging on the walls at Cartoon Network. They are really quite beautiful works of art that can easily stand alone.

Sick Day

2002-05-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

SickDay was just a fun little spot that writer/producer Billy Cone came up with.
At the time, live action promos were the only content on the network that wasn't animation. I think it was through the success of promos like these that the network has gradually moved more and more into live action show and content.

Sick Day from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Fancy Anvils

2002-03-23T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Fancy Anvil Awards
This was a pretty enormous stunt to put together. Writers Steve Patrick, Stuart Hill and Matt Peccini put together a mock awards show for Cartoon Network. In addition to editing many segments with old TV stars, the cartoon presenters all had to be lip-flapped and composited on stage.

Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law

2002-03-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

Birdman begins.

I can't remember precisely when I started working on Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law, so I'll post it beginning in 2002. Close enough.

Here is a clip from the second season, Peanut Puberty.

Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

[adult swim]

2001-09-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

[adult swim] - Here's what started it all. I had the honor of working with writer/producer Matt Peccini on the launch of adult swim. Matt had some great ideas which rang true not just with the audience but critics alike. The campaign won the 2002 BDA Best of Show.

I think much of the genius behind the adult swim launch had to do with it's simplicity. A big problem for Cartoon Network at the time (and still to this day) is the desire to reach a diverse audience. Kids during the day and grown-ups at night. Matt's vision of a swimming pool that takes time out for the grown ups reminds me of my own childhood and that time at the bottom of every hour when the kids had to clear out for the grups.

For talent, Matt got various aquatic oriented everyday people in Atlanta including a senior citizen's synchronized swim team to allow filming and sound recording. Much of the background audio is taken right from the shoot. The drill instructor calling out swim formations and barking commands for swimmers to maintain their form are all real. This style reminds me very much of the work of Errol Morris.
Watch the following generic bumps.

Notice the simplicity of the second bump. The awkward framing of the large man on the bleachers. Now go watch Errol Morris's commercials for Miller High Life. Kindred spirits? You tell me.

This campaign also show wonderful use of props or "practicals" instead of relying on computer generated graphics. The idea to replace the pool depth tiles with tune-information integrates the natural environment with the intended message.

Thank You For Flying

2001-04-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

This is the second interstitial piece I worked on with Stuart Hill.
A sequel to Thank You For Watching.

Thank You For Flying from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Larry Morris gives another convincing performance and the annoyed flyer.

15 Days of 007

2000-10-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

I think that during the heady days when TBS used to air James Bond movies every night for a fortnight you could have promoted it with a black and white card telling rabid bond fans when to tune in. "If you air it...they will watch." Luckily for me, I got to edit these fun spots in the Fall of 2000 with writer/producer Brian Morrow.

15 Days of 007 from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

A year or two after this TBS let the bond contract expire causing much angst among the Bondies.

Movies For Guys Who Like Movies

2000-08-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Movies For Guys Who Like Movies is a pretty self-explanatory concept.
Before TBS was "Very Funny" it was "A Guy Thing." And to that end, this franchise tried to deliver what every guy wants in a show. Killer movies, lots of action, hot chicks, guns, violence, behind the scenes how'd-they-do-that info, and more hot chicks.

MFGWLM from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Born from the success of "Dinner and a Movie" TBS has aired many franchises that market movies to niche demographics. In my opinion the show was the most fun to make in the early days of production. With a skeleton camera crew, producers Brendan Hamlin and Ashley Evans would return to Atlanta from the road (usually L.A.) with killer footage of some male fantasy they had just made into a reality. Hosts George and Karen would find themselves dog-fighting in real airplanes, ridding along in military hovercraft, crashing real cars and jumping off buildings. The show was really a lot of fun to work on.

The Big Game

2000-01-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

In 1998 Cartoon Network began an annual stunt to commemorate the Super Bowl. The idea: have John Madden and Pat Summerall call play by play on classic cartoon moments. And "The Big Game" was born. Each of the 4 years the stunt grew to the point that by the year 2000 John and Pat made on screen apperances along with an unlikely cast of popular celebrities including Bubba Smith, Scott Hamilton, Joe Mantegna, Jack Hanna, and the Inside the NFL cast who added their own take on which cartoon character would win that year's "game."

The editing challenges were many on this project. I think the most challenging segments required taking pre-recorded play by play voice over and matching the script to action clips from classic cartoons. I would add freeze frames at appropriate moments in the action to accommodate a telestrator. An interesting exercise in an early form of mash-up.

The Big Game from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Courage The Cowardly Dog

1999-09-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Courage The Cowardly Dog is something of an acquired taste. My niece used to love the show. Her mother hated it. A recurring challenge for Cartoon Network. For these promos, writer/producer Stuart Hill imagined a series of funny situations involving real dogs to promoted the show. This spot, which was on my demo for years, always illustrated for me the discipline an editor needs to show from time to time. A zen approach to knowing when NOT to cut.

Courage The Cowardly Dog from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

This is a great example of Stuarts quirky sense of humor. It should be noted that Stuart is a dog lover (had 2 wonderful dogs) but could be quoted after the completion of this campaign saying "I'll never work with animals again."

