Spot Welders
| File:Spotwelders logo.png | |
| Industry | Post Production |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Venice, California, USA |
Key people | Robert Duffy, David Glean |
| Website | [|www.spotwelders.com] |
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (June 2008) |
HISTORY & SIGNIFICANCE
Established in Venice, California in 1993 by editor Robert Duffy and producer David Glean, Spot Welders is recognized internationally as one of the film industry’s pre-eminent editorial houses. Spot Welders credits include dozens of award-winning music videos and commercials as well as a significant number of major feature films. Recognized as both a hub and incubator of top editorial talent, Spot Welders is also noted for being among the first major Los Angeles postproduction houses to locate on the Los Angeles West Side. In addition to Duffy and Glean, Spot Welders partners include Michael Heldman, Haines Hall and Dick Gordon.
At the time of its founding, Spot Welders’ design-driven approach to the editorial workplace represented a departure from postproduction facility norms, including the conventional “windowless block box” design of edit bays. [1] Spot Welders’ facilities and visual identity expressed Duffy’s and Glean’s belief that the total environment contributes to the quality of the editorial product.
Furthering this belief, Spot Welders has aligned itself with creative professionals from a variety of related disciplines. Many of these have made significant contributions to the company’s facilities, identity, and design-centric culture. Architect Ray Kappe, a founder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), designed the Venice, California facility’s edit bays. Dan Wood of WORK AC designed the New York editorial space. Original logos and graphics for the company were designed by Jay Vigon, David Carson and Ralph Steadman. Artist and designer Roy McMakin of Domestic Architecture and Pam Shamshiri of Commune designed furniture and interiors for the Venice studio.
Much of Spot Welders’ early reputation arose from its extensive involvement in music videos. The company and its stable of editors earned numerous awards for music videos and commercials, including MTV Editor of the Year, Emmy® Awards, MVPA and Monitor Awards. In addition to Duffy, the roster of editors at Spot Welders includes: Catherine Bull, Haines Hall, Dick Gordon, Michael Heldman, Pam Martin, Lucas Spaulding, Jon Stefansson and Brad Waskewich.
NOTABLE DIRECTOR RELATIONSHIPS AND PROJECTS
Spot Welders editors have formed working relationships with commercial directors, including: Doug Aitken, Jonas Akerlund, Blue Source, Dante Ariola, Dayton/Faris, Fredrik Bond, Peter Care, Laurent Chanez, Roman Coppola, Andrew Douglas, John Frankenheimer, Craig Gillespie, Spike Jonze, David Fincher, Happy, Tony Kaye, Michael Mann, Mike Maguire, Mike Mills, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Phil Morrison, Mark Pellington, Pelorian Brothers, Jeff Preiss, Joe Pytka, Sam Rami, Guy Ritchie, Chris Rock, Mark Romanek, Rupert Sanders, Joel Schumacher, Tony Scott, Speck/Gordon and Tarsem.
At Spot Welders, these directors and others edited music videos for artists including Air, Beastie Boys, Bjork, Bruce Springsteen, Daft Punk, David Bowie, En Vogue, Green Day, Fiona Apple, Johnny Cash, Guns N’ Roses, Jay Z, Korn, LCD Sound System, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Moby, Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Stone Temple Pilots, Strokes.
Commercial clients have included Absolut, Adidas, AT&T, BMW, Coca Cola, Honda, Geico, HP, Miller, Nike, Pepsi, Reebok, T Mobile and VW among others. Production company and ad agency regulars for whom Spot Welders has produced significant and award-winning work include Anomaly, Anonymous Content, Arnell Group, BBDO, Campbell-Ewald, Campbell Mithun, Crispin Porter and Bogusky, Cutwater, DDB Worldwide, Deutsch, Fallon Worldwide, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Grey Global Group, Epoch, JWT, Leo Burnett Worldwide, Lowe Worldwide, The Martin Agency, McCann-Erickson, MJZ, Modernista, Mother, Publicis & Hal Riney, Radical Media, RPA, Saatchi & Saatchi, Smuggler, TBWA\Worldwide and Wieden+Kennedy and others.
In addition to commercials and music video projects, Spot Welders’ feature credits include The Cell, The Fall, The House of Yes, How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog, Little Miss Sunshine, Slums of Beverly Hills, Spanking the Monkey and Thumbsucker.
Spot Welders has further grown and diversified to better serve a global client base by opening an office in New York in 2005 and forming a strategic alliance with the London-based editorial house Work in 2007.
EXTERNAL LINKS
- Association of Independent Commercial Producers Industry organization to which Spot Welders belongs
- Music Video Production Association Industry organization to which Spot Welders belongs
- ‘Boards Magazine A leading industry publication about commercial production
- AdCritic A feature of Creativity magazine presenting new advertising work
- ^ Interior Design. [Right Coast, Done Right] 2005-11-01. pp.126-133