John Zieman was a top NYC editor for 40 years, working in all categories of post-production: Art, Feature Films, Documentaries, Music Video, News, Arts Programs, PR and Commercial Advertising.
He founded an Editorial Company with 2 staff, in ’87, that grew to be a top nationwide company, with 37 employees on 3 coasts, (NYC, LA, Boston).
He was as comfortable with elaborate visual effects work as straight cuts, biggest budgets to no-budget, and cared deeply about the audio, (“…Sound is 51% of the Picture…”) and the music, whether classical, pop, or punk.
His strong documentary skills always delivered the issues with clarity, brevity, and an attempt toward true fairness.
Zieman edited the series logo, this fun visual effect, and several complete shows for AWTV. Needing sound effects for the new visuals, he quickly recorded a pencil snap, and the head bouncing thunk, in the edit room.
This highlights compilation edit represented AWTV in a network TV awards show— Best Of TV’ ., probably 1982 or ’83.
Zieman was often editing for top ad agencies, with an experienced creative team. This punchy edit survived all the rounds of Client / Agency approvals & dilutions – to be broadcast endlessly.
Its success spawned a larger campaign, for years, and other ad agencies immediately made copycat spots, using the “ DOERS” phrase & concept for other product brands…
As two Downtown club kids, Zieman was already standing right there, ready to edit her initial breakout video. Shot by Director Ed Steinberg, who regularly edited with Zieman, in a club called “Heat”. Recently included in The Museum Of The City Of New York’s show “New York, New Music 1980-1988”. Instead of typical dissolves, here Zieman plays with a “key through” transition, that lets the brightest highlights of the next scene burn through first.
Fresh editing of some pre-existing assets, adding new animation and a new script, this ode to the importance of “speed of invention & technical development” still feels fresh.
Zieman works again for the legendary CLIVE DAVIS, editing daily, for weeks, with TRENT REZNOR. (Dir. Mark Pellington)
Zieman’s long love affair with dance — as a film and video artist, at PBS, and with independent dance films, was totally unknown to the Advertising world, when he was hired to cut this. Voiceover by Sigourney Weaver.
1988 Vanessa Williams, fresh from scandal and tabloid notoriety, starts her music career. Zieman edits for notorious fashion photographer / director Rebecca Blake.
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