Silence Is Golden

1999-09-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

This is the first of two interstitial pieces that I worked on with writer/producer Stuart Hill.
If you look in the back row of the theater (visually between Blue Falcon and Wonderwoman), you'll see a man with glasses eating popcorn. That's ME!
And of course Larry Morris plays the poor guy that has to suffer through the movie.

Silence Is Golden from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

This was filmed at Atlanta's Plaza Theater. A funky old theater on Ponce de Leon Ave.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast

1999-03-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

I never worked on the show Space Ghost Coast to Coast, but these promos use all the elements from the show's production reels. Lip-flap, arm-flap, head-flap, we pretty much flapped every aspect of Space ghost to put this thing together. Combined with some new backgrounds and live action footage, these spots written by Stuart Hill promoted the 5th season of Coast to Coast.

Space Ghost from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Ed Edd & Eddy

1999-01-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

Ed Edd & Eddy launched in January of 1999.
Question: How do you promote a cartoon with no footage of the show?
Answer: These spots.

Ed Edd n Eddy Spot 1 from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

Some times you have very little to work with. This was one of those times.
Clever writing and about 6 frames of animation went into these promos. We literally had a walk cycle and a run cycle for each character (about 6 frames of each) to put together a launch campaign.

Ed Edd n Eddy from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

I think this was one of a handful of projects I worked on Quantel Editbox. A ridiculous product that promised the world and delivered very little. The least of which was a match-frame button!

Coffee Break

1998-06-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Chris Kelly wrote this funny scene between Birdman and Falcon-7.
I remember editing this in Avid and conforming it on a Quantel Editbox.
Most of the footage is re-use of an old Birdman episode.
Chris touched up a couple frames in Photoshop. We lip-flapped the VO, added gate weave and old film dirt and the result is pretty convincing.

Coffee Break from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

TBS

1997-11-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

On November 3, 1997 I began working at TBS.
I was hired to work for the in-house production facility known simply as "Turner Production", later named "Turner Studios." I remember at the time getting a lot of advice from peers to not take the job. Turner was viewed as a backwater of production. A place to start your career, not the place to get ahead. I've seen the picutres and videos that support that viewpoint and if you've seen "WKRP in Cincinnati" you'll get some idea of what Turner was like in the early days.

Well a few years after I started, Turner built the Southeast's largest production studio, a $50 million full service facility. And most of those people that told me not to come here are now my co-workers.

Tycolene

1995-11-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

This funny little spot is for an aspirin I've never seen it in stores. I don't know if they even still make the stuff. But it does represent the kind of work I was doing circa 1995. This was one of a series of 3 concept spots for the Pfeiffer company. I think there was a Scrooge spot a Frankenstein and a Dracula spot. All selling different things. The Dracula spot was for some kind of iron poor suplement. HA. Those witty ad men! Well, you get the idea.

Tycolene from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

A notable part of the spot for me is the end page. It is hard to tell from the small image played back on this blog, but the Pfeiffer logo is clearly a Hi-con stat camera luminance key. What we would have done is place a black card under a camera with lights surrounding it. The camera would be connected to the video switcher in the editing room. When the edit was made for the end page, the camera image would be keyed over the footage of the pill bottles and the additional type was added from a CG font machine like a Chyron or something similar. It would be years before Photoshop became the industry standard for handling graphics like this.

Creative Post & Transfer

1992-05-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple spots I did during my time in Charlotte, NC at a post house called "Creative Post & Transfer." This was my first job out of college. I had interned there in the summer of 1991 during my last summer in college and made a good enough impression that they hired me after graduation. When I started at Creative Post, they had a DaVinci - Rank Cintel Film to Tape telecine, a linear Online suite with 1" and betaSP decks, and a Quantel PaintBox for graphics. Clients would get window dubs of their film transfers and go to a tape-to-tape edit bay to rough together the off-line version of their spots. The timecodes would then either be written down by hand or simply transposed by the online editor as the spots were conformed in the Online edit suite. The spots below represent the emergence of non-linear editing. Creative Post bought one of the first Avids in Charlotte. It was a media composer (version 4.5 if I remember correctly). The top editors at the time were so busy they didn't have time to learn the system. And frankly at the time Online editors kind of looked down on offline editing as being crude and not too sophisitcated. Online ruled! So I had pretty much unfettered access to this new technology. Before long a client named Mark Claywell recognized the creative potential and freedom non-linear could offer. Mark was an emerging director with Boulevard Films in Charlotte. He had lot of creative energy and was excited about trying new technology. Lucky for me he was generous enough to give me a shot at working with him. The Presbyterian spot is pretty straight forward stuff. The footage really does all the work here. But, we were free to play with timing, version and add dissolve transitions in Avid that would previously have had to wait for Online.

Presbyterian from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

This next spot was a spec spot that Mark wanted to cut to fill out his reel. He had shot a bunch to athletic footage for a Belk department store campaign. He brought in a bunch of CDs and had me pull in several tracks which we assembled in a montage fashion. I was fascinated by his vision and the way he freely embrace the possibilities that multiple versions and non-linear editing opened up. I knew just enough about the system to keep up with Mark's vision. By the end of the session I was hooked.

Nike from Jon Dilling on Vimeo.

I believe this spot of conformed in Creative Post's new D2 online suite. Oh, the heady days of composite digital!